Saw another movie...

It was the new Star Trek.

IT WAS AWESOME
LIKE SO AWESOME
I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT
SO MUCH AWESOME
AAAAAAAASJKLCEIOUREUJNJBBNCDMNXKWQM

Yeah. Like that.
I also thought it was a little hilarious that the same kid that played Kyle Reese, from Terminator Salvation which I saw yesterday, played Chekov. Even with the accent, I recognized his voice. He's adorable. So is Spock. Scotty continues to be HILARIOUS.

What a fantastic movie. I'm a little incoherent.

EDIT: I just found out that the Chekov/Reese kid, Anton Yelchin, also played Charlie Bartlett! I knew I recognized him yesterday.

Robots, hearts, symbolism, and connections

So I just got back from seeing Terminator Salvation. I thought it was pretty good, although I've never seen any of the other Terminators, so. One thing I wasn't sure about, though, was the overarching message of the whole thing, the "what matters in being human is heart". How you can't put what makes someone human into a chip, or program it, or anything. What I thought of during the movie was actually the Tin Man (or Boq, in Wicked-verse, I suppose) from The Wizard of Oz. His whole deal was that even though he didn't have a physical heart, he was still the most kind and caring out of their whole group. So where does that leave all this heart-symbolism in books and movies?

Another thing that I just thought of was Data, from Next Generation. (Yes, I watch Star Trek. No need to make fun of me.) He's an android, he's completely programmed, a "machine"... but he's just as human as any other character on the show. I think there's an argument made at some point that more or less says that we (as in humans) are machines too, just of a different sort. And there is a whole episode called The Measure of a Man about how he has all the same rights as a person does. He doesn't have a heart, he could be one of these evil robots that are out to destroy humanity because he is an android... but he isn't. He's Data. He's awesome.

All of this stuff, it's about just what makes a person a person. What are the defining characteristics that makes us who we are? I guess it's kind of a big issue, not just in fiction but in real life; aren't so many controversial issues at least partially derived from this one? Abortion. When does a person become a person? Or something like... when it is morally okay to kill someone. What's so different about killing an animal and a person? Where is that dividing line that says "ok, now it is NOT ok to kill or enslave this being. They are a person."?

That's one of the major issues in The Measure of a Man, actually. Data is going to be pronounced "property of Starfleet", which would be deemed wrong if he were a sentient, living being - it would be slavery. So why, exactly, is he a person? He's an android, isn't he?

It's difficult. That's why I wasn't sure about the overarching message of Terminator Salvation. Basically because just because you don't have a heart, doesn't rid you of all humanity and feeling. Even though Data doesn't have emotions... he still "feels". His definition of friendship; "As I experience certain sensory input patterns my mental pathways become accustomed to them. The inputs eventually are anticipated and even missed when absent." It's different, but the same.

So what does make us human? I'm not sure. It's just something I was thinking about.

Graduation + a complaint

Graduation was today. Mr Sid's speech was wonderful. I'm going to miss a lot of the seniors, especially since most of them were unspeakably awesome, but I wasn't really good enough friends with them to keep in touch effectively. Sad things. Maybe I'll write a lot of letters this summer..? I think maybe if I wrote letters to a bunch of people it wouldn't be as creepy as if I just was... writing letters to one person. That's a little creepy, sadly. I love letters.

Seniors I will miss a lot include: Allie Holcombe, Tony Nuzzo, Toby Hrynick, Sammy Jelin, Anh Tran, Pinky (Giang), Ryan Keating, Sarah Cropley... I'm sure I'm forgetting a lot. Class of '09 was a pretty awesome one. Here's to hoping the incoming class is also awesome, and continues the MSSM tradition of... being awesome? Yeah.

I'm definitely bringing discordianism back next year. I think this year did not have enough discord. I'm coming up with some plots over the summer. Oh! For BENFU! Yes.

(Complaint:)
I wish so much that Anthropologie was less expensive. Or that I was more rich. There is some FANTASTIC stuff at that store. Too bad it's uber-expensive. If I have any rich stalkers, buy me some stuff, ok?
The reddish one - For some reason I think this ugly yellow-greenish is the best thing ever - I would add sleeves. Oh wait, I wouldn't ever actually get anything from this place because it's SO EXPENSIVE.

(But I would look oh-so-chic...)

A song I've found

I really like it. It's called Fight Test, by The Flaming Lips, and actually my very good writing-friend Dannichu sent me some CDs and that was one of the songs on them.

I think maybe I like it because it's very interesting and bizarre musically, but it also has a lovely uncertainty-theme about it, which I love.
"And I don't know how a man decides
What's right for his own life
It's all a mystery...
'Cause I'm a man, not a boy
And there are things you can't avoid
You have to face them
When you're not prepared to face them
If I could I would"

I know posting lyrics is about the lamest thing ever, but you should go look up the song on Youtube or wherever, I swear it is the most fantastic thing.

On death and endings

"Whoever claims that it's omnipotent
is himself living proof
that it's not."
-Wislawa Szymborska
On Death, Without Exaggeration

I've been thinking about endings lately, what with the end of the year coming up and all. I kind of like the feeling they give me; the pit-of-your-stomach all knotted up feeling that's a cross between being really upset and really nervous and really excited, except a bit more passive, more mellow. Difficult one to describe, but I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.

I'm a little bit reminded of endings also because there was a variety show last night and the chorus' last song was "For Now" from Avenue Q. I'm pretty sure that's my favorite song in the whole play, because it's a lovely, lovely ending without being too sappy, but it's also very true and a very good way to... end. "Everything in life is only for now". I must be a little strange though, because everyone else thinks it's an eh-ish song. Oh well.

I want to see that play so much. So much.

I also don't want this year to be over. It was... good. And I will miss people who are graduating. Then again, maybe next year will be good, too. I suppose I just shouldn't try to hang on too tightly. It'll all be good.

In which I will talk about nothing of consequence

This is a blog. It is new. I am writing in it.

I've started endeavors like this before, (Livejournal, etc.), but usually they don't last long. I'm rather lazy, so I don't have high hopes for this, but I do like to ramble about ideas and sometimes books and music and movies, so it seems a blog would be a good place to do that. (I will be annoying very few people. I have found that not very many people actually read blogs. Stalkers, mostly.)

Perhaps over the summer I will be bored a lot and write inane things on here that the masses can (but won't) read. I do have a couple other projects I'd like to do, though... We'll see.

There is a very large rain/thunderstorm happening outside. Torrential, even. People are running around in the rain. I'm a little bit lame and don't like to be cold and wet, so I came in, and with that I will take my leave.