It was a perfectly logical reference. It was the perfect reference, really. That was why the resulting exchange was so horrifically inexcusable.We had been discussing personal writing. The student had already scored points with me by mentioning that she regularly jots down notes in her journal — I smiled and told her that such action was my first foray into what has turned out to be a career.
“It’s important, though, to think about other people from time to time.” She tilted her head and waited for me to continue. “Whether you consider other characters in fiction or you turn your attention onto other people for observational writing, it’s key to get out of your own head sometimes. Otherwise you’ll internalize so much, tuck yourself so far from outside contact, that you’ll turn a little too Angela Chase. You might as well have a narrator speaking aloud the thoughts in your head.”
And there it was: a furrowed brow.
“Angela Chase?”
I swear I felt my hip tweak. No, no, no. Not yet…
“You’ve never seen ‘My So-Called Life?’”
I knew that I was speaking to a youngster, one eager to finish a Career Day assignment and still too young to legally drive. But this was a travesty, utterly deplorable. High school without the most desperately angsty, gorgeous depiction of high school I’d ever seen?
She actually shook her head. She did not know Angela Chase. Claire Danes was probably just another movie star. She never wanted to send a thank-you note to Winnie Holzman. She had never swooned over Jordan Catalano –
Hold it.
“Have you ever heard of 30 Seconds to Mars?”
She nodded her head. “Jared Leto’s band.”
(Small blessing: at least she didn’t say anything about seeing Lindsay Lohan with an Echelon bracelet on PerezHilton.)
“Well, OK. Um. See, before Jared Leto was in the band, he was on this television show, where he played a guy named Jordan…”
I felt my youth slowly ebb away.
Dated and out of touch. At 25. It’s all downhill from here.
Perfect pop culture reference, true that. But then again, so is this whole pop-will-eat-itself moment you had there, you know. Nostalgic pop references the kids don’t get -these are the joys of being late-twenty-something-ish.
Youth is overrated, etc.
You are actually very close to 26 now… which will definitely make you totally old! : )
I mentioned the Transformers in my classroom the other day to blank stares; I almost cried.
Just wait until the movie comes out. You’ll be all set — seen, in fact, as ridiculously cutting-edge.
That’s desperately sad. I can’t listen to the Violent Femmes without thinking of Angela dancing on her bed because she woke up and realized she was totally over Jordan Catalano. But then again, I also can’t think of the Violent Femmes without having a violent reaction to the memory of Ethan Hawke butchering/singing Kiss Off to Winona in Reality Bites. Man alive, I miss the 90′s.
Amen, Jay, amen. To both, actually. Shall I pour my latte in honor of my flannel-wearing peeps?
I actually had a moment where I had to channel the Angela. Woke up and realized it was a morning of Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200. Walk Over and Cue Up VF. And then DANCE.
Alas, there was no Patty there to make me breakfast. I do believe a black turtleneck was worn that day, however, to continue to channel.
Me? Remembering too many details? Surely you jest.
I loves me some Patty. Though that has a lot to do with her star-making performance in Jaws-3D.
“Overman was killed inside the park. The baby was caught inside the park. It’s mother is inside the park.”
“You mean we talkin’ about some damn shark’s mutha?
Hee! I miss Louis Gossett Jr. To bad he’s (career) dead.
Part of me honestly thought that he’d died and I’d never been made aware. I was sad upon checking out IMDB.
Not sad that he’s living, of course, but, uh, yeah.
“Candidate Mayo’s strutting in the dirt; Look at his face, he’s starting to hurt; Here he is, thinking he’s a great big star; But before too long he’s gonna D.O.R.”
Sigh.