Personal Parables

Personal Parables #13. “A stadium is much too big for flash pictures to work, but nobody seems to care!”

The Simpsons, Season 2, Episode 7, Bart vs. Thanksgiving. The bit in The Silverdome, when the announcer points out the uselessness of camera flashes in the crowd. I searched for this episode and clip for years, remembering only that there were camera flashes in a stadium and that the announcer referenced the camera flashes. Finally… Continue reading Personal Parables #13. “A stadium is much too big for flash pictures to work, but nobody seems to care!”

Personal Parables #10, #11 and #12

Warning: The following three are all from Star Trek. I’ve grouped them together because I’m aware that some folk have an aversion to said fictional TV series. Give it a try either way. #10 Star Trek 4: The Voyage Home: The bit where Scotty talks into the mouse, then touch types on a QWERTY keyboard… Continue reading Personal Parables #10, #11 and #12

Personal Parables #9

Good Hill Hunting: The bit when Matt Damon gets fucking frustrated about how easy it is for him. I’ve had the feeling that one or two developers over the years have been close to telling me the same thing about some ‘tweak’ that I’ve asked them to do, that I am unable to do myself. That… Continue reading Personal Parables #9

Personal Parables #8

Monty Python’s Life of Brian: The bit where all but one are individuals. Brian: Please, please, please listen! I’ve got one or two things to say.The Crowd: Tell us! Tell us both of them!Brian: Look, you’ve got it all wrong! You don’t NEED to follow ME, You don’t NEED to follow ANYBODY! You’ve got to think… Continue reading Personal Parables #8

Personal Parables #7

Wall E: The bit where we see that humans have evolved into senseless consumer lumps on automatic chairs and FaceTime*. This bit is so dark. It’s done so nicely though (an effective utopian dystopia) and yes it all turns out OK in the end, but only after humans have ruined the entire planet and evolved… Continue reading Personal Parables #7

Personal Parables #6

Bernard and the Genie: The bit where the Genie eats a Big Mac, then hears Mozart and think’s they’re both amazing, then hears Barry White and think’s he’s even better. I’m not sure of anyone saw this 1991 Christmas TV movie other than me, but it was great! Directed by Richard Curtis, staring Alan Cumming, Lenny Henry and Rowan Atkinson… Continue reading Personal Parables #6

Personal Parables #4 and #5

Brewsters Millions: The bit where his ex-wife designs the perfect interior, that he says is the room he could die in, then they instantly take it all away. Also (but I can’t find the clip of this one) just before this happens, he holds one last big party, but because everyone knowns he’s broke, no one… Continue reading Personal Parables #4 and #5

I know little to nothing about the bible but I admire the way that people cherrypicked lessons from it. To retort, I’ve been recognising and recording my own set of parables, drawn mostly form childhood or adolescent media sources. Rather than “John 14:6 Jesus answered…” they’re a bit more “Like that bit in Good Will… Continue reading Personal Parables