Epiphanies

http://www.youtube.com/corealised

If anyone knows where I can download subbed episodes, please enlighten me.

I watched the first episode of Suna no Utsuwa. It’s based on the work of Seicho Matsumoto who is apparently some famous mystery writer. I can’t believe the main character is played by an idol from SMAP – Nakai Masahiro. He really did a great job. I never would have believed it. The filming was really well done, it was a pretty good episode. I could see why it won awards. It’s very dark however so definitely one has to be in the mood to watch. It didn’t feel like a drama at all but more like a movie. The acting really was good. I think I’m going to continue but definitely not something to marathon – it’s quite serious.

Summary of the first episode: Basically it’s about this pianist who is rising to fame.  He encounters a man from his past who wants him to return to visit his father in his old hometown.  The pianist has changed his identity and the old man is upset by that.  He gets into an argument with this man in a train yard and accidentally knocks the old man down.  The old man hits his head and is severely injured.  The pianist at first is frantic with worry but then sees a way out of having his past haunt him and decides to kill him beyond all recognition – in other words – brutal.  While fleeing from the scene, he bumps into a woman who then apologizes for getting blood on his jacket (the blood I think is actually from the murder scene). The pianist then keeps seeing this woman coincidentally and begins to wonder if he should knock her out. Ken Watanabe plays a detective who is on this case.  I believe subsequent episodes will be about the pianist trying to avoid capture and falling in love with this woman who might be able to identify him later by putting two and two together.

The Bridge to Terabithia wasn’t anything I expected. I think maybe if I had understood that it was not in fact a fantasy movie, I would have enjoyed it more.  My expectation for the movie kept me on edge.  Where was the fantasy adventure?  Anyway, basically it’s about two “outcasts” who find a unique friendship in their shared adventure of their make-believe fantasy world.  It’s a coming-of-age film about friendship, loneliness, and escaping their circumstances through their imagination.  It was pretty cool once I understood what it was about and the ending was unexpected and touching.   It’s a bit heavy in the angst towards the end so I’m not sure it’s appropriate for younger kids but I guess it’s a realistic look at life so it can’t really be bad.

Went to Springacre to make a tool belt for father’s day. On the way there, we heard the song “Girlfriend” by Avril Lavigne. C was actually trying to sing along with it. Lots of words I really don’t want him to learn. I wonder if I have to give up my radio for the kids too. :sigh: Anyway, I tried to catch up on “So you think you can dance” and one pair of dancers danced to – you guessed it – “Girlfriend”. C exclaims, “Mommy, this is the song I like!” and proceeds to try to sing and dance to it. Oi vey. Good thing it’s a fast song because I don’t think he hears the cuss words yet. :Makes note to screen her radio station: C really loves to dance and sing. I think this may be his calling but I’m not sure at which point I’m suppose to encourage it. Seems like the men in dance get into it much later (late teens) so maybe I’ll wait until then and see if it really his destiny.

We bought a recycle bin and a few compact fluorescent spiral bulbs at Home Depot ($10/4 spirals $10/2 floodlights) all in the name of Earth Day. Also checked out Babies R Us and bought formula ($23 plus a $7 coupon). Got 4 Pizza Hut personal pan pizzas for free because of B’s reading award certificates – sweet. Yay for reading.

Watched a few Planet Earth episodes. Absolutely gorgeous cinematography. Where do people get the motivation and wherewithal to do this for a living? Spending hours upon hours just to catch that perfect moment. I loved the birds of paradise mating dances. That was so captivating.  On another note, cell phones have been linked to the bee decline.

C also had a playdate with Niloo. Then her mom called around 5:45pm and asked if she could drop both kids off so that she could go to the hospital to visit her friend who was in a coma. She didn’t come back until after 8pm. Thought that was kind of rude (we don’t really know her, and it was pretty late for a playdate AND we had to feed her). Seems kind of atypical to me. It would be different if I was friends with her or knew her in some sort of capacity but at this point, I had never even met her. Anyway, the playdate wasn’t all that successful. I guess I’m used to boys for playdates. Don’t really know how to handle little girls. She was pretty picky and moody. Didn’t want to play anything. Finally coaxed her into playing Dora Candyland.