So let’s see: Went into the City, met Bill Clinton, saw an advance screening of the Spider-Man movie. Since this is kind of long, I’m continuing it below.
I’d been planning to go into Manhattan on Wednesday anyway because I’d been invited to a preview screening of “Spider-Man 2” (love the title.) Then I found out that Bill Clinton would be signing his book on the same day at 12:30 down at the Borders on Wall Street. Beginning at 7:30 AM, upon presentation of a copy of the book and a Borders receipt, you’d be issued an orange wristband indicating you were good to stand on line. I already had a copy because Kath had purchased it at the local Borders, so I was good to go in that respect. However, since I live an hour and a half out of New York, I was going to have to get up at 4:45 AM to get there by 7:30.
I set the clock and it went off at 4:45 the next morning. Thing was, I was just getting over an ear infection so I wasn’t at my best anyway. I woke up bleary eyed, looked at the time, had a brief chat with Kath about the insanity of hauling myself into the city at that time of morning, said “Screw it,” shut off the clock and went back to sleep.
Later, having risen at a more human time, I decided to give it a shot even though I wouldn’t be able to get down to Wall Street until 11:30, which would likely be well after they were out of wristbands. But no harm, no foul, I’d then get together with friends for lunch or something and hang out until the Marvel screening.
I got there at 11:30 and, to my shock, they were still giving out the wristbands. I got one, got on the massive line, and ten minutes later they ran out of the bands and cut off the line.
All things considered, it wasn’t a bad wait. Lengthy, yes. Over four hours. But it beat the hëll out of the people who waited 24 hours in the rain the previous day for his appearance at Barnes & Noble. And I have to give props to the Borders people for keeping things organized and moving swiftly, or as swiftly as was possible under the circumstances. It was Get Your Book Signed, Shake His Hand, Say Hi, Keep Moving.
Nevertheless, I took a moment to give him copies of my two King Arthur books, since he’s an avowed fan of fiction and the books have a political thrust to them. He smiled warmly and said he would treasure them, which I frankly take with a grain of salt because how much can you treasure something from someone you’ve met for five seconds? But the sentiment was appreciated.
Actually, just as cool as meeting a president was meeting genuine Secret Service guys. I’ve just got tons of respect for those people. At one point we were standing on line, and there was a guy standing in front of an elevator. And I said to him eagerly, “Are you a Secret Service guy?” Trying to maintain his stern demeanor, he thought a moment before answering, “Yes.”
“Kewwwwwwl!” I said, at which point he shook his head and grinned in a “New Yorkers, what can you do?” manner. I thought of telling him I felt bad about Mark Harmon and Zoe’s body guard getting killed during “West Wing” but he probably doesn’t watch it.
Editor Andy Schmidt was kind enough to pick up my ticket for me for the Spidey preview since I was hung up on the line. The screening was at the Lowes Astor Plaza, one of the few single-screen movie theaters in Manhattan. Tickets were preassigned, and my seat was way back up in the nosebleed section. I was a little annoyed about that, but then discovered that they’d put John Romita Senior exactly one row ahead of me, so, y’know, if they’re sticking *him* up there, who am I to complain?
Overall I thought the film played better on the screen than it did for me on the script…especially since they cut scenes and dialogue from the final film that I was pleased to see go. The acting is even better this time around, the CGI has improved, and the sequences with Doc Ock are so seamless that you literally don’t think about the fact that it’s all trickery. Molina is just spectacular as Octavius, and the aerial battles between him and Spidey–especially when they’re plummeting and still whomping on each other–are great. And it’s true: Aunt May delivers a spectacular speech on the nature of heroism which alone is worth the price of admission. My only complaint is that Spidey loses his mask a lot, which is undoubtedly so we can see Tobey emote better, but still, it bothered me a bit. But it probably won’t bother anybody else. And there’s even little things for the fans, including a perfect visual recreation of the “Spider-Man No More” sequence from “Spider-Man #50.”
