You hear that, Mr Andersen?

Dream, MegaHelmet, Yam

Dammit, a crashed browser meant that I lost at least a section of valuable musing on the human condition; more specifically, that slice of the human condition that inhabits my office.

All I can remember is that it had something to do with gnomic utterances, and pants.

And I might be wrong about the pants.

***

Had an odd, utopic dream, full of bizarre details. It seemed to be an alternate reality comic book -- I remember Superman leaving for Canada, because he was annoyed with the overly liberal policies of the US government (yeah, I think it puzzled me in my dream, too), and turning up later at his Antarctic base wearing orange and yellow, with a big policeman's mustache. There was some effect around the base that made people optimistic and non-agressive, and had been used by the world government as a place to reform supervillains... I remember some sort of enemy launching black slug-like things through the foam surrounding the base, which turned into the creatures from the Aliens movies, who started moderately angsting about their life-cycle, and stretching in the sun. The only other visual I can remember is large zeppelin in flames, with a baroque, heraldic swastika on the side.

I guess what I can take from this dream is that I shouldn't move to Canada, because it makes you grow a big moustache. :)

***

What's better that being annoying? Why, being annoying really loudly! And what better way to be annoying really loudly than by duct taping a megaphone to a motorcycle helmet? Especially if, as well as deriding the clothing and parentage of passers-by, you can play something really annoying and mindless out of the megaphone, like really derivative drum and bass from the nineties?

Or "the song that never ends".

I can imagine that it might be difficult to convince security guards to let you in with it at sports events, especially if it's something like a chess tournament. On the other hand, the guy made it specifically for playing softball, so he could trash-talk the opposition while batting; maybe it would be fine. ;)

***

The mighty Hoff has made a version of Secret Agent Man (or, as it's sometimes misheard, "Secret Asian Man"). Frankly, I much prefer the original Mel Torme version, from his somewhat bonkers album "Right Now"; I suppose the laughably awful rocket pack effects add something to the song, but I suspect it's in the same way that a nice Saturday night out can be "added to" by someone vomitting on your shoes.

***

Went to my friend Sokky's birthday on the weekend. One of the teachers there talked about an unfortunate shout-out that happened at a school production they went to -- the person was trying to thank the guys who'd done the lighting and sound work, but who they actually ended up thanking was "the boys up the rear".

Thus was our boy-band, "Boys Up The Rear," born. The fact that the acronym was BUTR was merely the icing on the cake. :) Ideas about our first hit single ("Rear Up"), covers we might do (D'Jour's "Backdoor Lover", as portrayed in Josie and the Pussycats) abounded, as well as more specific necessary elements, such as the soulful ballad where we'd all sit on really high stools, and the one guy who knew how to play an instrument would be allowed to be seen strumming a guitar (though of course, none of his playing would make it into the actual recording). We even had all the necessary members -- the stylish one, the soulful one, the rebellious one, the two brothers, and the one that left for a movie career just before they got a record deal -- and even had the band break-up all planned out.

Then there was the time when Sok got a bunch of us standing in the hallway to holler root vegetables at anyone who dared run "the gauntlet". It seemed to make sense at the time; after all, having someone yelling "yamyamyamyamyam!!" at you might be intimidating... if you were afraid of yams, or something. I'm not sure why it was necessary to intimidate those moving from one end of the house to the other in an ineffectual fashion, but when Sok calls, you do your duty. :)

Happy birthday for Monday, Sok! May you have many more fun and nonsensical days!

Posted by svend at June 14, 2006 10:54 AM