Forget your "I HEART KEN CHU" badges. The cult of Ken Chu is over. Thats like, so five minutes ago, dahling. Ken might have been a cult, but our very own johnjohn has had a moviemade about him, and has been immortalised on the silver screen. I went last night with pigtails, and another friend, to see the film "about a boy". Almost instantly, it was recognisable, as a slightly younger version of john john, from the clothes he wears, to the fact that in the film, the wee boy (Marcus) even nicks johnjohns little catchphrase and says "baaa!". So I watched the film, noting only a few differences between them, which, without wanting to rock the boat, I am now going to list. (But I'm not putting numbers against them, so I'm reckoning, I might just escape the evil glares and dirty looks as I tread carefully on eggshells through the den of sleeping sinister lions, and perhaps also, a bollocking.) Johnjohn has a slightly deeper voice; johnjohn is taller; johnjohn isn't from Islington, London, England, The World, The Universe; hes from Dingwall near Inverness; I think Johnjohn's hair is a bit lighter, and a little bit shorter, but still kinda cool and floppy; As far as I know, johnjohn isn't related to Toni Collete in any way, shape or form. I could have numbered it. I could have put it in roman numerals. Or perhaps a) b) c)... call it a top A to J list? Dos that count? or a top I to X list? or add N to X? No, I don't think so. (*DEFINATELY AWAITING A BOLLOCKING NOW.*) Anyway, back to the film. So, its a film about john john. It was a great film, alothugh I think my comments can be fair, if I say that its one of those where its what you wished your childhood was actually like- to be rescued by some cool, older person who isn't related to you, who sticks up for you, and lets you hang about with them, to make a friend outside school, someone who is willing to teach you the ways of the world becuase other adults won't tell you, someone who rescues you when you need it most. Well, I do. I mean, bullying is rubbish, isn't it? But if you're going to be different, and stand out from the crowd and be interesting, and you went to school, you're going to get bullied. Its the rule. If you're going to grow up and become fascinating, and transform from the catipillar in its chrysalis to the social butterfly, or from the ugly duckling into the swan, you're bound to get bullied along the way, aren't you? You're lucky if you don't. ******Bullying******* I got bullied at school. I remember sitting in the back of Chemistry class, when I was 14, and this girlwith theis awful perm tried to poke my eyes out with a biro, and the teacher happily ignored it.I remember the head of the school, during assembly, saying there was no bullying at our school. Which you know is rubbish. Its like politicians saying the crime rate has dropped since they came into power, or that unemployment has dropped.. but you know its only the statistics that have dropped, and there is a lot left thats been unaccounted for, or not reported. Its the same with bullying. And what do youdo about it? Teachers are useless, mostly. Tell them that the kids call you names, and they tell you to turn the other cheek, or ignore it, or not to tell tales- becuase they think bullying has to be physical. Its not. Its easy for grown ups. Or so it seems. If you were to turn round to your teacher and say the things that people have said to you-the verbal abuse- mentioning mothers, sex, etc etc. What do you hink the first thing they would do would be? react? I think so. Would they ignore it, like they advise you to do? no. Would they get angry at you? Yes. So the teachers are giving out useless advice that they wouldn't follow. Nobody likes to think its going on in their school, do they, the teachers. Ignore it? Thats what teachers like to do, in my expereince, therefore it doesn't exist. I got teased a lot about my chest when I was at school, by boys and girls. If anyone said that to me in an office, they'd get done for sexual harrassment, and disciplinary charges would be brought against them. At school, its not quite as sophisticated. It gets ignored. I don't think theres any advice I can give to any younger listees about how to tackle bullying. I think it varies, from person to person. My only piece of wisdom, that I have learnt is this: that karma can exist. And if it doesn't happen straight away, keep on thinking about it. The kids that bullied me at school: where are they now? Well,one girl bullied me when I was 16. Actually, I think the whole school did. This girl though, this one particular girl. She used to make sly remarks, just loud enough for me to hear but quiet enough so nobody else did. Comments how I was a teachers pet when I put my hnd up in class to answer a question. Or comments about how I was thick (or words to that effect) when I asked a question. It was a loose-loose situation. And her little gang of friends... These girls were all clever. But this one girl, lets call her.. Elaine. She had a speach impediment, and a turned up nose, and got straight A's and grade 1s throughout school.She was clever. Her gang consisted of a bunch of clever, popular, sporty girls. Anyway, this girl. When we came to leave school, I later heard she went for an interview with a university to get on a degree course. Despite her fantastic grades, she was told she was too immature and turned down for university. Thats the first best bit of karma. Some of the other girls, who weren't so bright, (not in Elaines gang) went on to get jobs in local factories, they grew up, and had babies, and are all settled down now. I'm quite glad I never did any of that. I'm still having far too much fun with my life to give it away to the idea of becoming a mother, wheeling a buggy around the suburban town centres, wearing tracksuit bottoms and oversized t shirts, threatening two year old brattish spawn when they start to scream in Asda becuase they want a comic/ toy/ sweeties/ want to go home. I'm glad I'm still having fun, going out late at night to gigs and clubs, without having to get a babysitter. I'm glad I don't have to go to the post office once a month to collect child benefit. I'm glad I can spend my money on going to nice hair salons, and getting a head massage and a cool haircut rather than going to mothercare and spending it on nappies. I remember one of my ex boyfriends too, was a nasty character. The stories I could tell you about him... but I won't. Anyway, despite all the bad stuff that happened, I remember two years ago, sitting in the computing centre late, one night, typing up an essay. I saw him and his pal there, typing up a 15000 word dissertation, due in the next day, for their finals. These two went outside, to have a spliff, and when they came back.. eventually.. they hadn't saved their work, and the computers had logged them off becuase they had been away so long. Karma offers guaranteed satisfaction no amount of revenge could ever provide. And remember, theres a whole lot of belle and sebastian songs written for people who are feeling like a social misfit. As well as other bands, writing songs for you. Wouldn't it be cool, if you could get the school bullies to actually watch all the films where the main charactr, who is often the coolest, gets bullied, and then the real life bullies actually understand what its all about? Wouldn't it be cool, if witty retorts that work on the silver screen actually worked in real life? It won't happen though. Bullies aren't the most emotionally intelligent of people. They can't connect the villains in films to their own behaviour, nor do they try and change it. Its always seemed quite odd to me, how the bullies at school could listen to bands, or read about pop stars or celebrities, talking about their lives how they were bullied, and not even manage to see themselves within the context. How they could sing along to the songs about being a social outcast, then carry on behaving where they treat other people as social outcasts. Like I said, Bullies aren't the most emotionally clued up of people. *** back to the film**** So About A boy. Very idealistic, a feel good film, and the sort of thing you wished for as a kid, or wish had happened in retrospect. The closest reality you'll get, is the Sinister List. ****other news***** Very pleased to see Mick Cooke has kindly added Corduroy Smoke to the Belle And Sebastain list of links, at request. ****going out**** Went to the Egg last night. Was a bit miffed, becuase its not as good as I remember it. Or maybe I'm just falling behind with the times. Whatever, I think I shall be going to Keith Watsons night next week, seeing as I've bumped into him twice this weekend, and he's been busy selling it to me. ****finishing off***** I think I'll say goodbye now. Thankyou if you have red my post all the way down to here. You are indeed a devoted sinisterian. Love, Idleberry xxxxxxxxx ===== http://groups.yahoo.com/group/corduroysmoke/ starting playground gossip and passing notes __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! 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