Friday, June 17, 2005

Knowledge is like the ocean...

"Knowledge is like the ocean. The deeper it gets the more silent it becomes." Glen Baker, GAE/GAA School Principal during his Principal challenge speech to the students June 2005 (I think I got that quote right).

I've come across people who act like they are smart, and who continually claim how smart they are. Usually they're just ignorant fools. I've come across several individuals who don't have to act up the 'smartness'. Intelligence just drips from every word, action or even their silence, and I find them captivating.

When Glen Baker made that statement at Jessica's graduation, it made so much sense to me and I wanted to call "an old co-worker" and say... "maybe you should just shut up about how smart you are."

This old co-worker once wrote to me and asked me to give critique on a paper she wrote for a film class she was taking. This was three years ago but it still touches a nerve. I was already dreading the paper and all its errors and misuse of irony, way off symbolism and themes. When I received the paper I was shocked at how well it was written. It was structured and well thought out. And I didn't give this person credit for this paper after reading paragraph one.

I immediately went online with a few key words and FOUND the exact same paper being sold on some term paper website for like sixty bucks (now they will email it to you for twenty five bucks). Here it is if you want to cheat: ""CITIZEN KANE" AND "VERTIGO": SENSE OF SPACE"

Why would this person continually want to prove how smart she was to me? Was she trying to show off about how great she was by sending me her interpretation of "Citizen Kane"?

I couldn't believe it. She wanted me to waste my time reading and then commenting on a six page term paper that she bought online just to impress me? I mean, she didn't even need to show it to me. Just turn the paper in and get a grade for it. But she went out of her way to contact me, after not working with her for several months, in order to flash this magnificent piece of work in my face. It took a couple of days before I laid into her about cheating and what she was going to gain from turning in the paper. She claimed that it was a paper that her teacher handed out to her, etc, etc... I then asked why she had it on MS WORD with her name as the author. She couldn't even lie 'smart'. We've never exchanged emails since. And good riddance.

Wow... This entry wasn't even supposed to go there. I was actually writing about Graduations and how its not the end when I got sidetracked by remembering Glen Baker's speech.

So let me get back on track to the original blog entry which was originally titled:

"GRADUATION IS NOT THE END... IT'S THE BEGINNING"

It's graduation time of the year. And having witnessed several 'graduations' in the past month you would think graduation symbolizes the end of a journey of sorts. But graduation is really not the end, it's really the beginning of something new.

It's true. From graduating 8th grade, nursing school, completing first season in tee-ball, terrible twos and finishing a script. It's not the end... but the beginning...

There's alot to be proud about in the HungryScreenwriter household...
  • Jessica graduated 8th grade and was class president.
  • Jacob was rewarded as MVP of his first Tee-Ball team.
  • Donna graduated Nursing School.
  • And Bella graduated from being cute and cuddly to the 'leave me alone' terrible twos.
  • I guess I should be proud that I sat down and wrote two short Zombie scripts.
Let's start with Jessie-Wessie...

I kinda let her go through 8th grade without too much strict discipline. When she came home with bad grades she knew she had to do something about it. And for the most part, she did. So I backed off more - although she probably thinks I didn't. Algebra was the hardest subject because it was advanced and a prep class for high school. I knew it would be hard for her but she got through it and asked for my help when she needed it. That's a huge accomplishment. Followed by the disappointment of losing out as a class president in 7th grade, she gained redemption by being the 8th grade president and had a presidential address during graduation night. Despite our over expectations, I think she did very well this past year. So 'props' to the Wessica!!! I'm proud of ya.

I already dedicated a whole entry to Jacob and his achievements in Tee-Ball. Now we are on a waiting list to his favorite sport - basketball. His cross-over dribble will help him against the taller players as his size isn't really a plus.

Donna did great. I can't believe she's finished. But it continues as she spends three days and two nights at school studying for her boards. It reminds me to make sure to never go back to school!

Bella. The terrible twos make me laugh. It also makes me mad. On occasion she's the sweet Bella with monkey kisses. Again, it only reminds me my baby is not going to be a baby that much longer and that is really depressing!

Me... Zombie scripts. Everybody writes Zombie scripts. If you're interested in reading the latest, here it is in PDF format: "Circle of the Dying".

I started watching "Dawn of the Dead" last night for research around 10 PM before Bella woke up and tried to watch it with me. I put her back to bed and ended up falling asleep. It is actually entertaining. I can totally get into this Zombie thing. But I'd rather write a Vampire movie.

Last Friday we went out to celebrate Donna's graduation with her class. We were prepared to stay out till 1:30 AM. We hit the sack around 11:00 PM due to fatigue and old age. Here are some pics of Donna and her friends. She looked awesome that evening!

I hate flash photography. I changed these to B&W because they looked better and got rid of red-eye. Yuck.






The next day was Jacob's last tee-ball game. Here's one more picture of him playing second.


The End... er... The Beginning

    1 comment:

    Eric Lindley said...

    Fifteen years working in a corporate environment has taught me:

    "People who have tell you they are smart,... aren't."

    I have dozens of tales, but I must admit, this one is a dozy!

    Once a "smart" person told me (sloppily quoting the Peter Principle), "people rise to their level of incompetence." What he didn't seem to understand is that he was at his level of incomptence. Very fumny coming from him.