Season's Greetings from Eastland! (holiday cheer, pictures, stories, and songs!)

['80sSitcoms]

In real life, if anyone ever talks over you or doesn't see you, you should say with a huff, "Hey! Don't you 'Nancy' me!" haha.

[Lorimar Television]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

In real life, if anyone ever talks over you or doesn't see you, you should say with a huff, "Hey! Don't you 'Nancy' me!" haha.

That needs to be a thing, for sure!

['80sSitcoms]

Picture it...Eastland, 1979...Mr. Bradley's predecessor is standing outside the small season 1 cafeteria on a snowy night, looking in through a window on the merriment commencing...


Now, don your tunic, raise your cup of wassail, and join me in this ancient carol of Eastland!

(to the tune of "Good King Wenceslas")


"Ye Chang'd Mr. Crocker"


Mr. Crocker look-ed in
On the Feast of Stephen
Bradley, master of Eastland
(after "Dope" he's leavin').
Brightly smiled the girls that night,
Though "the Crock" was cruel.
Mrs. Garrett stepped outside
Lik'ning him to gru-u-el.

"Mrs. Garrett, stand by me,
If thou know'st it, telling
He in my place, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?"
"Sir, he lives on campus now,
He the new headmaster.
Eastland's better with him, how,
Than when ye were head-ba-stard."

"I have buns of cinnamon
And meat made of myst'ry.
Let us dine, and when we're done
We'll talk Shakespeare hist'ry."
Crock and Garrett, forth they went
Civilly, no pushin';
Cafeteria within
Set with chairs of cu-u-shion.

"Mr. Bradley, here's 'the Crock',
Seems his ways he's mended.
Let's let him dine with our flock,
Buns and meat he's tended."
"Welcome here with our dear brood,
We shall host ye gladly.
Thou'll find our cook's Christmas food
Tasteth good, not ba-a-dly."

In good spirits they did sup
And the mood was merry
All eleven raised their cup,
Even doubtful Blair-y.
Therefore, Peekskill men, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye, who now good mood endure
Shall yourselves find ble-e-ssing.

[Lorimar Television]

Haha nice work Eights

[RetroGuy2000]

That's great, 80s! So many funny lines! I particularly enjoyed the lines about the mystery meat and the cinnamon buns.

You definitely paint a lovely holiday picture at Eastland. I'm glad Mr. Crocker got to enjoy the feast, despite his past behavior.

I think that cafeteria was quite crowded!

['80sSitcoms]

Glad you guys enjoyed

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

You definitely paint a lovely holiday picture at Eastland.

Aw thanks, I had a very nice start with the carol being such an ancient one. I love medieval/old world pageantry. I picture a nice fire going in the cafeteria (regardless of if there were a fireplace or not, lol), the tables put together to form one large "banquet table", covered with things like roast goose, and yams, and cranberries, and pies, and puddings, golden goblets of wassail, and the ceiling and walls all hung with greenery.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I'm glad Mr. Crocker got to enjoy the feast, despite his past behavior.

Yes, I like how this carol not only tells a story, but it has a moral!

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I think that cafeteria was quite crowded!

Nice and toasty on a snowy winter's* eve!

*(despite the fact that it's autumn until December 21st, lol)

"Therefore, Peekskill men, be sure"
Molly: "They're folks, okay, Mr. '80s??"
Me: "Sorry, Molly. I keep forgetting. They're 'folks'. "

(I thought about putting that in the song, but I didn't wanna interrupt the flow, haha)

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Aw thanks, I had a very nice start with the carol being such an ancient one. I love medieval/old world pageantry.

'80s, with your love of 1980s media, Medieval pageantry, and beautiful 1980s fantasy cult classics like Return to Oz, how do you feel about Legend? (This is my very favorite 1980s cult classic fantasy/dark film beautiful Medieval old world pageantry extravaganza, and I promise not to be too devastated if you say you don't care for it.)

I picture a nice fire going in the cafeteria (regardless of if there were a fireplace or not, lol), the tables put together to form one large "banquet table", covered with things like roast goose, and yams, and cranberries, and pies, and puddings, golden goblets of wassail, and the ceiling and walls all hung with greenery.

Very nice imagery, there! What girls' school private cafeteria wouldn't have a fireplace on the fourth wall?

