field day
My fourth graders owned field day, my fifth graders �did their best� and were gracious in the face of loss (after loss, after loss). One of the other teachers from another school asked why one of my boys was so amazing. This boy is from the Caribbean and has dreadlocks and I explained that he had �Biblical, Samson-like powers� to which she said, �You don�t need to impose your religion on me,� I said, �I am not imposing my religion on you, I am imposing knowledge of literature on you. He (indicating the boy) is imposing religion you.�
The two boys who opted not to go to field day tried to convince that they had as much or more fun than we did. I was dehydrated and sun burnt at the end of the day and while I should be miserable, I am not. Seriously, I could enlist in the British Army circa 1775 -nude- with this burn.
Onto Star Wars
Do not let your heart be troubled; there will be no spoilers in here � just some reflections on all six films.
What is it with the cutting off of hands? Is that the �Z� of the Sith? That is a terrible thing to do to a Jedi since they cannot marry or date. �Here is your hand back, that�s my calling card. Show your friends � chump.�
Some people are talking about the �liberal politics� of Revenge of the Sith, but anyone who was paying attention to the films knew that Palpatine became Emperor by engineering a catastrophe and consolidating power around himself. Besides the �with us or against us,� and �part of the problem, part of the solution� rhetoric is vintage liberals. I also love that the blame for the �Patriot� Act and the war in Iraq eludes the Democrats who enthusiastically supported both until the realized it was not cool. At least Republicans stick to their guns: cool, hot or dud.
I thought the movie was an endorsement of George W. Bush. I see more of Yoda in George W. Bush than Palpatine. In Yoda we have a little man, poor grammar, big ears, poor fashion sense, with a nearly crippling religious fundamentalism.
The critics are unhappy with Star Wars but it all reminds me of my Faux Friend in Kentucky. He thought of himself as very worldly and cultured. He wanted to be the finest mind in Kentucky (he has no ambition to leave), which should not have been so difficult for him. In his drive to be the uber intellectual he stopped enjoying books, movies and music and I cannot see my drive to prove myself as a gentleman and a scholar to reach a point wherein I have to be a joyless prick.
At my funeral, I would like one of my eugooglyists to quip,�he has moved on to a better place � which is not hard to do when you are starting in Kentucky.� This is especially appropriate if I achieve my goal of leaving my ecclesiastic cocoon, emerging a Texan. I have a friend in Texas who (is hot) and does not put �Texas� in her address but, �The Republic of Texas.�
