When weekends roll around during this time of coronavirus, options for leisure are rather limited. The typical social venue still haven’t yet open - as well they shouldn’t be - so just about the only choice that involves going outside is to the mountains and trails. Unfortunately, the same laws of physics apply to everyone, so hiking locations are absolutely packed with people. A few weeks back, while driving on the San Mateo mountains in the Woodside area, I passed by many full parking lots, with cars having to park alongside the road. I get it: people are craving activity, and if a majority of activities are still limited, the demand for what remains is going to increase.
The COVID-19 situation is still too delicate for my liking to be heading out on Saturdays and Sundays. I’m still in the mode of unless I absolutely need to - work, for example - I shall remain indoors at home as much as possible. So that means I have to find ways to entertain myself, and usually that involves the many automotive-related channels I subscribe to on Youtube. This past weekend, however, HBO made the Watchmen series available for free to watch on its website and stream platforms. All I’ve ever heard about Watchmen is how spectacular it is, so it was the perfect opportunity to finally watch the show. Eight hours of my Sunday, sorted.
Verdict: Watchmen the series is profound in so many ways.
The particular story arc I most enjoyed was that of Adrian Veidt’s marooning on Europa. Here he was living in actual heaven as envisioned and created by Dr. Manhattan, with everything he could ever possibly want taken care of. Yet he still sought a way to escape that paradise, to come back to this flawed Earth of ours. Veidt’s story allegorizes a lesson that resonates greatly with me: the grass is definitely not greener on the other side, even if that other side is quite literally heaven. Be satisfied with what you have right now, because what you are pining for instead may not be what you want, and it certainly won’t make you any happier.
Adrian Veidt wanted utopia, but when he got it, he sought to leave it instead. That’s an important and powerful lesson there.
An example of a packed parking lot in the mountains.