I hate the way I don’t hate you by Matt McGann '00

I’m in the Pacific Northwest, waiting for my Seattle Central Meeting tomorrow. You may wonder what Admissions Officers do when they’re on the road on a non-working day. Well, for me, I decided I’d go catch the film Garden State. Still having jet-lag, I woke up quite early so I wanted to see the earliest possible matinee, which was the noon showing at the Grand Theater in Tacoma. I hopped in my car and drove down I-5.

The film came highly recommended, and overall I’d have to say I liked it. After it was done, I decided I’d drive through Tacoma and get a sense of the town since, yes, we do get applicants from this neck of the woods, and I like to have some sense of as much of America’s cities and towns as I can. Well, while I was driving, out of the right side of the car was the high school from the movie 10 Things I Hate About You, the one with Julia Stiles loosely based on Taming of the Shrew. I remember the school most from the final scene, the one with (Boston’s own!) Letters to Cleo playing on the roof, and the beautiful helicopter shot.

Using my Admissions Office power after popping into a random cafe with wireless, I discovered that there has recently been an MIT student from this high school — Stadium High School — and in fact, she’s a friend of a friend, and once ran for Vice President of the Undergraduate Association, MIT’s main student government (of which, yes, I was once president). Small world.

Back at MIT today, there are also movie connections. The lead in today’s “Family Datebook” section of the Boston Globe:

Teenage film buffs can go to MIT today, tuition free. Thirty MIT, Harvard University, Wellesley College, and Emerson College students present Silkscreens, the first Boston Asian American Independent Film Festival from 8:30 a.m. to midnight at 77 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Free screenings celebrate and showcase the works of Asian-American actors, directors, producers, and filmmakers. "Charlotte Sometimes" is at 1 p.m. followed by a Q&A with director Eric Byler and cast. Student films are at 3:45 p.m. There is an independent filmmakers forum at 4:45 p.m. Films, starting at 6 p.m., are: "We are only human," "Family Ties," and "Laugh with us, not at us." The reception at 8 p.m. includes refreshments and the Chinese a cappella group Penn Yo. The final film is "Take Out," at 10 p.m. Call 617-225-8630 or visit www.silkscreensfilmfestival.org.

I’m pretty bummed to be missing this, since I’ve heard nothing but great things from the MIT students I know who are running the festival. Plus, I really like movies; my office’s walls are adorned with movie posters. But I’m sure It will be a big success regardless.

Current music: Arrested Development, 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life of (if you like funk, rap or hip hop, this is a CD you should have!)