Don't Give Up, Mallory! Part 2

[alula_auburn]

I haz no clever introduction. . .

Chapter 6

Ugh.  We’re back in Short Takes, and Mr. Cobb is asking them to discuss ideas for their end of class projects, on the (stupid and poorly thought out) theme of “a project that furthers the cause of children’s literature.”  Seriously, that’s such a bullshit topic, especially for kids this age.  What does it

Comments

[kakeochi_umai]

In an interesting sidenote, Sandra is a little reluctant to walk through the NO ENTRY door into the basement, and Mallory calls her chicken. Peer Pressure: Awesome when it’s the BSC!
THIS. Also, now trespassing is a criterion for getting your feminist card? BRB, sneaking into Ann M Martin's house to see if I can find any clues to the mystery of why her writing has so many shitty messages.

Sandra’s father is conveniently an accountant, so she automatically knows how to interpret all the figures.
So if my dad's a successful sales manager and I sucked shit at the selling aspect of retail, does that mean my mum had an affair?

Mallory is understandably a little freaked out and overwhelmed
Yet when Sandra was freaked out about making waves and was afraid she'd get slammed by the student body for it she was anti-feminist? Shut up, Ann.

I love the Dumbledore Dies Nao Feed Meh lolcat. I also love this "feed me" oneThe "swelled head" thing is especially jarring given how often bragging is used as clunky exposition. And as someone who's had

[dragonz_flame]

>>Sandra’s father is conveniently an accountant, so she automatically knows how to interpret all the figures.
So if my dad's a successful sales manager and I sucked shit at the selling aspect of retail, does that mean my mum had an affair?

Heh. My dad's a chemistry lecturer at the university here, and the only way I was able to pass my School C science homework assignments was by asking him for 'help' and frustrating him so much he told me the answers. The teacher thought I was great until I bombed a test at school and he found out who my dad was.

[glitterberrys]

Every time AMM tries to take on "feminism" I die a little inside.

Although really I never really thought of Mr. Cobb as sexist, per se. Just a shitty teacher who let the kids act like assholes. It's no one person's fault that girls are brainwashed to be polite and boys are fine with just shouting things over others. Is allowing it inherently sexist, or just being a dick? I'm not trying to argue that sexism is in NO WAY INVOLVED with this problem; I'm just not sure that the problem isn't just that Mr. Cobb is an ass who plays favorites and thinks shy or well-behaved kids should just start yelling along with the rest of the howler monkeys in the class.

Also, this

(True story: In my middle school there was also a new, young teacher who was really well-liked and friendly with a lot of boys. It turned out he was a shoe fetishist and eventually started asking them to give him their sneakers, which was only discovered when some mother was like “where the fuck are the new $300 sneakers I just bought you?”)Made me both shudder and

[aardwulf]

Mallory declares that Sandra acts like a “total goon” in class

Now I'm just imagining Sandra yelling at Mallory to quit shitposting and telling Chris that she's 5'ing all his ideas. And going

[lippian]

Wait, which was the BSC book about suicide?

And I agree about the obsession with making sure her main characters (and even her buttmonkeys) are flawless demigods ruining any chance at getting an actual point across.

[aardwulf]

I was referring to Slam Book, actually, not a BSC book. Probably should have made that clear. :B

I can only imagine the clusterfuck if there was a BSC book that tried to address suicide, though.

[wavvedout]

First, a Wayside School reference? I bow to you. I'm not worthy.

Second:
What kind of lounge did those bright-eyed students of “five years ago” have in mind? Antique furniture? Harem dancers?
That is CLASSIC. Again. Im not worthy. Im freaking Garth over here.

And the WHOLE judgemental Sandra thing is just freaking making my blood boil. Guess what trait absolutely NO BSC member has, or has even the slightest hint of? EMPATHY. GOD, think about your own actions and why someone else may act they way they do. You'd be surprised how less ANGRY you are.

Third:
that if Mal is allowed to just enjoy praise for more than sixty seconds, she’ll become an obnoxious egoist.

HS, seriously, this and the whole paragraph about downplaying yourself. I do the same thing, and this got to me.

The lolcat that has an adventure everyday because they are delusional? Hi Karen! Meet the LOLCAT dedicated to your entire existence!

[a_b_cohen]

That should be Bayside. :) I kinda still watch the show. A lot.

[egadthearchaeo]

I don't suppose it ever occurred to the BSC that the kids are probably not going to look that great as a marching band compared to the other organizations there (both costume, coordination, and talent-wise), and that might make some of the kids feel worse than if they'd never been in the BSC band in the first place?