the pursuit of reasons

Oh, that ... actually those, not just one, are flags of Republic of China. The abbreviation is R.O.C., but it is known as Taiwan. I want to know where they played basketball in the film. Some top of a building in San Francisco.
That's a little distracting for me when seeing this greatly moving movie "The Pursuit of Happyness"

If you have not seen it, I recommend it, and thus, I will not tell you what is going on.
If you have not seen it, I recommend that you rent a DVD or buy a DVD to see it.
You'll like it more if you see all the special features.
I watch special features. I rarely like all special features. I do like all the special features of this movie on DVD.

It is based on a book, a book of a true story, a story of a man, a man who had to take care of his son and himself by himself.
You'd say "Big deal. A lot of women have raised their children by themselves. Their lives are not less difficult or less inspiring."
I'd respond "Sure. I respect those women too. But I was so touched because I have been told that most of the time it was the father who left. This time, the father insisted staying by his little boy. He kept his goal and worked hard and went through all those humiliating situations and still maintained his dignity and role as a respectful father. He cherished the role he's playing: a father."
I am glad to learn that Chris Gardner is a real person. He actually briefly appeared in a scene. Of course I did not know that until watching every second of the special features.

What else do I learn from the special features?
1. It is a movie directed by an Italian, whose name I do not remember. But I can imdb for you. His name is Gabriele Muccino. The producer and the actor of the movie, Will Smith, decided to invite him to direct the film after Will Smith saw two movies directed by Muccino.
2. Will Smith's son played his son in the movie because Muccino could not find the right actor during the week of audition.
3. The homeless were actually homeless. They were paid for appearing as who they were in the film.
4. And the pursuit of the world-record-holder of speedcubing!!!!!!
5. And the blindfold speedcubing!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(alright, i got too amazed by those geeks.)

The footage of the speedcubing makes me want to own the DVD.
I had one Rubik's cube in Taipei. I believe my parents bought it during the 80's. It was the time when the cube had created and become popular from Hungary to the whole world.
I did not play it like crazy. I gave it up easily. This might have hinted something of my personality. Usually I stared at it and thought who would waste their time to twist the cube. Why couldn't I just paint a side of the cube in the same color and call it a day? Oh because buying paints and painting and painting it nicely waste time too. So why should I bother myself?
This is why I cannot bring myself to be very enthusiastic about sudoku, either.
I am good at reading during my free time. I am impatient at playing puzzles when taking a break.

Why am I so impatient? Why doesn't a Rubik's cube or a sudoku puzzle interest me?
Because I am not a geek? To some extent, I am. In some fields, I am.
Because I cannot be obsessed? I can be very obsessed in many things other than puzzles.
Perhaps it is like the fact that I don't like the color pink. It is a simple fact without deep reasons.

Why am I so excited to see the R.O.C. blue-sky-white-sun-red-all-over-the-ground flags? I don' t know.
I also get excited when seeing "Made in Taiwan" marked on products. I bought my leggings for that mark.
It just makes me smile and proud. A surprising feeling is generated when you see something so familiar in a foreign setting.
Suddenly, I am afraid that this movie may be banned in China. If that's so, what a big loss of Hollywood. Well... or not. Movies can be bought easily in super cheap prices in China, actually downloaded easily even, because pirates are kinda not so illegal in people's mind over there.


Why happyness ?
It was explained in the first 5 minutes of the movie. Go see it. Do see the special features too.