Sunday Afternoon Potpourri: A New Year Approaches

I’m a little later than usual to my office this afternoon, because I spent a little time helping Mrs. M get her room ready for her new school year. She starts her year on 1 Aug, with the kids showing up a few days later. I have in-service in about three weeks, with my kids showing up about a week after that. I have fewer classes than I’m used to — it’s reassigned time for my role as department chair. Still, I should put my syllabi together pretty soon. Speaking of which…

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I’m teaching two sections of FroshComp this fall, along with the Introduction to Film course. I’m a little concerned about the last of these. I tend to do the course as a cross between historical survey and genre study — past semesters have focused on film noir, horror, and Westerns, for example. I was thinking about doing Westerns this time, as it’s been a few years since I taught them. But…

One of the movies I’ve typically taught at the end of the term is Blazing Saddles, not only for the way it plays with genre conventions, but for the metafilmic elements of the last 20 minutes or so. The movie is, of course, an excoriation of racism and racists, and Richard Pryor was one of the screenwriters, for Pete’s sake. When I’ve taught it in the past, I’ve emphasized the satirical elements, and the idea of satire as moral corrective. I’ve never had a complaint about it before. But the atmosphere is different now, and I find myself wondering if it’s worth the risk of a freakout from a student who doesn’t get the point or who shuts down before the point even shows up. (And of course, there’s the business during “The French Mistake” scene.)

Again, I think it’s a terrific movie, and a worthwhile part of the syllabus if I teach Westerns. And of course, my syllabus includes my statement that students aren’t entitled to feel comfortable (as the Spawn says, that’s my “May Contain Allergens” section.) But I still find myself wondering if it’s worth the potential for trouble.

“So pick a different movie, Mondo!” I know, I know, and I likely will. But still, I find myself wondering if I’m cheating the class out of a worthwhile cinematic text — and a lot of laughs. Welcome to 2023, I guess. Mondo just pawn in game of life.

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I don’t really feel like I’ve had that much of a summer — I taught a couple of courses in June, and I’ve been at least tangentially involved in searches for two Deans, a softball coach, and a new colleague here in English, and even when I have had downtime, I haven’t really been able to focus enough to get any writing done, which is on me. Still, I have an idea or two, and I’m hoping that they’ll have percolated a bit by the time things settle down.

Likewise, I hope that Bouchercon helps get me inspired and back on track. Once again, I’m scheduled to appear on a panel on Wednesday, 30 Aug, at 4:30, with a signing session shortly after it lets out at 5:20. I’d love to see you there!

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Yesterday I saw a cartoon on the Book of Faces that made me think of my brother.

I haven’t seen Mike since his sentencing in November of 2013, and haven’t spoken to him since before the trial. I think that’s for the best — while there are circumstances under which I can conceive of re-establishing contact with him, I honestly can’t envision them occurring, and so it’s a moot point.

I’m always aware that my family of origin was wiped out that night 14 years ago, but sometimes it crosses the line from intellectual knowledge to emotional knowledge, and I recall that not only are my parents gone, but in some very real ways, my brother is gone as well, or at least our relationship is. Still, I think of him just as I think of my parents, and things remind of him from time to time, just as things remind me of them.

When I talk to people about him, I mention that he has been the person who made me laugh harder than anyone I’ve ever known. And knowing our senses of humor, I think he’d flip me the bird, but he’d also appreciate the joke. Maybe someone else will show it to him.

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I’ll go ahead and wrap this one up with some music, this time from the home of this year’s Bouchercon. The Beat Farmers were formed in San Diego in 1983, and their music was variously classified as cowpunk, rockabilly, and even (God help us) “Moo Wave.” These days, I think they’d fall into the category of Americana or roots music. They developed a cult following through the 80s, before being derailed by the onstage death of drummer/basso profundo singer/front man Country Dick Montana (ne Daniel McClain) in 1995. These days, they’re best remembered as a novelty act, with their song “Happy Boy” becoming a staple on various “Morning Zoo” radio programs. But they were also a heck of a fine rock and roll band. Today’s song is from their first LP, Tales of the New West, and I basically lifted the arrangement when the Berries covered Hoyt Axton/The Kingston Trio’s “Greenback Dollar.” This is “Lonesome Hound.”

See you soon!