The other day the kids at my school were let loose at the local movie theatre to watch "Alvin and The Chipmunks." While I was sitting there watching the film with about 4 classes of kids, I had a surpristing epiphany: I was, in fact, watching the story of my recent life (albeit with more special effects).
In the film, an unsuspecting, childless, creative-minded man finds his life invaded by small, unusual creatures who sometimes sing, but mostly spend their time terrorizing the man and making his life difficult. Some of the creatures are really intelligent, but mostly they're full of attitude and like eating alot. Over the course of the film, the man comes to warm to these small creatures, and accepts them as a dysfunctional but loving adoptive family.
Six months ago, I was looking for a job in teaching after getting my Bachelor of Education with a specialty in Intermediate/Senior levels - in other words, the complete opposite of the little chipmunks I've spent the past months hanging out with, first at a daycare, then an elementary school. I had no real experience with children before that, and they frequently seem as unusual to me as talking, singing, dancing chipmunks. But, without sounding like too much of a pushover, I have gotten more hugs, hellos, and high-fives in the past 6 months than in about the past 6 years of my life.
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4 comments:
Our oldest went to see that movie, and when I filled in a few blanks, his mind was blown.
ME: The guy who is acting as Dave, do you remember his voice?
Him: No. He's an actor, he just pretends.
ME: Yep, and he pretended to be the voice for Underdog.
Him: Hip hip hip and away I go.
ME: That's it... and he was also Syndrome in The Incredibles.
HIm: Cool....
ME: And you know those movies I have with the guy who made up the new bad words (our description of Kevin Smith flicks), he is in a bunch of them too.
Him: wow... he is in everything.
ME: and he is a professional skateboarder.
Once the boy figured out that there is a career path that can result in you being both a pro skateboarder and Underdog, he was sold.
Be Dave Seville, Jason Lee gets major props from the Junior crowd.
Good post. My mind was wandering towards an analogy between the chipmunks and teaching young kids too.
Plus, I'm glad to hear they made a movie about this. It will probably be awhile before I see it but Simon and the Chipmunks was one of my favorite Saturday morning cartoons.
Oddly enough, we just watched Underdog in class a few days after seeing Alvin and the Chipmunks... yeah, Jason Lee has had a pretty interesting career.
"Hell hath no fury like a woman spurned for Sega."
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