Wednesday, December 03, 2008

WHERE THIS BLOG REALLY BEGAN

Oxymoron and Harrogate, discussing the Burkean Pentad over drinks, suddenly found themselves adroitly using the principle of The Rhetorical Situation, to unpack the following Scene from National Lampoons Vacation.


This was the conversation in which the Idea for the Blog was born. But for the Dream to become a Reality, Solon had to grab the reins.



It was Chase's line at the 1:54 mark, that sealed the deal.

10 comments:

solon said...

The video finally appears. Thank you.

harrogate said...

"We're from out of town."

"No shit."

Oxymoron said...

I was just asking my Bro-in-law over Thanksgiving how to capture video from a DVD so I could post this clip.

But someone else finally did this for us. Awesome!

M said...

I recall this fateful evening, and I recall the ensuing analysis of this scene, of which I believe Paperweight was a part of--in so much, as he giggled while Harrogate and Oxymoron "analyzed." I also recall that Mrs. Oxy, Supadiscomama, and I were forced to consume much alcohol in an attempt to block out this very cogent analysis.

I also recall the many, many times this clip had to be viewed whenever we got together. . . a rhetorical situation indeed.

Oxymoron said...

Given this fourth comment, perhaps the post ought to also carry the tag "Annoying M." Or even "Annoying M, et al."

M said...

You know, Oxy, it wasn't that you all analyzed the scene once. It was rather that you three do what you all tend to do whenever you're together: take a joke and beat it to death! I think that Mrs. Oxy, Supa, and I helped with some of the initial rhetorical analysis, but after the 5th replay of the clip I think we began to lose interest, whereas you three watched it about 10 more times! It is rather like an old joke of yours and Harrogate's that I initially found amusing but ceased to find so after you had both giggled over it in the middle of class about 20 times: "Fusee hommes!" Remember that one?

harrogate said...

Harrogate remembers "fusee hommes"!
Didn't that happen in the class where Oxymoron and Harrogate ascended to the level of star pupils, cruised their way to As, and left the Prof wondering why they were not getting PhD's in French?

yes, yes. that was when it happened.

But m, more seriously, Harrogate finds this revelation a bit depressing. He says "revelation" because, he always held out hope that even though you, Supadiscomama, and Mrs. Oxymoron rolled eyes, drank drinks, and made fun of our efforts. Despite all this, Harrogate had allowed himself to Fancy that you all were secretly interested (wasn't it paperweight who once remarked that you all saw us as gods?) in what we were doing.

Sigh.

M said...

No my dear Harrogate, I believe that PW actually commented that you, he, and Oxymoron as well as The Roof and Solon saw Supa, Mrs. Oxy, Megs, Amy Reads, and myself as goddesses--not the other way around. I hope I won't have to correct your memory on this particular issue again.

And I think our participation in this very blog indicates that we are, in fact, interested in what you all do--and we even do it a bit ourselves. But our interest does wane a bit once something has been dissected and analyzed 27,684 times. That's all I'm saying.

harrogate said...

Some things deserve to be done not only 27,684 times. But even a 27, 685th time might be called for, depending on the activity.

As for the status of the above-mentioned Women as Goddesses. Harrogate will be uncharacteristically unironic and cede the point cheerfully.

supadiscomama said...

I must have had A LOT to drink that evening--I don't remember a thing!