So sorry; I've been busy with getting last-minute lesson plans together and my brother got married this past weekend, so I haven't had a lot of computer time. More work and family time, and enjoy-my-last-days-out-of-school time.
I will post the wedding pictures ASAP. It was a lot of fun and the ceremony included my brother giving his new wife's young (7?) daughter a ring of her own right after he put one on his bride. So sweet. Lots of dancing, lots of sisterliness, good times.
Minor tragedy: As I spent the weekend at my mom's, we came home Monday to find my luxurious tomato plants once again ravaged by persistent deer combined with poor deer netting. They look so sad and barren, although the lower-growing tomatoes survived. I admit it--I burst into tears and then realized (thank you, DH) that as my first year doing this, I would figure a few things out. Thus we've repositioned the netting and put down more dried blood. Back off, Bambi.
I heard an interesting bit on NPR today that has to do with the Bechdel Rule of TV and movies: A cartoonist, she created one that had a woman saying to her friend, "I'll only watch a movie if it has
1. At least two female characters, who ...
2. talk to each other about...
3. something besides a man.
It then went on to point out major shows (Sex and the City, Grey's Anatomy, and even my new fave, The Closer) that do not do this at all. It comes down to who's writing it. The point was that people like to watch shows that mirror actual culture or else they feel disconnected from it. For example, very few shows exist with "fully realized" African American characters. The article then asked people to make up their own rules. One included something I've mentioned before: The commenter won't watch shows with men who act like complete idiots and have no involvement in their kids' lives. I'd add the henpecked, sassy wife--it's straight out of The Honeymooners. We're not in black and white anymore; can't we update the trends here? If I made up a rule, it would run something like this: In a TV show primarily about teens, there will be
1. no central theme having to do with sex or heavy flirting/petting
2. parents who look more than ten years older than their children
3. a setting somewhere other than Pots-of-Money, CA
What about you?
P.S. We will miss you, Don LaFontaine (aka The Voice of just about every promo you've seen in the last 25 years "In a world...")! Here's something to remember you by, even if it's from Geico:
3 comments:
Your brother's wedding... wow, what a beautiful way to enter a family.
Your poor 'maters. I like your attitude, though. You just started; you gotta learn how to do it!
Hugs - PP
I heard that report yesterday,too and thought it was interesting. Glad you were able to spend your last few days of summer doing some fun things. Hope your school year goes well and that your students are mildly interested in using decent grammar!
1. Wedding: Holy matrimony, that is one of the sweetest things I have ever heard! I wish I had seen it. He's gonna be a great stepdad.
2. Tomatoes: Argh! I am so sorry! Dang deer! I feel bad for them because I know they're overpopulated and starving but dag nabbit! Do they have to steal YOUR tomatoes? You must have the best ones in town.
3. I, too, heard that on NPR! What, did they play it eleventy times, or is that just a crazy coincidence that we were all listening? But here's my quibble with your criteria: The whole point of the NPR list was that they wanted the shows that were supposedly representing today's culture to ACTUALLY represent today's culture, yes? So, in a show primarily about teens, wouldn't it be GROSSLY inaccurate to NOT have the central theme be about sex/heavy flirting/petting? Isn't that what adolescence is all about? That, and sleep (which, I'm sure you'll agree, would not make for lively television). Just sayin'.
4. Did you get my voicemail?
Post a Comment