Contemplations
On Endings and Beginnings
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end –
Semisonic (verse from the song – Closing Time)
It’s a new season and the start of Q4 – the final quarter of 2023. Q2 finished with redundancy at work (ending). While in Q3, I started and finished two new projects (beginnings/endings).
These were the Black Lionesses bookmark project and a freelance research project for the Nuffield Foundation.
I now find myself at the start of Q4 looking for a new freelance gig and a new creative side project. I have been reaching out to folks and brainstorming new ideas but no joy so far.
The challenge is avoiding getting sucked into a vortex of anxiety and uncertainty. These are the ups and downs of being a freelancer and seeking new beginnings.
Consumptions
📺
The Creator – I went to see this film at the Odeon cinema with my wife. I haven’t been to the cinema in ages so it was good to watch a movie on a big screen with an audience. I enjoyed the film. It featured strong performances from John David Washington, Madeleine Yuna Voyles and Alison Janney.
The film focuses on America’s war against AI because of a nuclear explosion in Los Angeles due to an AI error. The battleground is ‘Neo Asia’, a continent, which is peacefully co-existing with AI.
The protagonist is Joshua, an AI sceptic, who bonds with an AI child (Alphie) during his quest to find his wife. He spends the film seeking redemption to atone for his betrayal. I am glad to see John David Washington doing another smart, layered sci-fi movie after his standout role in Tenet.
Best scene dialogue
Alfie: What’s heaven?
Joshua: It’s a peaceful place in the sky.
Alfie: Are you going to heaven?
Joshua: No.
Alfie: Why not?
Joshua: You gotta be a good person to go to heaven.
Alfie: Then we’re the same. We can’t go to heaven. Because you’re not good. And I’m not a person.
