Sad Samurai

Ninjaflower is not happy. She is in love with her samurais who is exhibiting the strangest behaviour. Locking himself indoors, practicing the same sword manuveur for hours at a time, even days on end. He used to be very good at arts and meeting the other warriers, but now he is too unhappy to try new things. His master wears him out, uses him like a tool without protecting his warriers spirit. What should ninjaflower do? She is getting wrestless, and is leaving her village to pursue new arts, full of dreams, ideas and hopes. Why can't the Samurai remember how to dream again too? Will they be able to travel together? She only hopes for this in her heart and wishes that his bones will be filled with hapiness one day too.

Food for thought

Do I want to hear about the geo-political reasons for my menu tonight? Not really, but i swear the waitress at Karv last night, was about to go into this kind of rant. To explain why they were serving mango rhubarb crisp instead of strawberry rhubard, the explanation would have gone something like this: We ran out of the strawberry crisp...because, well, the closure of Chinese sweatshops has affected shipment of mangoes from India through Asia, and caused woe to the strawberry industry in California. So its mangoes tonight!

What a way to learn about your food... OK I completely made up the entire political connection here, but it would be pretty hilarious if that is how I learned about my politics! Food for thought.

I want to go to Japan

I want to experience the limits of life. I am ready to grab a credit card and travel to where I won't need to speak about scheduling, projects, resumes and 'work experience'. I don't want to justify why I am successful, what I want in five years, or what I do for a living. I would just like to play, and connect with strangers based on our smiles, our eyes, the moment that exists, and not based on not what I offer, what I know, what I can do for them, and especially not through a contract that tells me the limits of our relationship. I am burnt out.

Dreams by Akira Kurasawa

Dreams by Akira Kurasawa is a poetic critique on the excesses of 'progress'. Through seven stories, Kurawasa examines the surreal state of waking dreams and reality,that occur during the progress of life- from childhood, to death and through several stages of Japanese history. Traditional Japanese theatre, song and dancing are used throughout the film which create stunning costumes and scenery.
Each of these stories examine the historical folklore, and cultural pre-occupations of Japanese life including post-nuclear fears, post-war stress, the effects of industrialization and imperialism. Dreams uses symbols, visions and magical effects while asking: how do humans internalize cultural change? How does the past haunt the future? How do humans deal with the responsibility of war, environmental damage, industrialization and nuclear war? In Dreams, we see humans dealing with questions that test their strenth, endurance, ethical willpower, and motivations. They rise to the surface at unexpected times and must be dealt with.

Kurasawa is a gentle and empathetic navigator of emotion, history and Japanese culture. Many of the stories require patience, and a willingness to experience a particular state of mind, rather than watch a plot unfold.

While each story begins in a realistic environment, it quickly unfolds to reveil the illusion, magic and folklore underneath the surface. In some cases the visions that emerge are nightmares revolving around pangs of regret, sadness and guilt caused by the conditions of progress and modern life. Kurasawa is a sensitive soul, and you must have patience and an open heart to truly understand this master at work.