The Curious Mind
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
FADE IN
Act 1
INT. LIVING ROOM - 08:30
PETER sits comfortably on a sofa, scrolling through his Facebook feed on his smartphone.
PETER (V.O.): I'm enjoying a personalised feed on Facebook filled with posts and video clips that I Iove to watch.
Peter pauses to watch video clips on swimming techniques.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've never had a swimming coach; I've learned to swim by watching video clips.
Pausing at one video clip.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Wow, this instructor was a world champion. Her focus is insightful, setting her apart from the typical content.
Peter takes mental notes.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I swim every day and feel that I've been doing quite well, but I've now realised that there's still plently of room for improvement.
Peter gathers his swimming gear.
Act 2
INT. LIVING ROOM - 15:15
Sitting up straight on a sofa, Peter starts a new tap for Duolingo,
PETER (V.O.): Now is the tiime to begin my second daily routine.
Peter selects Spanish and begins practising sentences,
PETER (To smartphone): Me gustaria aprender y tener una vida mejor. (I'd like to learn and have a better life.)
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's challenging to pronounce "y tener una vida mejor" like a native speaker, but the fun part is overcoming that challenge.
Attempting again.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Who knew I'd enjoy this so much?
Attempting again.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): As I strive to maintain my daily streaks, learning foreign languages has become a routine I won't suspend, even while travelling outside of Hong Kong.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): After completing my daily practice in seven languages, I reward myself by watching something relaxing and entertaining.
INT. LIVING ROOM - 17:00
Peter scrolls through his Facebook feed on his smartphone. We see on screen a border shepherd dog playing Mahjong.
PETER (V.O.): I'm curious if a very intelligent dog can understand the rules of the game.
Watching intently.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Earlier, I shared the story with my friends, but they quickly dismissed what I watched as AI-generated.
Peter watches many different clips of the same dog playing Mahjong with family members on different occasions.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): AI really knows how to feed my curious mind.
Peter is captivated by the dog's focus.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've tried to prove that they aren't real, but I've been unsuccessful.
We see the dog using its nose to push down a Mahjong tile.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): There's a clip of the trainer sharing how he spent many years training the dog.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I believe all living beings possess a curious mind, and mastery comes from consistent practice.
INT. LIVING ROOM - 19:00
Peter sits at the piano, tablet in front of him, ready to learn.
PETER (V.O.): See if I can learn some impressive openings and endings.
Peter leans forward to see the video clips.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Start with a simple arpeggio to set the mood.
Peter places his fingers on the keys following along with the tutorial.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): When I first met Sharon in 1973, I was curious about how she played the piano so well.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): When we're fond of each other, I sang her the song "Vision" and asked her to play "A Summer Place" on piano for me.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Since Sharon's untimely death in 1992, I've left her keyboards untouched until the arrival of COVID-19.
Act 3
INT. LIVING ROOM - 21:00
Peter inserts an AI drawing titled: "The Curious Mind..." to a draft on his laptop.
PETER (V.O): Curiosity is the spark that ignites the flame of lifelong learning.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): The curious mind dances through life, turning every moment into a lesson.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): An inquisitive spirit makes every day an adventure waiting to unfold.
FADE OUT
END
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