Thirty Something: Vignette

Saturday night. The living room of my living space a makeshift entertainment venue and pagan confessional, where the candidness of subject matter at discussion is directly relative to levels of alcohol consumed. Currently, we were indulging in a 2011 riesling.

The conversation flowed from real estate to career ambitions to, lastly, and always most promising, dating.

The bottle was almost empty. 

"Give me your laptop, I'll show you him."

I handed my Macbook to a friend who proceeded to show me the profile of a man she met online. His digital persona carefully curated to depict an individual hellbent on being viewed as a "badass"; through my eyes though, the motorcycle and excessive tattoos more acutely screamed "midlife crisis". Especially since his listed profession was dentist. The mental gymnastics she performed in regards to imagining her future with him were Olympian-level. I hated to be the Russian judge in this friendship.  

"He's not your type. And besides, he lives in Winnipeg; you live in Saskatoon."

I steered the conversation to another topic as the wine was wearing off and I didn't want to address my own highly questionable tastes. Instead, I excitedly brought up an upcoming trip that I have been immersed in planning: a solo excursion around Korea. Hallyu and the art of k-pop. Bulgogi and the art of not getting ill from street food. I want to rent a bike and risk my neck on their infamously terrible roadways. I will visit the world's "most dangerous tourist trap", the DMZ – all in an effort to prove my own badassery to myself and fight off the sinking feeling that I'm (also) on the verge of a midlife crisis. 

Perhaps I judged the dentist too harshly. 

"Who is Kim Jon-Un?" inquired my friend.

What happens in Vietnam...

I entered the room exhausted, drenched in a layer of sweat that I no longer tried to conceal. A three-hour nail-biting, hair-greying ride from Ho Chi Minh brought me here, deep in the Vietnamese jungle, to Tra Vinh University (TVU) where I would be documenting national Teachers' Day and my own institution's deep ties to helping build the educational model framework to support economic development in the region.

But first, I would rest. It had been a long day. 

The room was quite large; a space normally occupied by international students in residence. Everything was painted pale yellow, culturally symbolic of good luck. Throwing my small bag down on the couch, I took a moment to catch my breath and collect my thoughts. I regretted leaving my main suitcase - with the majority of my clothing and toiletries - back in Ho Chi Minh; a colleague told me I wouldn't need it though as we would only be gone overnight and there wasn't much room in our driver's vehicle. This made sense. As the photographer, I would be in the background anyway. A fly on the wall. My camera equipment thus took priority over a change of pants. Speaking of which, mine were now sticking to my legs. The humidity was insane! I walked over to open a window but noticed there was no glass, just an opening overlooking the campus below. Brushing the curtain aside to survey the landscape, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. 

There was a lizard sharing the room with me. It scurried faster than I could follow. Where did it go? I went back into the living room area to ponder my situation further. Then I saw another one. 

And another. 

And yet another. 

Their chirpy cries enveloped the room, communicating the plight of having a giant in their living quarters. I (eventually) came to realize the lizards were harmless but couldn't escape my mind from racing to the snake farm our group visited several days prior. Big snakes, poisonous snakes … but mostly big and poisonous snakes comprised the tour. We were educated on identifying and handling them, and also informed, prudently, that one of the only medical centres in Vietnam that treated venom injection was located next door. The guide's words of "if this snake bites you, you have 10 minutes to live" rang in my head … as did the fact that I was now at least 3 hours away from that medical centre. 

Between the heat and the thought that there may be more slithery creatures hiding in my room, I started to wig out. I decided to call upon an individual I met earlier in the day. An employee of TVU, he was one of our Vietnamese/English translators and joked that he was considered "the most handsome man in Vietnam". This went beyond ego when every female I met also referred to him as "the most handsome man in Vietnam". Yes, he was cute but could he conquer the rogue cobra I believed was hidden under the mattress? I told him of my concerns and he laughed; the issue was obviously recurring amongst westerners visiting the remote campus. A quick but thorough 10 minute search resulted in nothing. I could rest somewhat easier.

If those damn lizards would stop talking. 

