Ratatouille (Rat-a-too-ee)

Ratatouille est délicieux!

I really can't recall the last time I watched something so simultaneously hilarious and heart-warming. Sure, I may be a bit biased since I happen to love all Disney Pixar movies, but I really did find this quite enjoyable.

Even before the movie started, I was already in tears. Their trademark shorts are definitely pure genius. This short, titled "Lifted," revolves around a young alien who must demonstrate to a scrutinizing instructor his less-than-adept skills at a task (situation sound a bit familiar?), which is in this case abducting humans. Pure humor ensues that is really just spontaneous and fun, and even though at second glance, the humor is simple and even childish, Pixar really manages to pull it off and prove once again that sometimes, combined with the idea that life is man's greatest joke, some things never get old.

As for the feature presentation, I have not found a movie this delightful in ages. A story about a rat (Remy) who wants to be a chef is eccentric enough, but throw in an awkward, talentless boy (Alfredo Linguini... really) who needs the rat's help to cook and a creepy man (Skinner) and his determination to take over Chef Auguste Gusteau's famous restaurant, and you've got one crazy comedy with plenty of mishaps and chases to keep the audience entertained for a while. A tough female chef (Colette) and Remy's brother (Emile) appear as well, which helps keep things even more interesting. Also, since a lot of the humor is quite physical (ex: getting hit with a pan), you can keep your brain on summer mode and still enjoy it (which I would say makes it great for younger ones).

It's not just random humor though, and like all Disney Pixar movies there is always some underlying message, which is in this case, that one may pursue and become something regardless of where he or she comes from, something that really hits home when the restaurant is challenged once again by the harsh critic Anton Ego (who realized that he failed to put it out of business despite his first review).

Even from an artistic point of view, I thought that the animation was fluid and absolutely gorgeous. Kudos goes to the wonderful animators at Pixar, who accomplish new things with every movie.

Anyway, it really is quite heartfelt, and I highly recommend it. It's great for everyone! While I was there, the kids really seemed to enjoy it, and there were plenty of adults laughing their bums off too (which was actually sort of funny in itself). So go watch it. Even if you don't enjoy it, I guarantee you'll have plenty of laughs.

To sum it up, Ratatouille is simply delectable.

Rating: 5/5

Picture copyright (c) Disney Pixar.

Friend (n.)

I laughed as he jested. My preconceptions were confirmed. Only they would talk to me.

Does that label them as friends? Perhaps, but then why does the thought of parting somewhat worry me?

"They've learned because they'll be here for a while, but it's not really worth teaching you since you'll only be here for two months."

Two months... isn't a long time. But I shouldn't care. I shouldn't.

Or at least, I should not feel, for if we were truly friends, and not just acquaintances, our thoughts would reach each other despite the distance.

Perhaps that is why friendship is so wonderful. It is the reassurance that the bonds formed will not disappear. It is the knowledge that people can and will endure past a simple goodbye.

So maybe that's it. It's not that we are not friends, or cannot be friends. It is that incapability to endure past that which prevents us from remaining so after the proposed time has been called.

This kindness, I'll treasure it now. This effort to befriend me, I'll remember.

They are friends. Though only time can tell who they will be in the end.

Ominous Admonitions

Today made me think that this was going to be a long summer...

So it was my first day at Stony Brook. I woke up tired, weary, not refreshed at all, and already, due to my failure to find a mere morsel of breakfast in my house, I had already decided that I couldn't wait until lunch. Then I realized lunch would probably suck too (see below) and decided that if I were to look forward to something, it would have to be coming home to sleep.

When I got there, it wasn't so bad (at first anyway). Got off the bus, walked with friends, got breakfast... oh, except my muffin was kind of gross. Hm, whatever. Then the three of us all proceeded to our separate labs, and I had one hell of a time (but not as bad as last time) trying to find this mysterious floor in this specific tower that may have as well been magically hidden. I guess it must be a separate part of the tower because it wasn't on the ninth floor of Tower A, but it isn't a part of Tower B either, and yes, there are only two towers (or maybe not).

Then when I got there I shadowed someone a bit, which wasn't bad. But then this... juvenile crew (whom due to my rather quirky attitude right now I shall henceforth refer to as the j. crew) appeared. In all honesty, by the way they acted and presented themselves I knew that they couldn't be college kids (or even older than me!), but after having bypassed the lab's relatively recent "no high school kids" attitude (and only through a connection), I didn't think that they could possibly be high school kids too. Oh, but I was terribly mistaken. (In fact, they were younger than me.)

