So I haven't updated in a while... What's it to you? This log is my exercise in solipsism not yours. The interested reader can simply assume that the holidays went well and that there was a great deal of FF:CC played on the GameCube + 4 GBAs. Let us begin again in medias res.

Today I cut out of work a few minutes early to recover my car from the mechanics. You see, I am the poster boy for poor car maintenance. After more than 1200 USD in brakes (including calipers), ball joints, tie rod ends, and labor my vehicle was once again safe to drive. Apparently it is bad if you let your brakes deteriorate to the point where the left rear pad actually falls off. Who knew?

With that done I headed home to pay some bills and kill some time. I knew the Spike Lee talk started at 19:00. I also knew that it would be popular so I wanted to get there by 18:00. Of course no plan survives first contact with the enemy and by the time my lovely girlfriend Sara and I arrived at 18:15 there was a queue from the doors of Loeb all the way across the Stewart Center and down the stairs into the basement. As we stood there the queue grew until it stretched the length of Stewart Center again only this time underground. Finally the line began to move and we were admitted. We were certainly two of the last hundred people to get in to the playhouse which seats 1038. As you can see from the illustration we ended up with nose bleed seats, but we were more fortunate than others.

The talk itself was full of good advice for students and people of all ages. Professor Lee has a very DIY attitude that, I think, resonates with most successful people. The way to get better at making films is to make films yourself. His talk was peppered with political commentary, autobiographical stories, and sports quips. There were a few issues on which he and I would differ, but I have not grown so set in my ways that I don't want to hear differing opinions. My only substantive complaint was that the talk seemed to lack focus and structure, jumping topics rapidly and never returning to things which were insufficiently covered. Professor Lee certainly held his own in the Q&A session which followed against some very determined questioners. After the talk we grabbed a bite to eat and returned home.

Photos showing my complete lack of ability with my new camera are here.

Is that your final answer?

Good news for the denizens of West Lafayette. Szechuan Garden is open once again. Apparently they resolved their "management conflict", and are now back in business.