The Genius Behind Ferris

John Hughes passed away today. His movies shaped my childhood and teen years, and taught me that it was wise to skip school, get detention/make out with bad boys, swear at car rental agents/wear shower rings as fashion statements, experiment with Barbie dolls if you can't get a real woman to date you, never underestimate the girl from the wrong side of the tracks--esp if she has sewing skills, don't put aftershave on a closely shorn cheek, and, MOST IMPORTANTLY, hold out for a hot guy with a red Porsche named Jake Ryan. Even though I de-throned Jake after 32 years, he was still one of my top teen dream guys.

Thank you, John Hughes, for stealing more Saturdays than I can remember by tricking me into watching your crap-tacular films over and over and over and over again. Lance can attest. Thank you for Molly Ringwald (and her famous 80's dance...the Molly Ringwald), Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez, John Candy, Jake Ryan, Macaulay Culkin, Duckie Dale, Ally Sheedy, and Farmer Ted. Who turned out hot, BTW.

And can we talk about these movie soundtracks?? Spandau Ballet, OMD, The Thompson Twins, Simple Minds. Who doesn't see the detention gang running through the halls whenever you hear "Don't you....forget about me!!"

I shall honor the great man by sharing some of my favorite quotes of all time. Most of you won't get them, I'm sure, because for some reason I have no friends who appreciate pop culture as much as I do.

"I'm not really a farmer. I'm a freshman."

"He was wearing a red argyle sweater, and tan trousers, and red shoes... No, he's not retarded."

"I have a dance to go to at school. It's a very important dance... we're being graded on it for Gym."

"Does Barry Manilow know that you raid his wardrobe?"

"Don't mess with the bull, young man. You'll get the horns."

"Those aren't pillows!!"

"When Cameron was in Egypt's land..let my Cameron go!"

"May I admire you again today?"

"His name is Blane? That's a major appliance, that's not a name!"

A few weeks ago I was on Facebook lamenting the fact that I should have been napping, but got sucked into Ferris Bueller--again. My friend Vickie commented that her husband didn't "get" the movie at all. "What's not to get?" I asked, "I love this movie." She summed it up perfectly well. "Of course you do, Kaari. You are Ferris Bueller."

Thanks JH. Not that it matters now, but Duckie was always the better choice.