Very elusive. I think it’s about18 year olds pretending to be 30, but I’m not sure that it is. To leap ahead 12 years, rather casually, and then have nothing really is a potentially interesting idea. It’s like a real-life Twilight Zone. It reminds me of the film Stargate, where scientists pass through a nexus into another dimension and they just sort of walk around with nothing to do. I’m not sure on what level we are to experience the actual leap ahead in time, but the dialogue that takes place is quite charming.
I really love the creativity in this piece. You can tell everything about what you think about being 30 without you directly describing it. The jump to 30 maybe needs a little more set up.
I made a mistake - put the wrong title (this one) on another review. (See Lesson in Rock) Well, that's Blunt age talking. Anyway, I listened to this piece, too - I liked it because it was very very real - and like another reviewer said, the young woman has an amazing instinct about herself later. I thought the phone call dragged alittle but it then again it sounded exactly like people sound like when they're talking to each other - they talked at the same time and I missed a couple of lines but it sounded so eavesdrop-ish that I couldn't take my ears off it and I leaned in a little closer to get it.
Again - really like this Blunt Youth project. It's really important (to me) that these producers keep their authentic edge. Don't round off the corners to try and "fit in." Give them a context and take them as they are. Please.
I wish the word "poignant" were in the dropdown, because that word sums this one up. An 18 year old envisioning a letter (email, I'd bet) from a busy new mom and a phone call from a long separated friend with promises to "keep in touch" pretty much hit it on the head for me, and I'm 36.
The phone call includes vague answers to "so what are you doing these days" question that is the bane of most people at age 30, who often wished for more than they'd achieved by that age.
Wish I'd guessed as much about being 30 when I was 18 as these guys seem to sense already. Nice stuff.
So they'll still be writing letters 30 years in the future? That's a relief. If I understand it, this woman will be doing "something important enough that you'll all know about it" in 30 years which will consist of "doing stuff" that's "not really important" and "trying to find work that's not 9-to-5" and having "commitments, but whatever." Huh? I don't get it. Is this -- this conversation that I'm hearing, this letter I'm hearing her read -- is this what she's going to be? Is this what she hopes to avoid? Is there something that the editor "got" about this piece that I missed? Am I too dumb to get it? Too old? I'm sorry, this to me was two dull kids talking on the phone. I'm tempted to call that number in London that the guy gives and see who answers.
This is a fresh sounding piece - Maia has an engaging earnestness in her voice as she "acts" her part. Great use of music for punctuation (Death Cab for Cutie. I really enjoyed the "overheard phone conversation" technique and the candid quality of the exchanges. It's an interesting premise - speculating ahead 12 years to what you imagine your life might be like. It would be great to check in on Maia when she does hit 30 and find out what she's up to - and whether it/she has exceeded her own expectations.
Comments for My Future Self, Age 30
Produced by Maia Chong
Other pieces by Blunt Youth Radio Project
Rating Summary
6 comments
Jonathan Goldstein
Posted on August 26, 2004 at 06:34 AM | Permalink
Review of My Future Self, Age 30
Very elusive. I think it’s about18 year olds pretending to be 30, but I’m not sure that it is. To leap ahead 12 years, rather casually, and then have nothing really is a potentially interesting idea. It’s like a real-life Twilight Zone. It reminds me of the film Stargate, where scientists pass through a nexus into another dimension and they just sort of walk around with nothing to do. I’m not sure on what level we are to experience the actual leap ahead in time, but the dialogue that takes place is quite charming.
[redacted]
Posted on August 17, 2004 at 07:11 PM | Permalink
Review of My Future Self, Age 30
I really love the creativity in this piece. You can tell everything about what you think about being 30 without you directly describing it. The jump to 30 maybe needs a little more set up.
Marjorie Van Halteren
Posted on August 14, 2004 at 08:59 AM | Permalink
My Future Self Age 30
I made a mistake - put the wrong title (this one) on another review. (See Lesson in Rock) Well, that's Blunt age talking. Anyway, I listened to this piece, too - I liked it because it was very very real - and like another reviewer said, the young woman has an amazing instinct about herself later. I thought the phone call dragged alittle but it then again it sounded exactly like people sound like when they're talking to each other - they talked at the same time and I missed a couple of lines but it sounded so eavesdrop-ish that I couldn't take my ears off it and I leaned in a little closer to get it.
Again - really like this Blunt Youth project. It's really important (to me) that these producers keep their authentic edge. Don't round off the corners to try and "fit in." Give them a context and take them as they are. Please.
Matt Kaufman
Posted on August 12, 2004 at 02:25 PM | Permalink
Review of My Future Self, Age 30
I wish the word "poignant" were in the dropdown, because that word sums this one up. An 18 year old envisioning a letter (email, I'd bet) from a busy new mom and a phone call from a long separated friend with promises to "keep in touch" pretty much hit it on the head for me, and I'm 36.
The phone call includes vague answers to "so what are you doing these days" question that is the bane of most people at age 30, who often wished for more than they'd achieved by that age.
Wish I'd guessed as much about being 30 when I was 18 as these guys seem to sense already. Nice stuff.
Richard Paul
Posted on August 04, 2004 at 04:43 PM | Permalink
Review of My Future Self, Age 30
So they'll still be writing letters 30 years in the future? That's a relief. If I understand it, this woman will be doing "something important enough that you'll all know about it" in 30 years which will consist of "doing stuff" that's "not really important" and "trying to find work that's not 9-to-5" and having "commitments, but whatever." Huh? I don't get it. Is this -- this conversation that I'm hearing, this letter I'm hearing her read -- is this what she's going to be? Is this what she hopes to avoid? Is there something that the editor "got" about this piece that I missed? Am I too dumb to get it? Too old? I'm sorry, this to me was two dull kids talking on the phone. I'm tempted to call that number in London that the guy gives and see who answers.
Sean O'Connor
Posted on August 03, 2004 at 08:01 PM | Permalink
Review of My Future Self, Age 30
This is a fresh sounding piece - Maia has an engaging earnestness in her voice as she "acts" her part. Great use of music for punctuation (Death Cab for Cutie. I really enjoyed the "overheard phone conversation" technique and the candid quality of the exchanges. It's an interesting premise - speculating ahead 12 years to what you imagine your life might be like. It would be great to check in on Maia when she does hit 30 and find out what she's up to - and whether it/she has exceeded her own expectations.