Go see it. Then buy the book.
PAD
• 
Sounds like you had a great day!!
I have been psyched to see Molina as Doc Ock since they announced it. Although I’m not surprised, hearing that he was wonderful in the role only serves to raise my anticipation of seeing this film. Just out of curiousity, how would you compare it to the first?
Fred
I guess I did it backwards, I read the book weeks ago. I’ll go see the film anyway, but reading your versions just seem better than the film in my mind. I loved the Dudley DoRight reference, but you faked me out …I was expecting some kind of “You throw me the Idol…I throw you the whip” reference. It amazes me how few recognize Alfred as Sapito from the opening scene of Raiders.
Great novelization, even better than the first, and better than the HULK. Then again If it wasn’t for your HULK novel, I’d say the whole Hollywood attampt on the character was a failure.
Keep em comin, I’ll keep readin.
Thanks,
Pete
I am STILL bitter they killed Mark Harmon’s character.
How cool that you gave him your books! I hope he enjoys them as much as I did. I’ve enjoyed his interviews and will probably pick up the book. I like the message that he’s sending that the debate should be between right and wrong not good or bad. Too many people on both sides of the fence think because you disagree you are a bad person.
How cool is that? I mean… you got to meet Bill! And ya never know, he might read the books… I hope he does…
Oh yeah… you also got to sit by John Romita Sr.! Too cool.
Travis
By the way, my company is having a private screening on the movie Opening night here in Dallas. We are doing it in junction with Keith’s Comics. I’m going to be picking up 5 or 6 copies of your book and giving them away as door prizes.
I’ve read the Newsweek review of the movie and they say that 2 is superior to 1 in virtually every way. I’m also encouraged by comments by the director & a producer about the core nature of Spider-Man and what makes him such an appealing character. These guys really understand what makes him work.
Hopefully he’ll mention your books in an interview the wat Kennedy mentioned James Bond, and have the same result.
Any other notables attend the screening, PAD?
Aren’t ‘right and wrong’ and ‘good and bad’ synonymous?
Ham,
No. I think PAD is wrong about his politics, but I know he’s not a bad person.
So Peter, which one of your books would you give to Shrub? WOAD TO WUIN?
I think the books for shrub would be the Photon series.
Although most any of the comics would do since they have pictures.
Not really that far off topic — first documented – superhero/mutant?
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=index&cid=1756
Re: Kewlness and Secret Service agents.
This anecdote brought a smile to my face, PAD, and reminded my of my own brush with the honorable men and women of the Service a few years ago.
I was coordinating an academic/environmental policy conference, and we were lucky enough to get then-Sec. of Agriculture Glickman to be one of the keynote speakers. I was assigned to coordinate on site, both before and during his visit, with the Secret Service security detail. Basically, this meant a lot of answering very direct questions very directly, apologizing when we got off schedule, conveying their needs to the rest of my organization and, mostly, following them up and down hallways at a brisk pace as they spoke into their wrist/ear mics and let their stylishly traditional trench coast swoop behind them.
You’d have thought I was their puppy. And I loved every minute of it. (It didn’t hurt that the lead agent on the detail was a stunningly beautiful woman. With, you know, handcuffs. And a gun. And, it seemed, the power to shoot me with impunity should she so have chosen.)
At one point, she and I were surveying a room where the Sec. was due to meet the press for an after-speech Q&A, and she looked at a particular bank of windows and said, as much to the open air as to me: “Those won’t do. Cover them, block them out, or move the room. But those won’t do.” “Yes, yes ma’am. Yes. Yes. Right away.” Realizing how pathetically fawnish I was being, I then added, jokingly, “Wouldn’t want any “Line of Fire” moments, would we?”
She turned, smiling, deappan: “No. And we wouldn’t want to make any more jokes like that, either, would we?”
“Uh, no. Of course. Sorry.”
“No problem. I just meant that I’m a much better shot than Renee Russo was.”
