I was walking on the blacktop back to my classroom, and I overheard one little girl give the best playgound come back to another little girl that I've hear in a long time. You'll want to save this one for future personal defense in extreme circumstances:
"Well....at least I don't eat my boogers like you do!"
Girl can be so cold.
5/17/2005
5/13/2005
Kingdom of Heaven = Kung Fu Hustle
I went and saw the same movie twice last night.
On the surface, some might challenge that and say that I really saw two. And they would have some cause. Yes, the movie had two different names. Yes, they had completely different settings, characters, time periods, styles, and feelings. Even the plots were different.
In fact, it seems like Kingdom of Heaven, a story about the Crusades, and Kung Fu Hustle, a story about chinese gangsters and a peaceful slum called "Pig Sty" are total opposites, but I saw some striking similarities.
Most people have seen or at least heard about Kingdom of Heaven. On the other hand, Kung Fu Hustle, in Chinese, with English subtitles, is probably not coming to your local Target, and that's a shame. I like Kung Fu movies, and this is one of the most original takes on the genre I've seen yet. Kung Fu Hustle takes Crouching Tiger and Flying Daggers, adds a little Al Capone served Spaghetti Western Style, and shakes them up into a Kung Fu Power Jumbo that puts Chow Yun Fat to crying shame. The mid level fighters in this movie could take him and that Jade woman, and twist them into pretzels. Halfway through the movie, the idea of what you thought was really cool Kung Fu gets sent back to school for extra homework and returns like a mindblowing tsunami. In the end, the most dangerous Kung Fu Killer around, The Beast, gets worked by the Chosen One in a battle that really screams.
So how does this connect to Kingdom of Heaven? Well, I saw them both last night, and thought they would be totally different, but they weren't. In both stories, the main Hero and Villain end up respecting each other. They finally find worthy opponents. The real antogonists are side characters who end up humilated and unimportant. Respecting and understanding virtue in their enemies leads to peace in both movies.
They also both glorify the common man and his ability to rise to power and respect through talent rather than rank or title.
I hope people go to see (or rent) Kung Fu Hustle. But if you do, you'll never look at your landlady the same again.
On the surface, some might challenge that and say that I really saw two. And they would have some cause. Yes, the movie had two different names. Yes, they had completely different settings, characters, time periods, styles, and feelings. Even the plots were different.
In fact, it seems like Kingdom of Heaven, a story about the Crusades, and Kung Fu Hustle, a story about chinese gangsters and a peaceful slum called "Pig Sty" are total opposites, but I saw some striking similarities.
Most people have seen or at least heard about Kingdom of Heaven. On the other hand, Kung Fu Hustle, in Chinese, with English subtitles, is probably not coming to your local Target, and that's a shame. I like Kung Fu movies, and this is one of the most original takes on the genre I've seen yet. Kung Fu Hustle takes Crouching Tiger and Flying Daggers, adds a little Al Capone served Spaghetti Western Style, and shakes them up into a Kung Fu Power Jumbo that puts Chow Yun Fat to crying shame. The mid level fighters in this movie could take him and that Jade woman, and twist them into pretzels. Halfway through the movie, the idea of what you thought was really cool Kung Fu gets sent back to school for extra homework and returns like a mindblowing tsunami. In the end, the most dangerous Kung Fu Killer around, The Beast, gets worked by the Chosen One in a battle that really screams.
So how does this connect to Kingdom of Heaven? Well, I saw them both last night, and thought they would be totally different, but they weren't. In both stories, the main Hero and Villain end up respecting each other. They finally find worthy opponents. The real antogonists are side characters who end up humilated and unimportant. Respecting and understanding virtue in their enemies leads to peace in both movies.
They also both glorify the common man and his ability to rise to power and respect through talent rather than rank or title.
I hope people go to see (or rent) Kung Fu Hustle. But if you do, you'll never look at your landlady the same again.
5/11/2005
All Dressed Up
I'm all dressed up and I've got nowhere to go.
That's because tonight is Open House, and I'm
hiding out in my classroom.
All the parents and students are outside
eating the traditional Carl's Jr. meal from
a cool traveling Carl's Kitchen.
I'm no mingler, and I've still got 40 minutes
before my students and parents get official
access into our room to check out all their
stuff. I'm nervous.
It's my fifth Open House, and they've all gone
off smashingly, but there's always a bit
of a nervous buzz in my stomach until everything
gets under way.
Getting under way means turning on the tube!
Classroom movies are the key to Open House success!
Once the tv is on, all eyes are glued, and then
I'm just a bystander. 60 minutes later they all go home,
and I'm free. Another year gone. School's really over
after Tonight. Everything else is gravy. Busy, crazy gravy
pouring down in rivers (there is still SO much to do this
year: design and build sets, build crystal radios, and Gold Rush Day
to name just a few.) but it's gravy nonetheless.
Summer, here we come!
That's because tonight is Open House, and I'm
hiding out in my classroom.
All the parents and students are outside
eating the traditional Carl's Jr. meal from
a cool traveling Carl's Kitchen.
I'm no mingler, and I've still got 40 minutes
before my students and parents get official
access into our room to check out all their
stuff. I'm nervous.
It's my fifth Open House, and they've all gone
off smashingly, but there's always a bit
of a nervous buzz in my stomach until everything
gets under way.
Getting under way means turning on the tube!
Classroom movies are the key to Open House success!
Once the tv is on, all eyes are glued, and then
I'm just a bystander. 60 minutes later they all go home,
and I'm free. Another year gone. School's really over
after Tonight. Everything else is gravy. Busy, crazy gravy
pouring down in rivers (there is still SO much to do this
year: design and build sets, build crystal radios, and Gold Rush Day
to name just a few.) but it's gravy nonetheless.
Summer, here we come!
5/07/2005
A Renewed Hunger
During Lent, sometimes I look forward to that first McDonald's Sausage Biscuit on Sunday morning. But, during Bright Week, the food doesn't even come close to giving what I really want now.
After Lent, I want something different. I've been given a new hunger that I didn't feel before. Maybe it was asleep. Maybe I suppressed it. But after Holy Week and Pascha, it wakes and rises up and calls for satisfaction. I want to go to church, because that's where I get what I need. But, I'm forced to go to school, to teach, to shop at Albertson's. My chosen life pulls me away from what I need, and unless I do something, I'm afraid that like every other year, this new hunger will fade away again untill it's gone, and I need to go through lent and all that work, just to wake up again. Sometimes it's not ok to go back to sleep.
After Lent, I want something different. I've been given a new hunger that I didn't feel before. Maybe it was asleep. Maybe I suppressed it. But after Holy Week and Pascha, it wakes and rises up and calls for satisfaction. I want to go to church, because that's where I get what I need. But, I'm forced to go to school, to teach, to shop at Albertson's. My chosen life pulls me away from what I need, and unless I do something, I'm afraid that like every other year, this new hunger will fade away again untill it's gone, and I need to go through lent and all that work, just to wake up again. Sometimes it's not ok to go back to sleep.
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