"Therefore, Peekskill men, be sure"
Molly: "They're folks, okay, Mr. '80s??"
Me: "Sorry, Molly. I keep forgetting. They're 'folks'. "

(I thought about putting that in the song, but I didn't wanna interrupt the flow, haha)

Very cute!

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

'80s, with your love of 1980s media, Medieval pageantry, and beautiful 1980s fantasy cult classics like Return to Oz, how do you feel about Legend? (This is my very favorite 1980s cult classic fantasy/dark film beautiful Medieval old world pageantry extravaganza, and I promise not to be too devastated if you say you don't care for it.)

Oh, interesting, your favorite is Legend. Well, actually, I've only seen it once, and that was several years ago when I recorded it on cable. So honestly I'd have to give it another go to really freshly absorb it all (the same goes for Willow as well).

I believe my favorite film in melting pot category is...hmmm, it maybe a tie between The Neverending Story and The Dark Crystal, with Return to Oz and Labyrinth up there just behind.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Very cute!

I admit I had to look up the clip to get the exact format. I was 97% sure of Molly's line (I forgot she had the "okay" in there), and Mr. Bradley's line was longer than I remembered, lol.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Oh, interesting, your favorite is Legend. Well, actually, I've only seen it once, and that was several years ago when I recorded it on cable. So honestly I'd have to give it another go to really freshly absorb it all (the same goes for Willow as well).

Oh, the cable version is not my favorite. The US DVD is the best. The European Version, which somehow became a Disney musical, is an abomination.

I'm not a fan of Willow. Just a bit too cutesy for me.

I believe my favorite film in melting pot category is...hmmm, it maybe a tie between The Neverending Story and The Dark Crystal, with Return to Oz and Labyrinth up there just behind.

I definitely get the love for Neverending Story, The Dark Crystal, Return to Oz, and Labyrinth. All classics. I remember watching the Artax scene (you know the one) and bawling my eyes out. Perhaps the saddest moment in 80s film history. even today, I... *sniffle*

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I definitely get the love for Neverending Story, The Dark Crystal, Return to Oz, and Labyrinth. All classics. I remember watching the Artax scene (you know the one) and bawling my eyes out. Perhaps the saddest moment in 80s film history. even today, I... *sniffle*

I feel like such an anathema when it comes to that---that never gets me like it does almost everybody else! lol

I understand what you and everyone else mean, I just think for it to have more of an impact on me, I need to see more of their relationship together. It's like it came too early in the film for me to "appreciate" it. Conversely, the end of Old Yeller doesn't make me cry because I'm too conscious of the fact that there is no hope for Old Yeller; Travis does what has to be done (though it sucks for him that he has to do it, I do understand). Part of me knows for the safety of the family, there's no other way. Who knows, maybe the first time I saw these films I just didn't connect on certain emotional levels?

But I'm not heartless, I swear! Other media things do make me cry! lol

Also, I think part of me is conscious of the filming of that scene while it's on, and being utterly amazed at how well they trained those horses for that!

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

I feel like such an anathema when it comes to that---that never gets me like it does almost everybody else! lol

I think for it to have more of an impact on me, I need to see more of their relationship together. It's like it came too early in the film for me to "appreciate" it.

But I'm not heartless, I swear! Other media things make me cry! lol

I don't see how anyone can't cry at that scene. I mean... it's just devastating.

Also, I think part of me is conscious of the filming of that scene while it's on, and being utterly amazed at how well they trained those horses for that!

Yeah, that had to have been very difficult, technically and humanely, to film.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I don't see how anyone can't cry at that scene. I mean... it's just devastating.

Well, after you and I have lunch with Julie Anne and Molly, you and I'll watch it together so you can see, lol. And hey, it's not like I enjoy it---I want to feel the connection to that scene, it's just that with those couple of circumstances, it kinda prevents me from doing so.

But, to show you I'm not a heartless Crock bastard, lol, in The Dark Crystal when one of the Skeksis at the end actually stabs Kira with a dagger---this great big monstrous cruel male viciously stabbing this delicate youthful heroine with purity of goodness in her heart, I mean, yikes, that seems, like, "PG" to me because it's so stark! It makes me wince.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Yeah, that had to have been very difficult, technically and humanely, to film.

If you watch the making of the movie, it's fascinating watching them do that!

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Well, after you and I have lunch with Julie Anne and Molly, you and I'll watch it together so you can see, lol.