Read the full article in the Spring 2015 issue of Designer Magazine. 



Movies That Shaped My Life

Upon recommendation from a close friend and praise from critics the world over, I decided to rent 'Boyhood' last weekend. With such strong reception, the movie clearly speaks to people. Great movies do. In the span of a few hours, they can entertain, educate, inspire, instil empathy and distill doubt. 

'Boyhood', however, did not elicit any of this emotion from me. It didn't connect at all. Which got me thinking … what movies have shaped my life and influenced the person I've become? At the risk of having my taste and merit of subjective opinion questioned, these are my favourite films of all time: 

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARVES

"Again? Don't you want to get something else?" - my father, in exasperation, after forcing him to rent 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarves' for the millionth time (1984).

It seems so long ago, now that Blockbuster and the like are as extinct as a triceratops, but I can remember my first video rental experience as much as I can recall repeatedly viewing my childhood movie of choice: 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarves', the first film I ever saw.

From an early age, I was my father's sidekick; a miniature, snot-nosed, Cabbage Patch-toting version of himself with limited verbal skills and even more limited reasoning. Despite this imperishable bond, the affinity wasn't without controversy. Looking back, I'm not sure why I was so fixated on this film. The story is trite. The protagonist is daft. And yet, every single time we entered that independent VHS rental shop on South St. Mary's Road in Winnipeg, I immediately went over to the shelf that held its case and asked my father to rent it. It became comforting to me. For him, it was pure torture. Yet he always obliged. 

Now, as an adult, 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarves' is a time capsule. The fairytale contained within the 83 minute running time less a focus than the majestic visuals and vivid memory of childhood that it induces. My favourite scene is the climax below. Walt Disney was a genius. 

INDIANA JONES: RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK 

Growing up, the extent to which I exploited my daring was getting purposely lost in the forest next to my childhood home. It wasn't that sizeable or dense, so I didn't hold the fear of never being found (or encountering a wicked witch) but it tested me enough. It whet my appetite for adventure. This was prior to seeing 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' though. This film (and its sequel 'Temple of Doom') altered my outlook in two ways:

1) it instilled a sense of awe for far-flung regions of the world. The forest seemed boring in comparison. And safe. I now wanted to trek through caves and study ancient cultures. I coveted grit and a really awesome hat. 

2) Indiana Jones became the archetype of man that I will eternally be attracted to. You never forget your first love. 

MOULIN ROUGE

"This is the worst movie I've ever seen" - pretty much everyone I know. 

The start of this movie, melancholia-rich melody playing as the camera pans through the bohemian streets of turn-of-the-century Montmarte, is probably my favourite opening scene ever and hints at the visual extravagance that follows in the remaining 127 minutes. I watch 'Moulin Rouge' whenever I need creative inspiration. I am not a minimalist. 

GHOST WORLD

The era of self exploration post high-school graduation is often examined in film, but never has it held such resonance for me, a wannabe artist fond of mocking the artifice of the world and all its peculiar inhabitants, than in 'Ghost World'. This film could be a documentary of my life. There are far too many similarities with my own adolescence from the rapidly evolving (and dissipating) friendships of the time, to attending class with feminism 101 students that create art out of hangers and tampons, to the questionable relationship with a quirky older gentleman that collects vinyl. Sometimes a girl will break a boy's heart, just because she can. 

I am Enid. I fangirl Don Knotts. I'm still waiting for that bus. 

RUSH HOUR 2

I love Chris Tucker. I love Jackie Chan. I believe this movie is lightyears better than Boyhood. That is all.  

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

The most recent film on my list is 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' and it manages to bring everything full-circle. It's great on its own but more importantly, it will forever remind me of a bittersweet time of my life. Whereas 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarves' was the first movie my father and I watched, this would be the last.

I acquired a DVD copy of it the day of release knowing full-well that my father had talked about wanting to see it for months but couldn't attend a theatre while dealing with the late-stage effects of oesophageal cancer. Bringing it to the hospital, along with his portable DVD player, the film was as magnificent on a 9 inch screen as it would be at IMAX. Perhaps moreso in that moment. It gave him a few hours of distraction. It gave me a few hours of normalcy. Those late nights in Health Sciences Centre weren't all bad. 