Peter,
Methinks you must have had your books out in plain sight prior to their Presidential presentation.
They don’t let you carry backpacks, handbags, etc. into the store– right?
Could you only *imagine* what would have happened if you went reaching into a pack to pull out your books?!?
If you had, methinks you wouldn’t have been able to fill us in on the warm, funny, exciting, day you had… Which would have been a shame.
Good for the “No Backpack Rule” then! 🙂
Did you have to buy your books from Borders, or did you byo? Also, did the Borders people know who you were?
PAD
congrats on meeting clinton
and the secret service guys
but about the film can you tell us what was taken out and if those scenes are in the book?
Wouldn’t it be cool if, on a dustcover of a future book, Mr. David could add a complimentary quote from Clinton?
(For you wingnuts out there, Bush can’t provide such quotes; the books he reads don’t have a lot of words.)
I hope you will excuse me if I see “Fahrenheit 9/11” before “Spider-Man 2.” Gotta see the real-world villains before I see Molina portray a fictional one.
I just want to say something about the Fallen Angel TPB that was released last week. I excitedly picked it up since I’m one of the dreaded “wait for the trades” people.
However, before you deem me worthy of a good flogging, I want to say that I enjoyed it so much that I’m going to pick up the remainder of the back issues and add it to my monthly pull list.
Also, being a reviewer on 411mania.com, I immediately had to chime in my thoughts on it, as well. That can be found here:
http://www.411mania.com/comics/reviews/article.php?reviews_id=3578
The review also contains a heartfelt apology to Peter David, which I won’t go into too much detail here.
Thanks,
Nick Piers
Who’s ALVIN SARGENT?
Back in 1978, I was in a Summer children’s producton with Amy Carter. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that this was during Carter’s presidency. Anyway, needless-to-say she was surrounded by Secret Service persons. If memory serves, three circled the building while two flanked her on opposite sides of the room. They were really nice to us kids (I was the oldest of the group at 12-years-old), even though we teased them mercelessly. You see, the two “flankers” had to keep aligned with Amy. We would run back-and-forth and do fake outs on a reglar basis. It was so much fun making them keep up wih us! By the way, contrary to popular belief, Amy was a REALLY nice person.
Although, one day towards the end of rehearsal, my mother was waiting for me in the parking lot when a Secret Service man came out to their limo and told the driver, “Shìŧ! The little bìŧçh has to be here for 6 hours next week!”
Ouch. I hope modern day SS people are more professional and respectful than that.
Tee hee,
Daniel
Finally sat down and read the book today (I’ve been pretty bad about reading anything more than 128 pages lately). Excellent work. Loved the “children,” (he said, coyly dancing around spoiler issues).
I would’ve loved it if Chelsea Clinton had gone to Harvard. Y’see, word was out in her teen years that she read SF. And Harvard has this SF club (which had PAD as a guest at their convention this past January). So Chelsea might have joined it.
And the club does this thing each fall called the Wyld Hunt, where some frosh has a set of antlers attached to their head and then leads the rest off on a chase through campus and Harvard Square. Said rest having stripped down to the equivalent of Speedos and sports bras and painted themselves with blue paint to simulate woad.
I would’ve paid money to see Secret Service agents running through Harvard Square in speedos and blue paint, along with earpieces and holsters.
Saw Spidey 2 today myself. Totally agree about the mask coming off thing. Kept thinking about Batman 3 where everyone and their mother knew that Bruce Wayne was Batman.
Also had a problem with one other part, but I can’t spill it without the spoiler, so I just won’t spill it. Overall though, good movie. MUCH better than the first one.
Bought the Clinton book yesterday. Haven’t started it yet. The sad thing is the Clinton bashers have crawled out of the woodwork again. People, he’s not in office anymore. Give it a rest!
And we all sleep better at night!
What happened to Amazing Spider-man?
GWB is invading Ireland today.
It’s the biggest security operation in Ireland’s history. It’s crazy, you need a pass to get into your own house if you live in Shannon.
Karen,
Freakin-A, Karen! Do liberals really feel a need to be perceived as persecuted or what?! YOU are the one that first brought up Kenneth Starr on the “Fahrenheit 9/11” thread. No one else did. But you had to lump Ken Starr in with Karl Rove.
YOU brought him up. No one else.
Democrats constantly bring up the “stolen” 2000 election and that’s okay.
USA TODAY columnist Julianne Malveaux – a woman so charming she once famously stated/wished Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’s wife would feed him “lots of eggs and butter and he dies early…of heart disease” – wasted no time after Reagan’s death for his equating black people with “waste”. Kerry waited a week before blasting Reagan’s policies.
Heck, Reagan is not only not in office anymore, he’s not on this mortal plane anymore. So, by your logic/reasoning, ANY criticism of him/his actions/his presidency should be off limits as well:)
Clinton loves the spotlight. He is selling millions of copies, meeting thousands of admirers, and making millions of dollars. He balsts Ken Starr and the Republicans in the book, and claims the trials and tribulations he put the nation through were a “badge of honor”.
But nobody is to say ONE negative word about him? Maybe YOU (with all due respect) should give it a rest.
Most Republicans I know don’t hate Clinton. They’re bored with him. They’re much more interested in winning the War on Terror, reforming education,reforming Social Security, reforming Medicare, cutting taxes, and a lot of other things.
Besides, who except the real zealous “cultural conservatives” can hate a guy who
A.) Oversaw (and was largely responsible for) the first Republican takeover of the House in 40 years (1994)
B.) Signed welfare reform
C.) Pushed and passed NAFTA and GATT
D.) Signed the Defense of Marriage Act
E.) Watered down the Kyoto agreement more than the drinks at Quark’s bar
Just from the above, you have to conclude that Bill Clinton was the best Republican President we ever had:)
Just from
PAD – “Beginning at 7:30 AM, upon presentation of a copy of the book and a Borders receipt, you’d be issued an orange wristband indicating you were good to stand on line.”
Assuming there was anyone whose autograph I felt willing to get up at that hour for, I’d have gotten the wristband, then went home for a few hours more sleep and then back early afternoon. By which time the lineup should have been more tolerable.
Jerome – “who except the real zealous “cultural conservatives” can hate a guy who …
C.) Pushed and passed NAFTA
The people who lost their jobs because of it?
As for Clinton’s book, I’d be interested in comments on it. A chap on the radio up here in Canada said he’d tried to read that monumental doorstop of a book (900+ pages) and found it self-serving (as all too many autobiograpies tend to be), without really giving much useful insight, and that most people (including many Clinton fans) would probably give up long before finishing it.
On a side note, it was interesting to read about all that secret service stuff for a PAST president. We don’t have anything like that in Canada. Once a prime minister is out of office, he’s on his own. In fact, I once shared an elevator with the formidable Pierre Elliot Trudeau approximately five years after he’d left office. He had no guards, no security detail. How refreshing. Not to mention a savings for taxpayers.
Just from the above, you have to conclude that Bill Clinton was the best Republican President we ever had:)
________________
I’ve actually heard this before and found it rather amusing (I’ve always registered non-partisan, Democrats and Republicans irritate me equally!). I seem to recall a small group of republicans who supported Clinton saying that idealogically he was more “Republican” than many of those actually in the party. Just reinforces for me how meaningless party afilliation can be sometimes.
They’re much more interested in winning the War on Terror,
*snicker*
reforming education,reforming Social Security, reforming Medicare, cutting taxes, and a lot of other things.
Could’ve fooled me on these other points, since the only important thing right now is to screw up Iraq even further while still claiming it’s part of the War on Terror.
PAD wrote:
“Spider-Man 2” (love the title.)
Not sure if you’e being sarcastic here, but wasn’t an early rumor that they were going to name the films as:
1st film: Spider-Man
2nd film: Amazing Spider-Man
3rd film: Spectacular Spider-Man
If that rumor was true, I wish they’d gone that route.
The numbering of films are both lazy and boring (don’t want to confuse the public) also, this naming would be a bit of a nod to the original comics.
“1st film: Spider-Man
2nd film: Amazing Spider-Man
3rd film: Spectacular Spider-Man”
Tongue in cheek answer: But if that happened, they wouldn’t be shelved in the same place at Blockbuster
Three mentions in Peter’s post about standing/waiting “on” line. I’ve been noticing this the past few years now, not just here. When did people start standing “on” line? I always stand, or wait, IN line.
Jerome,
Did you enjoy your diatribe? You get so angry. I asked that people let up on Clinton. I never said I agreed with everything he did. Politically, what he and Reagan did in office is up for grabs. Those who are putting down Reagan’s policies have every right to do so. The entire week of mourning did everything short of nominating him for sainthood. Many of his policies were not good for the country and they should be discussed. Discussing Clinton’s policies is also fair game, as is Bush’s. But I am sick of hearing about his lack of moral character. The money spent to find something to pin on Clinton was obscene. It was a witch hunt. If most Republicans you know are bored with him, then why are they bringing all this up again? I brought up Ken Starr as an example of a cnservative attack dog. There was nothing in that previous post you mentioned about Clinton and my defense of him. You used the opportunity of my asking people to lay off of him to expound on your own agenda and attack liberals.
And in regards to the 2000 election: If there had been a serious recount of all the votes, no one would still be arguing about it. I blame both Bush and Gore for wanting recounts of counties favorable only to themselves. Now, if you truly believe that Clinton should have been impeached over a stupid affair, that’s your right. I personally think he was hounded then, and is still being hounded now.
Raymond,
Here in New York, we get on line. My Dad, a New Yorker, and my Mom, who hails from the left coast, argue this point routinely. That, and whether orange begins with a long o or a short o.
I went to Barnes & Noble & saw Clintons book. I looked @ it & saw how big it was. It’s as big as LORD OF THE RINGS. Yowza!!! Then I saw the price. $35 big ones. If the book was simply about his presidency I might consider it, but about his entire life!!!!No thanks. I mean it like 600 plus pages. I’ll wait for the movie.
and just my two cents on the impeachment deal. The man did lie under oath. That is why they brought him up for impeachment. If I lied under oath they’d send me to jail.
Joe V.
Posted by Joe V: “I went to Barnes & Noble & saw Clintons book. I looked @ it & saw how big it was. It’s as big as LORD OF THE RINGS. Yowza!!! Then I saw the price. $35 big ones. If the book was simply about his presidency I might consider it, but about his entire life!!!!No thanks. I mean it like 600 plus pages. I’ll wait for the movie.”
You could always wait until used copies on Amazon.com get down to a penny—and they will; they always do eventually on overpurchased, read-once-if-at-all megablockbusters. Here’s an example, the second-hand market for this eventually destroyed (and the first-hand market bitten into) by Oprah’s Book Club.
Joe,
Yes, he lied. The original investigation was on Whitewater. What did this have to do with his personal vices? Why were these questions asked? What did an intern at the White House have to do with an investment in Arkansas? I question why the investigation was expanded to include every facet of the man’s life. What skeletons would be revealed in any President’s life, from Washington on, if he were scrutinized as Clinton was?
It’s my understanding that in Arkansas, the jurisdiction in question for Whitewater, perjury consists of lying under oath regarding a matter concerning the subject of the trial. The subject was the Whitewater development. Lying about getting a bløwjøb years after the events in question did not meet the definition of “perjury” in the investigation under way at the time.
Similarly, while certain statements made by President Bush are ethically and morally questionable, they are not a basis for impeachment, as they were not made under oath, nor while the matter was being investigated by anyone aside from his own office.
