In 1969, a documentary film was made by the United States Council of Astronautics about the first lunar landing in 1963 and the launch of the first manned expedition to Mars in 1968. It was called Man Conquers Space. Watch a clip of this historic pseudo-documentary based on the articles that appeared in Colliers Magazine in 1952 predicting a future U.S. space program.

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto is one of those books I decided to read because of the cover. I know the addage, "Never judge a book by its cover," but I wasn't judging the book. I was merely admiring the cover's photograph of a girl (the author?), who was very cute indeed. The title interested me, too, for I was hungry at the time. And then there was the author's name. I remember the reaction of my friend and co-worker Laurie when I showed her the book: "Her name is Banana?!?" Aye, a cute name for a cute lass. How could I resist? So I read it. She has a quiet, quirky, funny style of telling stories that are quiet, quirky, and funny. Even in translation one can easily discern the most attractive hallmarks of the Japanese style in her storytelling: the delicacy with which she handles words and plots; the equal importance of that which is included and that which is omitted, like the best sumi-e paintings; and the worship of the senses and the individual elements of the world that can be isolated by those senses (an aroma, a flavor, a color). It has been ten years since I read Kitchen, and Banana Yoshimoto is no longer the precocious Girl Wonder of the Japanese publishing industry, but I think I might see what she has written since her debut and learn how her style has or has not changed.

"...Banana?!?"

I haven't seen a new film since Amélie, so I shall recommend a classic: The Third Man, directed by Sir Carol Reed and starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles and Trevor Howard. It has the best scene on a Ferris wheel ever filmed. First rate.

"Where is Harry Lime?"

I saw the first episode of the new SF series Firefly created by Joss Whedon. I feel no great compulsion to sacrifice valuable minutes of my life watching it again. It is not original, it is not written well, it is not directed well, and the actors are tiresome. There was one moment of levity at the end that I found amusing, but it wasn't worth the price of admission, even though the admission was free. Surely even slackers have something better to do than watch this show.

Spontaneous Summary: The Lonesome Dove television series with spaceships. Far, far too many earth tones. Everyone looks as if they have been spending their time shovelling horse manure or rolling in it. Science? What is science?

*yawn*

"I hate you! Just kidding!"
--Beckerina
a.k.a. Stick Chick
on countless occasions.     >:]