Okay, so does anyone else besides me watch this brilliant show?
I mad a passing reference in my 1080 class today to "Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock!" and no one batted an eyelash or broke a grin.
Here's YouTube to the rescue!
My favorite new comedy of the past decade:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mKbnVKdix8
Peace out.
GC
Friday, February 27, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
If Winter Comes, Can Spring Be Far Behind?
Still in the midst of midterm break and enjoying the chance to catch up on some work. That's what breaks are for, really. I've probably gotten more done over the past few days than I usually accomplish in a one-week period. More than one well-intentioned student told me last week to "do something fun" over the break. Well, that hasn't happened so far, but that will happen when the semester is over. There are no days off during the semester, and that's just the way it is.
But I did watch the Oscars the other night. It was one of their better shows, in spite of the fact that I hadn't seen very many of the movies that were nominated. Award shows are strange beasts, though. I mean, why should I really care if Kate Winslet (whom I adore) should win an award over anybody else? Of why would it bother me that Mickey Rourke lost out on his bid for the ultimate comeback within his industry?
It's good to have a perspective on these things--I mean, they're really not that important in the overall scheme of things. They certainly don't affect my life any. On the other hand, I teach literature for a living, and I write literature of my own. And if literature isn't about people, then it's probably not something I'm interested in. Same with movies and songs. Fact is, these celebrity movie stars play their lives out on the big screen and the small screen in front of millions of people. And I think what captivates many people is the fact that these people represent stories.
Sure, I know it's the glitz and glamour too. It's been said that celebrities are our royalty, which I don't really buy. To me, they're more like a continuing story that we get to watch day after day. Granted, I don't like those "True Hollywood Story" types of tabloid shows and I generally despise the paparazzi and any t.v. show or magazine that employs spying techniques. I figure, just let them be. The aspiration to become an actor doesn't necessarily couple with the desire to be stalked and famous. They owe us nothing in that regard. About the only thing they owe us is a good show when we plunk down our hard-earned dough. Reminds me of Yosemite Sam in the Bugs Bunny cartoons: "I came to see Fearless Freep, and I aims to see 'im!" Then Sam sits down in a huff and waits for "Freep" (aka Bugs) to dive into a glass of water from a high tower. We're just here for the show and we want what we paid for.
I like a good comeback story. But that's because I like a good story. Stories are about people, and these movie stars (and athletes, like Barry Bonds or some feel-good story) just happen to be people. Their stories are being told right before our very eyes, and sometimes it's hard not to watch.
So that's why I watch the Oscars. Sure, I liked what this person was wearing and that one was wearing (I though Kate W. looked like a goddess and Amy Adams lit up the screen, but I digress--and for god's sake leave Miley Cyrus alone. Maybe I should do a rant like that "leave Britney alone!" guy. People should just sign up for lives of their own. All of them. All of us). But for me it's about comeback stories, soaring hopes, and triumphant returns. But most of all, I just love the movies. My favorite part is those montages of movie clips from all those movies I've seen or wish I had time to see. I'd always planned to watch every movie ever made, but thanks to grading all those essays, I'm quickly falling behinder and behinder.
And that's what I did on my spring vacation: worked and watched the Oscars.
Hope yours has been good so far.
More to come.
But I did watch the Oscars the other night. It was one of their better shows, in spite of the fact that I hadn't seen very many of the movies that were nominated. Award shows are strange beasts, though. I mean, why should I really care if Kate Winslet (whom I adore) should win an award over anybody else? Of why would it bother me that Mickey Rourke lost out on his bid for the ultimate comeback within his industry?
It's good to have a perspective on these things--I mean, they're really not that important in the overall scheme of things. They certainly don't affect my life any. On the other hand, I teach literature for a living, and I write literature of my own. And if literature isn't about people, then it's probably not something I'm interested in. Same with movies and songs. Fact is, these celebrity movie stars play their lives out on the big screen and the small screen in front of millions of people. And I think what captivates many people is the fact that these people represent stories.
Sure, I know it's the glitz and glamour too. It's been said that celebrities are our royalty, which I don't really buy. To me, they're more like a continuing story that we get to watch day after day. Granted, I don't like those "True Hollywood Story" types of tabloid shows and I generally despise the paparazzi and any t.v. show or magazine that employs spying techniques. I figure, just let them be. The aspiration to become an actor doesn't necessarily couple with the desire to be stalked and famous. They owe us nothing in that regard. About the only thing they owe us is a good show when we plunk down our hard-earned dough. Reminds me of Yosemite Sam in the Bugs Bunny cartoons: "I came to see Fearless Freep, and I aims to see 'im!" Then Sam sits down in a huff and waits for "Freep" (aka Bugs) to dive into a glass of water from a high tower. We're just here for the show and we want what we paid for.