Karen,
I wasn’t angry. I was simply responding to what you said. And diatribe? I simply responded to , in mainly factual fashion, what you said.
You made a remark that “Clinton was out of office” and people should “give it a rest”.
I simply responded that, you know, it wasn’t any of the conservatives on this blog who brought up Ken Starr or anything to do with Clinton- who has nothing to do with Bush – in a thread about “Fahrenheit 911”. YOU did.
And with the book out, who exactly has put Clinton back in the spotlight anyway? CLINTON! I’m sure Kerry is THRILLED about this….NOT!
And what you and everyone else who continue the “it was just about sex” mantra, he was asked these “personal” questions because he had a sexual harassment lawsuit against him from Paula Jones. In sexual harassment cases, coworkers and others are brought in to see if the claim has any validity, can be corroborated, is part of a pattern of such activity, etc. So the questions were asked of him and his associates the same way they would be if I (or Clarence Thomas) told a coworker to “kiss it”. Either you think that is appropriate behavior for the workplace or you don’t. If the excuse fore his behavior is “It had nothing to do with his job” then why was the nation subjected to the Clarence Thomas hearings. Even if Thomas talked about Long Dong Silver, what did it have to do with him being a Supreme Court Justice? What did it have to do with the “qualifications” for his job?
But Thomas and a boatload of men every day get asked “personal questions” simply because of an accusation of sexual harassment. The difference is neither I, nor they, can veto federal restrictions on abortion. As long as Clinton did that, NOW and all these other “feminist” organizations let him off the hook.
I could go on, but I really don’t want to. As another poster said, Clinton is soooo 9/10.
But, Karen, please don’t cite Rush Limbaugh as “never checking his facts” and Ann Coulter as “having a problem with the truth” and then, when you make statements that are incorrect (big differnce between millions and billions, unless you want me to give you a dollar and you give me a thousand and we’ll call it even) feel I’m being “angry” by pointing them out.
Don’t make statements like “When you are acting in your own self-interest it ceases to become an opinion” and “Just look at what happens to ANYONE who criticizes this administration” and not expect me to respond.
And a statement like “give it a rest” could certainly be interpreted as “being angry”. But I have a good enough feel for your personality at this point to feel that you were playfully yet forcefully making a point. Please extend the same courtesy to me.
Thank you.
Craig,
Could have fooled you on those other points?
Really? Were you pulling a Rip van Winkle while “
1.) Bush enacted two of the three largest tax cuts in the nation’s history? Because if he didn’t, could you please inform Kerry and the rest of the Democratic party? Because they still seem to be upset about them!:)
2.) Are you saying Bush did NOT pass a Medicare reform bill that had the AARP’s blessing?
3.) Are you saying he did NOT pass No Child left behind with the help of that staunch conservative Ted Kennedy?
4.) Are you saying he has NOT pushed for Social Security (partial) privatization? Because a lot of Democrats seem to be angry over that as well!
1.) Bush enacted two of the three largest tax cuts in the nation’s history?
Hmm, yes, I’m sure the rich in this country are pleased.
2.) Are you saying Bush did NOT pass a Medicare reform bill that had the AARP’s blessing?
Oh, obviously that was enough. I mean, it only means that people are only bleeding out the ears and mouth, instead of the ears, mouth, and nose, in getting things paid for.
Either way, we’re bleeding in places the Bush Administration hasn’t dreamed of yet.
3.) Are you saying he did NOT pass No Child left behind with the help of that staunch conservative Ted Kennedy?
And what has that done? It’s just screwing places over even more.
So now if you’re not doing so well, for whatever reason, parents can just pull their kids and ship them off elsewhere.
Schools that can’t compete won’t get more funding. It’s BS.
I tend to think it should be based on funding per student, not funding per student who does well.
4.) Are you saying he has NOT pushed for Social Security (partial) privatization?
And the effects of that have been what exactly?
Keep trying to defend one of the worst administrations in American history; it won’t work.
