I love Discovery Network show Man versus Wild. I rarely get to watch it though. However, am really glad that my wife turned on the DVR for this one.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Queen or King?
I have stumbled across a fun experiment for kids or really anybody unfamiliar with the rock band Queen. I have had the song Somebody to Love stuck in my head for more than a month. So, the other day, I pulled up this YouTube clip showing Queen singing that song:
Anyways, my kids were in the room. They heard the music but did not watch the video. I asked them to guess what the people singing music looked like.
Queen, of course, is a group of--frankly speaking--butt ugly white guys with 70's rocker hair who give off a drugy vibe. And honestly, their funky clothes that they wore during their concerts did not do them any favors.
When I asked them what they thought, my daughter thought that the music was sung by "black people in a church choir." My son thought it was sung by a group of girls. I have asked other kids with other entertaining yet similar responses: starting with the politically correct "jazz people in robes" and ending with "some black guys wearing stripes singing with girls." One of my nephews thought that it was a group of guys and girls all with long hair, so that was somewhat close. (And, I have to concede that Brian May was wearing stripes in the video I was watching and that I did find a picture of him on the Internet wearing robes. ) The response I still can't really get my mind around was that one of my nephews thought Queen sounded like "a few black midgets." I wonder how Freddie Mercury would have taken to that... or what Gary Coleman would think for that matter.
No wait... I guess I do have a guess how Gary Coleman would respond:
Anyways, my kids were in the room. They heard the music but did not watch the video. I asked them to guess what the people singing music looked like.
Queen, of course, is a group of--frankly speaking--butt ugly white guys with 70's rocker hair who give off a drugy vibe. And honestly, their funky clothes that they wore during their concerts did not do them any favors.
When I asked them what they thought, my daughter thought that the music was sung by "black people in a church choir." My son thought it was sung by a group of girls. I have asked other kids with other entertaining yet similar responses: starting with the politically correct "jazz people in robes" and ending with "some black guys wearing stripes singing with girls." One of my nephews thought that it was a group of guys and girls all with long hair, so that was somewhat close. (And, I have to concede that Brian May was wearing stripes in the video I was watching and that I did find a picture of him on the Internet wearing robes. ) The response I still can't really get my mind around was that one of my nephews thought Queen sounded like "a few black midgets." I wonder how Freddie Mercury would have taken to that... or what Gary Coleman would think for that matter.
No wait... I guess I do have a guess how Gary Coleman would respond:
Monday, May 25, 2009
"So, You Think You Can Dance"--As If
When I was in elementary school, I promised my cousin Nathan that I would never stop break dancing. In return, he pledged to me the same solemn oath. Admittedly, since that day, my wave has gotten more than a bit rusty. With some shame, I admit that I do not even have a cut-down refrigerator box anywhere in my house. Of course, this makes it nearly impossible for me to practice back spins even if I wanted to... So yeah, I live with that guilt.
I know that this week So, You Think You Can Dance started a new season. Why I know this, I don't rightly know. So, yes, I not only live with the guilt of a broken promise but also the shame of knowing the coming and goings of show that features Mary Murphy's screaming about the "Hot Tamale Train."
But still... in the past, I have teased my kids that I would try out to try to get a spot on that television program. I would try to get them visualize me busting out some of my better break dancing moves. "Can't you imagine your dad doing the worm?" I told them I might even find one of those shirts I used to wear with about three pounds of zippers holding it together and enough netting to haul in a boatload of fish. "If I were on So, You Think You Can Dance, I might even spring for parachute pants," I would tell them.
As I thought about it though, I decided that I would never go on a show called So, You Think You Can Dance. Honestly, what self-respecting break dancer would? I mean seriously... "Think I can"?! Hah! I know I can. Make me a show called You Know You Can Dance, and I will be there and prepared to put on a break dancing show that I have bottled up for decades too long.
I know that this week So, You Think You Can Dance started a new season. Why I know this, I don't rightly know. So, yes, I not only live with the guilt of a broken promise but also the shame of knowing the coming and goings of show that features Mary Murphy's screaming about the "Hot Tamale Train."
But still... in the past, I have teased my kids that I would try out to try to get a spot on that television program. I would try to get them visualize me busting out some of my better break dancing moves. "Can't you imagine your dad doing the worm?" I told them I might even find one of those shirts I used to wear with about three pounds of zippers holding it together and enough netting to haul in a boatload of fish. "If I were on So, You Think You Can Dance, I might even spring for parachute pants," I would tell them.
As I thought about it though, I decided that I would never go on a show called So, You Think You Can Dance. Honestly, what self-respecting break dancer would? I mean seriously... "Think I can"?! Hah! I know I can. Make me a show called You Know You Can Dance, and I will be there and prepared to put on a break dancing show that I have bottled up for decades too long.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Hot Pockets
Is there such thing as a good experience with a hot pocket other than refusing to eat one? This was brilliant.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
A Pokemon Conversation I actually understood
Tonight I was talking to a couple of seven year-old boys about Pokemon. For months now, no matter how a conversation starts with my son and his friends, it always devolves into undecipherable Pokemon banter. Seriously, the kids were talking about swine flu. I mentioned some of the symptoms, including sneezing and within about seconds the two kids were talking about the damage points of some freaking Pokemon named Sneasel. I nearly said, "I quit. I give up. Nothing's good enough for anybody else... it seems."
However, before I walked away like some dejected character on Degrassi Jr. High, I gave it one last shot. Surprisingly, what I assumed was a nothing more Hail Mary pass actually worked. In fact, the kids were a little disappointed when I called it quits and left the porch swing and went into the house. My trick was simple: I just started to ask questions as if these boys and their Pokemon characters lived on my planet and not theirs.
Here are a two of the better interactions:
Q: Which Pokemon would be the worst to have at a sleepover?
A1: [Some Pokemon I don't remember but assume it was "Hemroidichu"] because he is so big and fat, he might roll over and smash you.
A2: Uhhh, that would hurt.... Hemroidichu, get off me! No, [Insert another Pokemon name, like "Michaeljacksonito"] because it sings you to sleep and then attacks you.
Q: If you were on a camp out and you needed a Pokemon to help you roast marshmallows, who would you ask?
A1: [Some other Pokemon, assume "Burningmon"] because he is made of fire. Don't give him your stick though.
A2: Yeah, use a hanger not a stick... but don't touch the metal.
However, before I walked away like some dejected character on Degrassi Jr. High, I gave it one last shot. Surprisingly, what I assumed was a nothing more Hail Mary pass actually worked. In fact, the kids were a little disappointed when I called it quits and left the porch swing and went into the house. My trick was simple: I just started to ask questions as if these boys and their Pokemon characters lived on my planet and not theirs.
Here are a two of the better interactions:
Q: Which Pokemon would be the worst to have at a sleepover?
A1: [Some Pokemon I don't remember but assume it was "Hemroidichu"] because he is so big and fat, he might roll over and smash you.
A2: Uhhh, that would hurt.... Hemroidichu, get off me! No, [Insert another Pokemon name, like "Michaeljacksonito"] because it sings you to sleep and then attacks you.
Q: If you were on a camp out and you needed a Pokemon to help you roast marshmallows, who would you ask?
A1: [Some other Pokemon, assume "Burningmon"] because he is made of fire. Don't give him your stick though.
A2: Yeah, use a hanger not a stick... but don't touch the metal.
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