tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36773120.post9084240020620313223..comments2023-09-16T19:12:43.147+09:00Comments on The Hired Tongue: You Know Who's Awesome? Harrison Ford. He's So Cool.Joe Streckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13848690885706346774noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36773120.post-68084297693013886872007-03-05T17:04:00.000+09:002007-03-05T17:04:00.000+09:00some students do get royally ripped off. some tea...some students do get royally ripped off. some teachers are crap. but it doesn't have so much to do with the seat of the pants approach or not, I find. I think some of my best lessons were completely off the seat of my pants (there were extenuating circumstances that prevented more than 3 min preparation). That was fine. I know how to make businessmen smile (want to talk about sexist yet?) and by this time the basics of how to really teach language (presentation, practice, production) are so ingrained that I think I sometime structure my conversations like this.<BR/><BR/>what makes a bad teacher is someone who talks too much and doesn't use correct English. The teacher who said to a stundent, "Now make sentance" I nearly flew into a rage and killed him. For the teacher who spent 10 minutes talking about his weekend while his students were bored, I prayed he would kidnapped by the kakuza and sold into white slavery.kbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07668413343349859041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36773120.post-78231784321015596432007-02-28T22:33:00.000+09:002007-02-28T22:33:00.000+09:00Wow, that's a great thought. You're totally right...Wow, that's a great thought. You're totally right in that Ford is to coolness what Superman is to hope. I wasn't even thinking about Qwantz when I wrote that this morning, but you're right- the similarities are there.<BR/>Ferris Bueller, huh? Part of me wants to say that he grows up and becomes Han/Indy. Another part of me wants to say that he's Han/Indy's younger brother- since he's younger he's more of a troublemaker, but he nevertheless is inspired by his big bro. Still another part of me says that he is Han/Indy, but in a puckish mood. He's probably all those things, really.<BR/>Oh my god. It's like we're discussing some modern, mythical, archetype pantheon. I really have stepped into Robert Bly territory. Yeesh. Oh well...<BR/>Harrison Ford may be cool and awesome in the face of danger, but Ferris Bueller is cool and awesome in the face of authority. When he pulls off some stunt like getting his girlfriend out of class, that's the Ferris Bueller version of Indy just shooting the guy with the sword.<BR/>Now, if we wanted to get really pretentious we could just say that they are two facets of the grand trickster archetype- heroes who think on their feet and use their wit and charm to win the day. But that line of thinking leads to pretentious wankery, right?Joe Streckerthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13848690885706346774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36773120.post-89803586928834752402007-02-28T10:01:00.000+09:002007-02-28T10:01:00.000+09:00Wow, today's Qwantz is totally in sync with your v...Wow, today's Qwantz is totally in sync with your vibe! I think you're totally right, that Harrison Ford does play a metacharacter (either by choice or by <I>talent</I> ::said like Calculon from Futurama::) and that it is the essence of <I>savoir faire</I>. In the same way that Superman represents hope that we can overcome any evil, any obstacle if we're just willing to look inside ourselves and find the strength to be really, truly good, I think Han/Indy represents the hope that we can overcome those same challenges (and some that are more ambiguous on the good/bad scale) by looking inside ourselves and finding the strength to be really, truly <I>cool</I>. That coolness under fire, with love-interests, in the face of overwhelming odds, says something about your character. Superman didn't have to be cool; he had laser eyes and super alien strength and could fly. But for us mere mortals, Han/Indy/Meta-Harrison represents an avenue into the kind of inner calm it takes to be a hero. As a girl, even I wanted to be Han Solo because his cool transcended gender distinctions. <BR/><BR/>So good for you, harnessing your inner Meta-Harrison! You'll need it, because it is my experience that in every field, in every possible work environment, the boxes of hair out number those of us making a real effort by about two to one, if not more. <BR/><BR/>Also, here is a question: If Meta-Harrison Ford represents the inner cool for which we all strive, what does Ferris Bueller represent? He has a similar <I>savoir faire</I> thing going on, being audacious and getting away with it, bringing his less confident friends along for the ride, being totally existential at all times and yet somehow connected to the probably future ("you're only young once!") and the definite past ("Cameron has always worried too much!").Sydneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17360198761136198922noreply@blogger.com