Saturday 5 July 2008
Fact of the Day: Wall-e is quite possibly the most beautiful creation ever in the complete and entire history of ever.
So Ben and I went to a movie this afternoon, since we were bored stiff and I was in the restaurant Friday night so had Saturday off. After much pressuring, I convinced him to go see Wall-E, that movie about the little robot left to clean up the trash on earth after humans have moved off to the stars. I was truly blown away -- I thought it would be very good, being Pixar and all, but I don't think I have ever been as inspired and intrigued and... enthralled by something as I was by this movie. I just see so much of myself and parallels of my situation in the little guy. It is truly brilliant, and absolutely the very definition of art. Anyone who doesn't believe that animation or story-telling is an art-form can fight me. What a phenomenal film. The attention to detail is incredible, the characters capture the essence of humankind so well for a bunch of robots, it's charming and compelling, it captivated me right from the word go. Hardly any words spoken but you don't struggle for one second to follow what is going on. And the whole thing is completely and unimaginably beautiful. It'll be the first thing on my Christmas wish-list, assuming it doesn't make it to DVD already before then and I buy it immediately. After walking out of the moviehouse I was truly thrilled to be alive.
Ben hated it. I'm not sure how this is even possible, one, given how utterly mesmerising and imaginative and eye-catching and heartwarming it was, and two, I'm not sure Ben and I can still be friends after that revelation. Clearly we don't get each other like I thought we did, and I will admit his not being as wowed as he absolutely should be has irrationally irritated me more than I thought it reasonably might or realistically should.
You know what? It's fine. We can't all be perfect, and we can't all have amazing taste in films, and art, and films as art, so... It's fine. Take a deep breath. I'll keep Ben around and love him for who he is, as flawed as that may be.
For now, at least.
We'll call it his first warning.
He's doing okay, though, after losing Mr Pancakes. It's been just over a month and Ben says he's getting there, which is good. He did pretty well last semester, even did well on the one he thought he'd bombed, and with the whole euthanasia thing happening mid-exams, so I guess Ben was able to focus and that's important. Shame, poor guy. It's still kinda raw, and he doesn't like talking about it -- I realised that quite early on, so I keep questions and discussion on the subject quite short and sharp -- but I have asked him every time I've seen him how things are, and I think it's appreciated.
It occurred to me afterwards on that day we went to the vet that I probably should have given him a huge hug, and it bothers me, actually quite a lot, that it didn't occur to me then. Who doesn't love a hug, one, and two, honestly, when would have been more of the right time to give someone a hug if not when their dog is dying? I am a complete fucking numpty sometimes, and no mistake.
We spoke a little about Al and Elisna -- apparently, Ben claims, it's been on the cards for a while but he was sworn to secrecy about the whole thing until it gets a little more established, and he still sort-of is not supposed to say anything else so I need to shut my trap about everything after we talk. I'm glad for Al, though it makes me wonder a little why Al chose Ben and not Gareth or me to confide in. I'm hoping it was just because they see each other more often and have time to kill, since they commute in to Stellies together every day while Gareth and I trek off in the opposite direction in separate lift clubs, but the panic-pants in me is more than a little miffed I wasn't the one tasked with Keeping The Key. It shouldn't bug me, I know, but it does, and that's a summary of the whole sodding human condition right there.
And why is it still not a topic for discussion, especially now that we know it's on? I dunno, Alastair gets a bee in his bonnet about weird shit sometimes, so this is probably not that unusual.
Anyway, apparently nothing physical has happened yet -- and I'd be lying if I said that hearing that was not a huge relief; I'm beginning to feel awfully American Pie about not getting laid, if I'm honest -- but it is allegedly looking quite serious and they might even be at the make-it-official-on-Facebook stage sometime soon, so that's something.
You know what, I hope it works out for them. We all deserve a little happiness, after all.
I asked Ben if there was anyone on his horizon, three times to make sure he wasn't lying, and told him I will be asking Al as well. I figure Al will cave and tell me if there is, if I suggest that I know that there is something happening with Ben, although I don't think there is. Presumably he wouldn't be quite this bored and agree to come to Wall-E if there were any prospects brewing; also, he has suggested he is even bored enough to make a long-threatened return to the gym as a hanger-on with Trevor and I. I'll believe that when I see it, of course. Anyway, we're doing our regular Saturday night piss-up later; not sure if Al is coming along this evening or whether he's working his magic with The Woman instead.
On the plus side, still a whole week left of varsity vac before it's back to the grind. On the minus side, only a week left of varsity vac before it's back to the grind. I should get hold of Colin and see if he's still keen to hang out a bit, since I've been threatening to do that for the literal months, so... shame on me.
-C
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