tim’s thought property

Solving the Rubik’s Cube will solve all my problems.

While I do not adhere to the above statement, it does make a good response when asked why I am trying to solve it. It began with a passing curiosity at Marc’s house, where I picked up one of his cubes and asked him to show me the steps to solve it. He was taught a year before, and he taught me in the same manner: He would show me a move, give it to me to try, and then scramble it up once I completed the move. I had to continue the process until it remained in my memory.

Tonight, I decided to complete some unfinished business.
I watched Kill Bill Vol.2.
All the way back in 2003, I had seen Kill Bill Vol.1 in the theatres, and intended to see the second half of the film. I was out of the country for a few months. Then I decided to wait for the movie to go to the cheap theatres. Years went by. It was nagging me for the last few weeks, and tonight, with other plans falling through, I finally rented the movie.
As I played the DVD, I had to recall in my dusty memory, who the characters were, (the ones that the Bride hadn’t killed) and to construct the story from the depths of my mind. I was quite impressed with the whole film in general. I must say, it delivered. The music was suspenseful, ironic, catchy and moving all at the proper times. The blending of cinematic styles - recollection in black and white, kung-fu sequences, western themes, good old fashioned mystery - all held with the appropriate amounts of suspense and drive. David Carradine and Uma Thurman had a good on-screen dynamic. Their scenes were very well done.
And as I sat on the couch, closing the door to this episode, I wondered how many other doors have I to shut?
Sure, the easy ones will get done - they always do. Yet watching this movie was not only very simple, it was enjoyable. How come I didn’t do this years ago? This leads me to ask, Why am I not doing more of this? What is holding me back?

I suppose what delays me so much in doing what I ought to, is that I get side-tracked once the initial excitement is gone. Or before that excitement wanes, I find something else that is new and exciting to do. As what happened with the movie, my life got the better of me. I’m not normally one to stop a story half way through (unless I can’t stand it, such as Wuthering Heights or perhaps Pride and Prejudice). Yet in my room I have three, no four half read books. That I started this year, even.

And as my focusing problems illuminate themselves, I can only dread how sidetracked I may become when things really matter. Neglecting stories and films is one thing, shirking responsibility for writing old friends, or slacking while learning a new job is another matter.

I say that once I finish those books, I can really focus.
I say that once I complete the Rubik’s Cube, I can leave it be.
What I’m really saying, I suppose, is that if I solve the Cube, I’ll have to put it down. I’ll have to take up real responsibilities. And perhaps that is the real reason why solving the Rubik’s Cube will solve all my problems.