Painting

I've finished my Sistine chapel, and now those paint-encrusted brushes can rot in hell for all I care.

I confess to committing some serious sins of omission, under the eaves, for instance; and sins of emission, as I got overly enthusiastic with some equipment the real painter, the one who did the upper reaches, left behind.

But as Raymond Chandler said: "From 10 feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from 30 feet away."

Nothing wrong with keeping your distance.

So back to teachers. If you only know Maggie Smith from her most recent work, then take a look at The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Here's a clip:



The polar opposite of the Mrs. Warnells of the teaching world are the charismatics. The ones who don't want students, but followers and devotees. They're not all bad, they're not all Brodies. But they do like the sound of their own words above all others including Shakespeare and the Joyce holy trinity of high school -- James, Oates, and Cary.

I knew my share, but since I changed schools so often, could recognize them right away.

Here's my favorite scene from Miss Brodie, up to about 4 minutes. She is evil, the Mussolini of middle school. And yet, you can't help but fall in love with her. Because, well after all, it's Maggie Smith. The sound is out of sync, but even so.