I thought things might get better when I saw two girls stroll in. Both had just graduated, and I thought that maybe, just maybe, these girls were mature enough for me to befriend them. Oh, but again, I was mistaken. Not that they were immature, but they were so... girly. Ugh... so there I was, as I usually find myself, stuck between two worlds, which is actually the reason why lunch more or less sucked.

See, the professor ordered pizza for us (for which I was grateful), but as a result, I had to eat lunch with these new people. I thought it would be a good experience, but they were already so... cliquey. In fact, they started out as cliques! The j. crew laughed together (about somewhat... unintelligent things) and the two girls kept to themselves. Then there was me without a conversation to join or a place to be. I ended up just listening to the undergrads talk.

Thank god that I was allowed to escape the post-lunch session though, and spend it shadowing again. Somehow, I find it ironic and sad that I'm more comfortable with the undergrads than with the high school students. I guess this is what I get for complaining that I'm working (so I had thought) with only college kids this summer. Right then though, I couldn't be more grateful that they were there.

After things were done though, I was left with really nothing to do. So I just tried to write a bit, and then when I got tired, I put my head down on a desk and fell asleep for a half an hour to an hour or so. Then I met up with my friends and finally headed home.

Sigh... I don't really think every day of my summer will always be like this, but to be completely honest, I just hope I don't regret this.

Morons Never Learn

They say, "Morons never learn."

So I guess that makes me the biggest moron on earth because even though I've had my ass saved, I still can't bring myself to just suck it up and do this report that was actually supposed to be due a few days ago.

See what happened was that I was actually assigned this two months ago... but I had school! You can't possibly expect me to actually write a report when I have AP tests, SATs, SAT IIs, and ACTs to study for! Anyway, official regents week started a week and a half ago, and of course, guess what happens? My mentor finally gives me a due date right at the start of regents week, so it's not even like I could have rushed to do it before testing started. Yes, I know I didn't study that much during regents week, but would you want to have studied after three straight months of intense cramming for collegeboard exams? Besides, it wasn't entirely because I didn't care anymore (sort of), but also because after studying for AP exams, wouldn't you think a regents would be a piece of cake? Well, it sort of is, but did you ever get that feeling right before where you suddenly realize you may have forgotten everything in the past month? Yeah, that feeling.

I mean, not to say it was my mentor's fault... Besides the fact that I had two months to do it, she couldn't have possibly known that I had regents to take, especially since the university is already on summer break. So I'm not blaming her for anything. In fact, she's the one who told me not to worry about not having it done, and thus, saved my ass. But wouldn't you think that an experience like that would be a slap in the face for me? Well, I must not have felt it since I'm still sitting on my bum being lazy like I usually am, uploading pictures, blogging, and not doing my report.

Morons never learn.

But I can't be a complete moron because you know that saying, "A messy desk is a sign of genius?" Well according to this picture, I must be Einstein reincarnated:

Yeah, I have a lot of work to do this summer...

Season of Goodbyes

With a shower of maroon and white, it was over. Everything ended. One cheer, one final goodbye...

Who could have imagined? Who could have known we'd grow to like each other that much, or rather not even necessarily like, but become accustomed to? It's strange, very strange, watching everyone disappear like that, with a flutter of satin hats before one's eyes.

I was so happy. I don't think it was ever like this before. No, I was never this happy. I finally knew what it meant to not want anything in the world than that which I already had, to be perfectly content with everything and everyone I knew, including any misery and sadness, things I tried mistakenly to ignore before. There were things I sacrificed and endured for the life I know now, but knowing life now makes me think that this was the way it was supposed to be.

It was fun while it lasted. It was only a year, but it was only a year. Sometimes, I wished it would never end, so that I would never have to say goodbye, but to be honest, I like having memories that I can hold so dearly in my heart. It's a nice feeling that I'll admit I've hardly ever felt before.

But I guess I didn't just grow accustomed to them. I think I grew to like them too because I don't think I've ever cared so much before. For the first time, I felt like too many people were saying goodbye, but even I have said goodbye myself to pursue new things. But that's it.

So is this the end? No, only some things end so that we may move on to even better things in life. They've said goodbye because they are on their way to their futures. As for me, I've said goodbye because with this new hope everyone has given me, I feel like there's so much more to live for.

"I want to believe that here is only partway through."

(Hybrid Rainbow - the pillows)