[Edit: I changed all the embedded videos to links, I was upset (to put it mildly) at the time it took to load this page.]
If you're like me (and hopefully you're not) you inject odd one-liners from TV shows and movies into everyday conversations, and unless you're talking to someone who's seen the same TV show or movie, it might get kinda awkward.
This post grew out of a conversation I had with Tom earlier today about him not having seen "The Princess Bride", which may not be my favorite movie, but nonetheless, the most complete sentence I can say in Japanese is the endlessly repeated phrase "Hello, my name is...", etc., in this clip. 'Douzo'...
The Princess Bride: My Name Is...
Having seen that, you'll have to laugh if I bust out my bad Japanese while you're around. As Tom mentioned, he and I will be roommates for the week and he'll have to put up with me (and vice versa) for the duration of AX and then some. We've got some common ground already, but just in case we need a quick laugh, or need to turn the conversation away from Jpop for a minute, here are a few more things I'd like anyone who's hoping to say 'hi' to have in common with me.
1.) Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K), although it would take forever to learn every episode. I've been watching it for almost 20 years and still haven't seen every episode, nor do I 'get' every reference they make, but you gotta start somewhere. This particular episode, 'Cave Dwellers' is one of my favorites and has been in my VCR for months now. Here's a short clip, worth it for the very last line alone:
MST3K: Cave Dwellers (Breast Friends)
2.) John Pinette's "Get Out of the Line" bit; probably too relevant for AX and the ensuing chaos. (This *will* come up.) I had the honor of seeing him do this bit in person, and a co-worker and I (who share little else in common) still have a laugh over this, although we add (what he added when we saw him), "watch *me*!"
John Pinette: Lines Drive Me Crazy
3.) Dr. Katz, a low-key, badly-animated, but too-funny show about a psychiatrist who lives with his deadbeat 24-year-old son Ben. I own and have watched the entire series, and present two clips below:
Dr. Katz Professional Therapist: A Robbery with the Katz
Dr. Katz Professional Therapist: Ben + Phone - Dr. Katz = Impossible
4.) The Jerk, back when Steve Martin was nothing but funny. This may not be the best part of the film, but embodies my thought processes, humorously:
The Jerk: Are You Awake?
5.) Topper, a 1937 film (one of the first to be colorized, something I hate, but anyway...) Another low-key comedic style, but starring Cary Grant (never heard of him...) A bit of context; Cary Grant is the young, 'most valued stockholder' in the bank which Mr. Topper (the old guy) works. Topper is completely henpecked, while Mr. Kirby (Cary Grant) and his wife are bonafide alcoholics who spend the night in their car, on the street, prior to the annual stockholders' meeting. Watching this clip might be a bit of a challenge for those of you not into banking, or old movies, but the line "and no cents" is slowly making its way to my vernacular. Thanks to whoever put this up, this was indeed a hit back in the day, and Constance Bennett (the blonde wife of Cary Grant) is really cute. Back when functioning alcoholism was accepted and embraced:
Topper: Part 3
6.) Lasto, Beavis and Butt-head. A defining moment of my youth, although the non-video segments are funny, I'd never have been so open-minded about music; most of the videos they watched were already waaay out of rotation before they made a comeback of sorts, lampooned by the main characters. When Beavis and Butt-head watched videos (the calm within the storm), their comments were quick, relevant, and made of gold:
Beavis and Butt-head: Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'
Beavis and Butt-head: Men Without Hats 'Safety Dance'
There's also required listening, take Capsule's 'Jumper', for instance:
Capsule, 'Jumper'
Urbangarde's "Don't Take Off Your Sailor Fuku":
Urbangarde, 'Don't take off your sailor fuku'
and while we're in the mood, Perfume, the new single "One Room Disco", I've only heard a third of it, but it's fantastic, as always:
Perfume, 'One Room Disco'
Final item on my agenda: I just bought a Sony CyberShot camera, here's hoping I make it back from L.A. with the gol-durned thing, and a lot of photos to share. Here's my guitar for reference. I set up the background for effect, and also to see how detailed it can get, this is about 1/4 of the full-resolution:
You can see the woodgrain in the guitar and practically read the serial numbers on the cash. Mind you, the full-res version shows all the percussion instruments that the keyboard has to offer. Keep in mind that there was -zero- sunlight outdoors, and, when buying a good still-camera, something I hadn't thought about... make sure your camera has adequate flash power. It makes all the difference.