Won't bore you with the details of the evening except to say I was at a meeting of a committee I've volunteered to co-chair in some other facet of my life. The important thing is - I met my very first paleontologist. He's a geologist, too, this guy, but his business card actually says "certified paleontologist."
"So, like, I could bring you dinosaur bones if I found some," I asked. My geeker core was pulsing with joy. Seriously.
"Well," he said. "I really do most of my work under a microscope. But if it was a very small dinosaur..."
Yes, he was teasing. But yes, that's what he does for a living. And other than Ross on Friends, he's the only one I've met. (Maybe I've led a sheltered life. Maybe my parents purposely kept from these people...)
Anyway, he's talking and all I can think of is that line from one of my favorite 80's films, War Games. When Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy find Professor whatever his name is so he can stop the Wopper computer from launching all our nukes at the Russians. The Professor (Joshua's father!) asks, "Are either of you a paleontologist?" Great line.
Which got me thinking on the way home about favorite 80's movies. Some that come to mind immediately that I'll watch over and over are Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and Pretty in Pink. Pretty much anything with Molly Ringwald or with James Spader as the bad boy. Oh and Lost Boys! Who didn't love Lost Boys? And Goonies! And St. Elmo's Fire with the entire Brat Pack and that great sound track. And of course, the 80's tour de force, Kevin Bacon in Footloose. Ah yes, 80's movies. Nothing like them. The hair. The shoulder pads. The tights and tunics and off one shoulder shirts and lurid colors. And did I say the hair?
Any of you have any 80's favorites? Anyone, anyone? Bueller?? (I know I've ended with that line before on a post, but I just had to throw it in there again)
Til next time...
2 comments:
Dirty Dancing!!!! "Nobody puts Baby in the corner"!!! Aaaaahhh!!
I think my ex and I saw "War Games" on our honeymoon. I remember thinking, does this bode well for our marriage---the fact that we went to a movie on our honeymoon? (And yes, there's a joke there about the title of the film....)
A pool friend in our complex
was just telling me the other day that she had been an extra on a film with James Spader, "Bad Influence" and that he was really nice. He got her a line but I think she added that it was cut in the editing room. I've always found him intriguing.
One of my favorite films of his is "White Palace." He tells Susan Sarandon that, "I'm crazy when I'm not with you." To which she answers, "And what are you when you're with me?"
"I'm crazy when I'm with you, too."
And about dinosaurs. I think it's rather silly to believe that paleontologists can date these animals like they do.
When I went to an exhibit once, one of the dinosaurs
was said to have lived something like 1,000,050 years ago. COME ON! That extra 50 years had GOT to have been a joke some museum signmaker was playing.
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