in the can

i'm a big fan of showing off in various situations by throwing around lingo.  even if the situation in question involves something about which i know nothing or about which i would otherwise disapprove or get squeamish.  for example, at target once while getting some film developed, a bear hunter was picking up his pictures of the black bear he had shot.  i'm not philosophically against hunting, but i don't really tend to like people who hunt  (with several exceptions, actually--i can think of two right now.  but you get the picture).  the photos were pretty sad and revolting, but i still had to show off by somehow indicating that i knew bear hunting season is only three days long and also acting impressed by the pictures.

similarly, i was quite sure i would be in a situation sometime soon in my life where i'd have to act knowledgable about the movie rashomon, so we went ahead and rented it and now i can say, "oh, yeah, like in rashomon.  totally."

and so now, during the writer's strike, i show off a lot (by "show off" i mean "say to my spouse at home") by speculating that a lot of shows were already "in the can" before the strike started.  i throw this around when the TV's on and it advertises to us some new episodes of some show, like "law and order: mariska hargitay," or "terminator knockoff" or some such.  "in the can" is probably something i read in vanity fair, where i get all my facts, and it means that it's been written, filmed, and is ready to air, which is why being in the can is the only way a new episode of a show can be on these days.  in the can.  try it!   impress and/or annoy your friends!