See your dry face, as a young boy's horse is drowned in front of him, as he begs and pleads for help, and then another boy, watching from afar and also powerless, also bursts into tears?

I'll happily go on the lunch date with Julie Anne and Molly and you, though (we need Lorimar, too, though)! We can ask them questions no-one's ever thought to ask, like what was with the cheese dip, and if either of them saw Creepy Stranger lurking in the periphery of the grassy lawn when they taped the wrestling-in-the-grass scene. Oh! And we can ask about the Molly Parker Cinnamon Bun Photo-shoot!

And hey, it's not like I enjoy it---I want to feel the connection to that scene, it's just that with those couple of circumstances, it kinda prevents me from doing so.

But, to show you I'm not a heartless Crock bastard, lol, in The Dark Crystal when one of the Skeksis at the end actually stabs Kira with a dagger---this great big monstrous cruel male viciously stabbing this delicate youthful heroine with purity of goodness in her heart, I mean, yikes, that seems, like, "PG" to me because it's so stark! It makes me wince.

Definitely a sad and shocking moment. Doesn't seem like a G moment to me, either.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

See your dry face

Well that sounds so "cardboard", lol...see, the twist here is, I'm really a very sensitive guy who has always been very in touch with his feelings, wearing his heart on his sleeve (Mrs. Garrett could do a "Rough Housing" story line with me where stupid Neanderthal boys pick on me for showing my feelings, and I tell Mrs. Garrett "I gotta stop that", and she'll grab me by the shoulders, gently shaking me with maternal firmness, and say "Don't you dare!" haha). Okay, back to my non-icy heart, for one example, when they senselessly killed off my favorite soap opera character years ago, that was very hard for me to watch, and that and the ensuing aftermath/memorial/grieving scenes really got to me---and still do. It still bothers me when I even just stop to think about that whole horrible thing.

And then I can't watch Jim Henson's memorial service without tensing up and crying through it (okay so that's a real life event, but still).

And I pounded my fist on the bed and was fighting back tears as a 15-year-old boy when the author of my favorite series of books "turned away" my favorite character in the last book (it's hard to explain in generalities---not killed off, but this character's fate excluding them from everyone else at the end---being "the Nancy" regarding The Group!).

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I'll happily go on the lunch date with Julie Anne and Molly and you, though (we need Lorimar, too, though)! We can ask them questions no-one's ever thought to ask, like what was with the cheese dip, and if either of them saw Creepy Stranger lurking in the periphery of the grassy lawn when they taped the wrestling-in-the-grass scene. Oh! And we can ask about the Molly Parker Cinnamon Bun Photo-shoot!

Haha, yes! And of course Lorsie's welcome to come too! I just said us because we've joked before about the two of us LGLing---"Lost Girl Lunching", lol.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Well that sounds so "cardboard", lol...see, the twist here is, I'm really a very sensitive guy who has always been very in touch with his feelings, wearing his heart on his sleeve (Mrs. Garrett could do a "Rough Housing" story line with me where stupid Neanderthal boys pick on me for showing my feelings, and I tell Mrs. Garrett "I gotta stop that", and she'll grab me by the shoulders, gently shaking me with maternal firmness, and say "Don't you dare!" haha). Okay, back to my non-icy heart, for one example, when they senselessly killed off my favorite soap opera character years ago, that was very hard for me to watch, and that and the ensuing aftermath/memorial/grieving scenes really got to me---and still do. It still bothers me when I even just stop to think about that whole horrible thing.

I was kidding, only kidding! I know you are in touch with your feelings, which makes the Artax Death Scene non-feelings so boggling to me. But I get it: not everyone is touched by the same things.

And I pounded my fist on the bed and was fighting back tears as a 15-year-old boy when the author of my favorite series of books "turned away" my favorite character in the last book (it's hard to explain in generalities---not killed off, but this character's fate excluding them from everyone else at the end---being "the Nancy" regarding The Group!).

Wait... you aren't talking about Susan in Narnia are you?

Haha, yes! And of course Lorsie's welcome to come too! I just said us because we've joked before about the two of us LGLing---"Lost Girl Lunching", lol.

No, I knew you weren't excluding Lorsie! Just wanted to make sure he knew he was invited to the so-far-hypothetical Lost Girls Lunch.