January Book Recommendations

Received a lot of books for Christmas (and then went and bought even more). Here are my recommendations for the month: 

HOW TO BE PARISIAN WHEREVER YOU ARE
Written by Anne Berest, Audrey Diwan, Caroline de Maigret and Sophie Mas

Four thirty-something Frenchwomen discuss - in a spirited, enlightening and at times self-deprecating manner - the allure of the Parisian female and how to understand her mind, motives and raison d'être. This is a light but thoroughly enjoyable read with a wide range of topics from culinary arts to the fashion significance of navy blue, men to the "myth" of monogamy.  

Being a self-centred, unpredictable, opinionated snob, I'm pleased to learn that I'm already half-way to becoming Parisian. I just need to find a flat in the 5th arrondissement. 

Favorite line: "She concludes that you can indeed be orphaned by a fantasy and feel abandoned by a perfect stranger".

To purchase this book, click here. 

CREATIVITY, INC.
Written by Ed Catmull

Billed as a how-to on overcoming the unseen forces that stand in the way of true inspiration, the book is an absolute must-read for anyone involved in managing a creative team, leading a creative initiative or feeling roadblocked by either of the above. Author Ed Catmull is the President of Pixar Animation and Disney Animation. He discusses in-depth the guts-and-glory of both iconic studios, and the challenges of maintaining (and retaining) a focused, engaged, INSPIRED workforce under internal and external pressures. The solid, practical advice seems logical but is far too often neglected in corporate culture in favour of complacency. 

Favorite line: All of Chapter 10 ("Broadening Our View").

To purchase this book, click here. 

THE BIRTH OF KOREAN COOL
Written by Euny Hong

As mentioned in a previous post, the government of South Korea is actively trying to export their pop culture ("hallyu") as a means of mass global influence. While K-Pop may not be entirely appreciated, understood or even recognized here in North America, our eyes and ears are not the goal; emerging economies in this ever-transitioning world are the primary target market for the invasion. Getting these nations to believe that South Korea is "cool" and worthy of their ever-increasing disposable income for Samsung and Psy is the plan, with reunification of North and South Korea the ultimate goal. 

May seem far-fetched, but this book tells the intriguing story. 

Favorite line: "Perhaps the person who best expressed Korea's fearlessness, ambition and never-ending gall was Korean music mogul Jin-young Park. When asked by western music executives, "Where are you from?" he would reply "I am from the future."

Welcome to Korea. Welcome to the future."

To purchase this book, click here. 

THIS IS THE WORLD: A GLOBAL TREASURY
Written by M. Lasek

I ordered this book online believing it to be something else entirely. I was surprised to receive a children's book. Having said that, the lushly illustrated tome wouldn't be the first on my shelf and was well worth obtaining. It's a beautiful introduction to learning about various cultures and developing an appreciation for the wonderful world we live in. 

Favorite line: the illustrations are the main draw. 

To purchase this book, click here. 

 

Kicking Off a Year of Adventure™

Now that 2015 is officially here, I've committed to making the next twelve months all about adventure, challenging myself, and capitalizing on the lack of giving a fuck that my current headspace is in. I may never have the means to indulge myself in this manner again and it seems like an opportunistic time to evolve into the person I want to become (I envision a female hybrid of Anthony Bourdain and Indiana Jones). To this end, I have booked my first trip for the year – twelve days exploring South Korea with a two-day tour of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) at the 38th parallel north. 

South Korea has fascinated me for awhile. In less than a century, they have transitioned from the status of a third-world country to one of the world's leading economies (currently ranked 14th by the World Bank). They have also strongly committed to becoming a global influence through "soft power" means; in the same manner that a portion of America's clout and mystique comes from iconic brands like Coca-Cola and Levi's, South Korea wants to export hallyu. As a curator of cool, I need to witness this first-hand. 

Seoul, here I come.