I like a good comeback story. But that's because I like a good story. Stories are about people, and these movie stars (and athletes, like Barry Bonds or some feel-good story) just happen to be people. Their stories are being told right before our very eyes, and sometimes it's hard not to watch.
So that's why I watch the Oscars. Sure, I liked what this person was wearing and that one was wearing (I though Kate W. looked like a goddess and Amy Adams lit up the screen, but I digress--and for god's sake leave Miley Cyrus alone. Maybe I should do a rant like that "leave Britney alone!" guy. People should just sign up for lives of their own. All of them. All of us). But for me it's about comeback stories, soaring hopes, and triumphant returns. But most of all, I just love the movies. My favorite part is those montages of movie clips from all those movies I've seen or wish I had time to see. I'd always planned to watch every movie ever made, but thanks to grading all those essays, I'm quickly falling behinder and behinder.
And that's what I did on my spring vacation: worked and watched the Oscars.
Hope yours has been good so far.
More to come.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
No day like a snow day
Finally: a snow day. Maybe now we can all just relax a bit, feel a little less pressure, and get life in perspective.
I thought I'd take the day off--really wanted to--but I've been spending the morning grading essays, answering e-mails, and trying to get my life in some kind of order.
But I do enjoy a good snow day once in a while. When I was a kid, this meant a day for playing hockey, going sliding on the big hill by our house, or watching the t.v. shows that you usually missed all week. Now, I just stay in bed a little later (7 a.m.), ease into the day a little slower (at work by 8:15) and actually take a lunch break. I love looking out the window and seeing the snow piling up and hardly any cars going up or down the road, knowing that hardly anything is open. Even the mall is closed! But I'll bet Wal-mart and Tim Horton's are open because the staff gets trapped there once they're inside the doors. Might as well work while you're there, I guess is the managerial position.
Now that my work is done, though, I'm going to try to take most of the afternoon off. Unlike my students, I don't have midterm exams tomorrow or later this week.
My students in 1080 and 1101 don't have a class with me now until after the break, since Friday's class has been cancelled. (Don't look at me like that--if you were in class, you'd know it. Oh, and if you WERE in class, you do know it and probably didn't look at me, or the screen, funny at all. Don't make that face. If the wind changes, you'll be stuck with it--especially at 110 kilometres per hour! Nasty.)
So, in 1080, we're finishing "Paul's Case" on Friday, Feb. 27 (first class after the break). Then we're doing "A Good Man is Hard to Find". The comparative analysis essays are still due on March 2.
In 1101, we're finishing Frankenstein in three more classes on Feb. 27, March 2, and March 4. On March 6, we start The Divine Ryans. The out-of-class essay on Frankenstein is still due on March 2.
Questions? Just get in touch. I'll be blogging a bit over the midterm break as I see fit and whenever I sense a disturbance in the force, requiring me to intervene with words of wisdom, encouragement, or absurdity.
Talk to you again soon. Hope the snow day gives you a much-needed reprieve!
GC
I thought I'd take the day off--really wanted to--but I've been spending the morning grading essays, answering e-mails, and trying to get my life in some kind of order.
But I do enjoy a good snow day once in a while. When I was a kid, this meant a day for playing hockey, going sliding on the big hill by our house, or watching the t.v. shows that you usually missed all week. Now, I just stay in bed a little later (7 a.m.), ease into the day a little slower (at work by 8:15) and actually take a lunch break. I love looking out the window and seeing the snow piling up and hardly any cars going up or down the road, knowing that hardly anything is open. Even the mall is closed! But I'll bet Wal-mart and Tim Horton's are open because the staff gets trapped there once they're inside the doors. Might as well work while you're there, I guess is the managerial position.
Now that my work is done, though, I'm going to try to take most of the afternoon off. Unlike my students, I don't have midterm exams tomorrow or later this week.
My students in 1080 and 1101 don't have a class with me now until after the break, since Friday's class has been cancelled. (Don't look at me like that--if you were in class, you'd know it. Oh, and if you WERE in class, you do know it and probably didn't look at me, or the screen, funny at all. Don't make that face. If the wind changes, you'll be stuck with it--especially at 110 kilometres per hour! Nasty.)
So, in 1080, we're finishing "Paul's Case" on Friday, Feb. 27 (first class after the break). Then we're doing "A Good Man is Hard to Find". The comparative analysis essays are still due on March 2.
In 1101, we're finishing Frankenstein in three more classes on Feb. 27, March 2, and March 4. On March 6, we start The Divine Ryans. The out-of-class essay on Frankenstein is still due on March 2.
Questions? Just get in touch. I'll be blogging a bit over the midterm break as I see fit and whenever I sense a disturbance in the force, requiring me to intervene with words of wisdom, encouragement, or absurdity.
Talk to you again soon. Hope the snow day gives you a much-needed reprieve!
GC
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