Beats from the video for “Six Days” by DJ Shadow pulse from the monitor… “Tomorrow never comes until it’s too late…”

My current and favourite new thing is this music video DVD that I got at the weekend. Being a fan of DJ Shadow and thinking rather highly of Wong Kar-Wai (director of In The Mood For Love), I naturally shined to it. It definitely didn’t hurt that Eurasian cutie Danielle Graham was in the video either. Her and Chang Chen cuddle, bathe, fight and make out a heck of a lot in the space of just over 3 minutes! Did I mention they bathe too?

Speaking of Wong Kar Wai, managed to track down the short he made called The Follow, which was made as part of the BMW Films series for the new BMW Z4 (thanks Pjammer). The short was taken off the site recently and no one seems to know why. However, a great site with a series of shorts from other top directors still available, such as John Woo (Hostage), Ang Lee (Chosen) and Guy Richie (Star) and they just keep coming! There appears to be more to this than simple showcasing of BMW’s new product under stunt co-ordinated conditions. There seems to be an inside game in each short, with on-screen clues (e.g. a telephone number discretely displayed, which leads to a voice message, which leads to a web URL, etc). Definitely a puzzle but the last time I checked, no one mentioned any prizes. BMW probably wouldn’t just give away a keyring to the winner. Ooh, now that’s incentive.

So there I was at work. I suddenly remembered it so visited and started reading through a Eurasian website that Scott had previously brought to my attention. Checking the list, I was astonished to learn that some well known celebrities were of mixed European and Asian descent (e.g. Kate Beckinsale and Ben Kingsley). I let out a Keanu Reeves style “Woah,” which was highly appropriate in said situation. Over the monitor, I called out to my work buddy Q…

Me: Hey, just remembered that you’re Eurasian.
Q: Yeah?
Me: Well I’m at a Eurasian site, just checking it out. Don’t get me wrong, I only go there to look at the girls.
Q: Ah, at least you’re honest.
Me: I’ll check to see if you’re here.
Q: Oh, has it got a listing of everyone who’s Eurasian? (somewhat amazed).
Me: Ah, just remembered, you’re not a celebrity so you wouldn’t be in here.
Q: Sorry, did I forget to tell you?

Later on in the day, he randomly comes out with “It’s Winona Ryder’s birthday today.”
“Really? How old is she now?” I enquire.
“31.”
“She’s still looking pretty good. I hope I look that fine when I am that age.”

Unphased, he continues: “Yeah, and she had to go into court today, about that shoplifting incident a while back.” I tap the keys on my keyboard at my desk to create the illusion that I am working hard on a report.

“That sucks,” I say.
“Anyway, I heard on the radio this morning that she was called ‘Winona’ because it was the name of the town she was born in. If she was born in the next town across, she’d now be called ‘Flabbyarse Ryder.’”

I laugh, but not hysterically. “Are you sure that wasn’t a joke? There’s no town in the US called ‘Flabbyarse.’”
“It might have been ‘Flappyarse,’” he replies. “That’s even worse!” I chuckle, without missing a beat.

What followed was a deep search on the WWW to find this mystical town of Flabbyarse or Flappyarse. After what seemed like a good half an hour of solid searching, we were unsuccessful. He even phoned a few of his friends to ask. Still, no luck. Another case unclosed. If it does indeed exist, its denizens right now are having the last laugh.

Halfway through the day, my other work colleague Claire crosses her arms and shivers. “It’s really ‘chillee’ in here,” she mumbles, through the pink Pashmina scarf pulled up around her neck. It felt like room temperature to me, so I ask, “cold ‘chillee’ or hot ‘chillee?’” She replies, “cold ‘chillee.’” Then it occured to me that the word “chilly” and “chilli” are opposite in meaning. Have to remember this the next time I hear a friend say “I’m feeling ‘chillee.’” It’s a good thing I don’t have any friends called “Chilli” because that would make it even more confusing. If I did, she’d probably have been a dancer. Yes, that kind of dancer.

Gah. It’s a bad thing I don’t have any friends called “Chilli.”

Quote of the day: “The possession of anything begins in the mind” - Bruce Lee (1940-1973).