Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Time does fly...
Like the top of my blog says:
"Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana." ~Groucho Marx
This was also the name of a student film made by the children of friends of my family. I saw the film when I was, maybe, 12 years old and I had no idea that kids who were only in high school could ever make something so cool. I saw the film a number of times over the years, but I have no idea what became of it now. I might have it in some box somewhere that was never unpacked when we moved, or I may have returned it to my parents who might have it in some box that they didn't unpack after they moved. Either way, it doesn't matter much.
The film was done for some class or other, by two brothers with a very interesting father who is endlessly exploring science fiction, strange music and anything new in the world of computers and electronics. I am sure that some of this interest in nerdy things has rubbed off on the boys over the years as evidenced in the film they produced such a long time ago.
I don't have a clue what the assignment was for this film, but it might have been just to create a film and learn editing and animation or something like that. They used technology that I didn't know existed for the average home filmmaker. I was utterly amazed by what they created. I thought that it was SO creative and I just wished with all my 12 year old heart that I could ever in my life be as cool as they were. I, of course, have never measured up but I was raised by a father who is pretty much as interesting as these boys father, if a little bit less eccentric. Ergo, I have a well developed interest in science fiction and anything electronic.
Back to the film. I am not sure that I would be able to summarize the story line anymore ( just don't have a memory for things like that), but I remember that they used a computer as a time machine and moved around history with it. They went back to the time of dinosaurs and used clay animation to depict a scene of two dinosaurs fighting to the death. This culminated in the end of the dinosaurs which, to my great surprise, was brought about by a giant foot smashing them all.
The film moved on to ancient Rome and Socrates mistakenly being killed with a glass of hemloc, I think. See, I have no memory for story lines. Anyways, the connecting idea through the film was that each of these things in history was ended in some unexpected way that history has overlooked. They finished the film with credits typed on the screen of a (very high tech at the time) computer with the Beatles song "Across the Universe" which I am listening to right now in an attempt to bring back a small measure of that youthful and hopeful outlook on life that I seem to now lack.
Looking back on this student film that was made so long ago and was really only cool back then, I realize how long ago it was for me, and how different my life is now. I didn't have a clue where I would end up, or how I would get there. It was a much more innocent time with only positive expectations in life. What ever happened to that? Where did the feeling of unlimited time go? I worry now that I will turn around some day and my life will have past, and what will I have done?
I see now that time really does fly like an arrow, and fruit must, then, fly like a banana. ¶ 10:53 AM
"Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana." ~Groucho Marx
This was also the name of a student film made by the children of friends of my family. I saw the film when I was, maybe, 12 years old and I had no idea that kids who were only in high school could ever make something so cool. I saw the film a number of times over the years, but I have no idea what became of it now. I might have it in some box somewhere that was never unpacked when we moved, or I may have returned it to my parents who might have it in some box that they didn't unpack after they moved. Either way, it doesn't matter much.
The film was done for some class or other, by two brothers with a very interesting father who is endlessly exploring science fiction, strange music and anything new in the world of computers and electronics. I am sure that some of this interest in nerdy things has rubbed off on the boys over the years as evidenced in the film they produced such a long time ago.
I don't have a clue what the assignment was for this film, but it might have been just to create a film and learn editing and animation or something like that. They used technology that I didn't know existed for the average home filmmaker. I was utterly amazed by what they created. I thought that it was SO creative and I just wished with all my 12 year old heart that I could ever in my life be as cool as they were. I, of course, have never measured up but I was raised by a father who is pretty much as interesting as these boys father, if a little bit less eccentric. Ergo, I have a well developed interest in science fiction and anything electronic.
Back to the film. I am not sure that I would be able to summarize the story line anymore ( just don't have a memory for things like that), but I remember that they used a computer as a time machine and moved around history with it. They went back to the time of dinosaurs and used clay animation to depict a scene of two dinosaurs fighting to the death. This culminated in the end of the dinosaurs which, to my great surprise, was brought about by a giant foot smashing them all.
The film moved on to ancient Rome and Socrates mistakenly being killed with a glass of hemloc, I think. See, I have no memory for story lines. Anyways, the connecting idea through the film was that each of these things in history was ended in some unexpected way that history has overlooked. They finished the film with credits typed on the screen of a (very high tech at the time) computer with the Beatles song "Across the Universe" which I am listening to right now in an attempt to bring back a small measure of that youthful and hopeful outlook on life that I seem to now lack.
Looking back on this student film that was made so long ago and was really only cool back then, I realize how long ago it was for me, and how different my life is now. I didn't have a clue where I would end up, or how I would get there. It was a much more innocent time with only positive expectations in life. What ever happened to that? Where did the feeling of unlimited time go? I worry now that I will turn around some day and my life will have past, and what will I have done?
I see now that time really does fly like an arrow, and fruit must, then, fly like a banana. ¶ 10:53 AM
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It’s a mystery. At some point the infinite dreams of childhood morph slowly into the crushing realities of adulthood. With every passing day who we desire to become is shrouded more and more by who we are. The disconnect between desire and reality becomes less a result of our parents and teachers the older we get, and to a greater degree we are confronted with the fact that we are who we are because of the decisions we have made and the actions we have taken. To cope with this, I think we push more of our dreams aside as we age. We rationalize by saying that our childish dreams were not founded in reality and we shouldn’t bother chasing them. Gratifying our daily desires can ease the pain of the loss of our noble dreams and after a while we find ourselves living for the next paycheck unable to remove ourselves from the machine. Finally we look for redemption in the next generation. The sacrifice seems noble again if we give up our dreams for the well being of our children. It’s possible this process is a disservice to our children who will one day do the same for their children due to the example provided by their parents.
I think the fact that “we have sinned by what we have done” is far less profound that the fact that “we have sinned by what we have left undone.”
I think the fact that “we have sinned by what we have done” is far less profound that the fact that “we have sinned by what we have left undone.”
Huzzah! More blogs to read! Very exciting. Do you prefer to keep this one to-yourself-ish or can I link to it from mine?
I completely agree - where the heck did the old me go? My perception of who I am and what I'm up to seems to be several years behind.
The Groucho Marx pun sort of breaks down if you use "fly", doesn't it? I think I like the image of a flying banaa better, though.
I completely agree - where the heck did the old me go? My perception of who I am and what I'm up to seems to be several years behind.
The Groucho Marx pun sort of breaks down if you use "fly", doesn't it? I think I like the image of a flying banaa better, though.
Charlie, feel free to link away. What the heck... Not that I have a lot to say, and I'm a bit shy, but hey, live a little, right?
I totally know what you mean about having lost that feeling of unlimited time. Also the nostalgia of being the "current me" looking back at the "old me." Weird... where are the boundaries between then!me and now!me?
Also, can I link you too? Pretty please?
Also, can I link you too? Pretty please?
Sure Jessica! You can link to mine if it is okay for me to link to yours (which, by the way, I read everyday...and enjoy very much). So, what do you say?
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