Everyone Has A Price.

Vimeo served up this awesome short film to my inbox today. Take the sixteen minutes out of your day to watch; it's well worth it [NSFW].


Whoa. (c)Keanu

I was really impressed by the sharp editing and stark, fluorescent cinematography. The cast, a nice little Benetton coalition of actors displaying a wide range of emotions, was on point too. Additionally, the atmosphere of the film -- equal parts desperation, hope, and greed -- drew me in almost immediately. I liked the juxtaposition of various visions of pleasure/paradise broadcast by the television screens against the greasy, bloody recordings of the convenience store security camera. The resolution for the two characters bookending the film made me chuckle, too; at least something went right for somebody.

Your Lucky Day [larger version here] asks us what we would do in a similar situation. How would you weigh a share of $156 million against witnessing two murders you had nothing to do with? What would your price be, knowing that your death would likely be the consequence if you didn't agree to the terms?

Are your morals worth your life?

I think that at the moment, my self-preservation instinct would kick in. True, refusing to acquiesce to the robber's demands wouldn't bring the dead back to life. Not really having much of a choice, I would probably have acted in a similar way to the couple. However, I think the guilt would eat me alive. Admittedly, whether or not I'd eventually turn myself in is up in the air.

That I'd even hesitate to do "the right thing" is probably some kind of moral failure. I suspect, however, that I'm not alone.

So, dear reader ... what is your price?

Work To Live.

The only thing that sucks about having a great weekend is that it inevitably ends, and Monday looms overhead like some gloomy cloud.

Good thing I enjoy the work that I do.

I'm really not sure what would take more getting used to: going back to school after spending years in the workforce or going back to work after school. I can honestly say that I kinda liked not having to work the 55-hour weeks anymore (granted this was in the mortgage industry where the turnover rate is much higher than average) and downshifting into going to class a few hours a day. It was a different type of time management; you could say that "going to school" became my job. This became literal once we entered into our yearlong clinical internship and became completely immersed into the world of diagnostic radiology. Now I work full-time at my MRI preceptorship, which will transition into a real job after I go through the usual process of applying to hospital/clinical positions.

I like the structure it gives me, coupled with a nice rewarding feeling of having done some good in a grand social sense. It didn't take long to re-familiarize myself with the pace of getting up and working long days. Guess I'm just gearing up to re-enter the rat race for real.

[via]

Lately I've been entertaining visions of moving to Europe to sample the lifestyle there. From the articles I've read and a brief first-hand look a few years ago, the general pace of life seems to be much more relaxed -- not centered so much on grinding it out at your job for 40+ hours and trying to amass wealth. Not that I wouldn't want some extra zeroes in the savings account, but I don't want to have to burn myself out over a period of years to do it. I don't think it's worth it. But here in the land of "keeping up with the Joneses" and "he who dies with the most toys, wins" it's hard not to get caught up in that mentality. As in all things with life, a balance must be achieved.

Ahhh fuck it. Who wants to move to Europe with me?

Sorry if this entry is all over the place! This was more of a stream-of-consciousness thing than anything else.