This is not a lesson about the disappointment we felt on buying a copy of The Matrix Reloaded at our local DVD store back in 2003 only to end up watching a pirated copy of Johnny Mnemonic (the dolphin scene was especially excruciating the second time around). But it's pretty close. Because sometimes you'll find a good movie, only to find it completely unwatchable because the subtitles are all in Russian.

So our Chinese lesson for today is about living with disappointment, but only in part. It's also about learning different ways to ask simple questions, so if you're sick of ending every question with the sound "ma", you're going to love what we do today. So go ahead and make some popcorn and hit play. You'll be an elementary student in no-time, and will have some popcorn in the meanwhile. Try doing that in a physical classroom.
 said on
April 1, 2010
That Matrix Reloaded story is mine and true, incidentally. Lesson learned was not to trust the packaging, especially when the DVD is available before the movie is even in theaters.

That said, I heard a number of Chinese people express their disappointment with the film. And since that happened before the movie was even released, I'd guess I wasn't the only one fooled.