Change in weather

Yesterday, typhoon #10 blew through Kanto. I was out in it. My 100 yen umbrella turned inside-out twice and bent slightly at the handle, but it kept me from getting entirely soaked, so it did good service.

Today it was perfectly clear and 35 degrees—the hottest day of summer so far. I know it doesn’t compare to the horrible heat-wave in Europe, but 35 is plenty hot enough for me.

We holed ourselves up in the living room, turned on the aircon, and watched Princess Mononoke. Twice. First in Japanese with English subtitles, and then again with Neil Gaiman’s really excellent dubbed script.

For our second feature we watched Forrest Gump.

LaQua’s restaurants include “Bubba Gump Shrimp Company,” an American restaurant chain featuring pallid, oversized portions and a Forrest Gump theme. The movie plays on screens throughout the restaurant; the menu is peppered with quotes from the movie; the drinks menu is attached to a ping pong paddle; and to get the attention of the waitstaff, you turn over a sign that says “Stop Forrest Stop.” We tried it a few weeks back and Tod revealed that he’d never seen Forrest Gump. I suppose if we return, the theme will make a lot more sense to him.

Although it’s a little late to matter, we both think Shawshank Redemption should have won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1995. Forrest Gump, which won, just doesn’t compare.

Posted by kuri at August 10, 2003 10:54 PM