Craig,
Listen to yourself. I mean, really.
“Schools that can’t compete won’t get more funding.”
Well, yeah. Why should they? If a school, for whatever reason, is unable to do its job, then why on earth do they deserve MORE funding.
And why in heaven’s name wouldn’t you want a parent to have the right to take their child to a better school? How is that somehow noble? Why, if we do increase funding to close the gap, shouldn’t schools have to show that they are using it well and getting results?
I would fully support my tax dollars going to a real War On Ignorance through better education. I would double the number of schools and double teachers’ pay. But there would have to be accountability. If you’re a bad teacher, you’re gone. If you’re a bad administrator or principal, same thing. And if you’re a disruptive, troubled student, well we will build schools for you and give you chances to straighten yourself out, but you will no longer be allowed to disrupt classrooms or disrespect and even threaten teachers. Because it’s not fair to the students who want to learn and it’s not fair to the teachers.
All No Child left behind is is a small step. If communities don’t want to have the “burden”/ accept the challenge it offers, then they can turn down the money.
At least they have a choice, which a lot of poor parents don’t have.
Jerome, my friend, do NOT get me started on what to do with “bad teachers.” We’ve got them, and short of finding them standing over a student’s dead body with a bloody knife screaming “I did it I’m glad I did it, and I’ll do it again,” there is almost no way to get rid of a bad teacher. And even if the above happens, about the only thing they can do is start the paperwork and give the teacher a year to shape up.
OK, I lie. A little. But seriously, AS a teacher, I imagine I’m one of the few that agrees with you on your points. I’m rather disgusted with the union that I’m a part of for various reasons, but none more so than its hatred of school choice. I can’t wrap my head around that one at all. The NEA actually wants to force children to go to underperforming schools.
Oh, and to add to my hatred of the “ANYONE who disagrees with the administration” line, I want to add the whole “only the rich benefit from the tax cut” bull-hooey I ain’t rich. I got myself a tax cut. Discussion over.
>Tickets were preassigned, and my seat was way back up in the nosebleed section. I was a little annoyed about that, but then discovered that they’d put John Romita Senior exactly one row ahead of me, so, y’know, if they’re sticking *him* up there, who am I to complain?>
Sitting behind John Romita Sr–Peter, that’s the best seat in the house. I’d have happily traded places with you.
I sat behind John at the Marvel screening of the first Spider-Man movie…and all through the picture, you could hear him comment quietly to himself, “I drew that, I drew that too, I drew that…”
Tom B
Posted by: Tom Brevoort at June 27, 2004 04:07 AM
>>Tickets were preassigned, and my seat was way back up in the nosebleed section. I was a little annoyed about that, but then discovered that they’d put John Romita Senior exactly one row ahead of me, so, y’know, if they’re sticking *him* up there, who am I to complain?>
>Sitting behind John Romita Sr–Peter, that’s the best seat in the house. I’d have happily traded places with you.
>I sat behind John at the Marvel screening of the first Spider-Man movie…and all through the picture, you could hear him comment quietly to himself, “I drew that, I drew that too, I drew that…”
>Tom B
This has to be the coolest story that I’ve ever seen on this website.
Thanks Tom.
Fred
If a school, for whatever reason, is unable to do its job, then why on earth do they deserve MORE funding.
If a school is unable to do it’s job, have you considered looking beyond the school and the teachers, and perhaps consider the students?
You have a school full of bad students, so you allow parents to send them off to good schools, and now you’ve ruined those schools as well.
What a wonderful approach.
There are bad schools, there are bad students, but it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if the biggest problem is the students themselves.
A couple of years after I graduated high school, I went back to have a chat with a couple of my old teachers.
One of them told me that, had he had the chance to go back and do it all over again, he wouldn’t have become a teacher, because the atmosphere today gives the teacher no control, the students don’t care, and there’s too much pressure from students and parents alike on schools and teachers to get what they want, not what the students need.