This was 6 minutes well spent. At least for me. Y’all might think otherwise. Animation with black ink pen and 2300 sticky notes.
Archive for July, 2008
friday youtubery
Friday, July 25th, 2008love and betrayal
Thursday, July 24th, 2008First, the betrayal: it turns out that techno chicken is from a Domino’s commercial for their BBQ chicken pizza. Still, the song and video are well produced but it just seems so wrong that it’s chicken-hawking Domino’s wares.
Now for the love, or that I think I am in love*, with this woman: Nellie McKay.
*love here is meant figuratively, as the only woman who truly has my heart in any meaningful sense is, of course, my wonderful wife.
a short list of insect(s) that are not on my a-list right now
Thursday, July 10th, 2008- Yellow jackets
Encounters with flying insects are not uncommon while riding a bicycle. Once in awhile you get some extra protein in your diet, but for the most part they’ll just smack into you and fly away. Or get stuck in your helmet.
Yesterday, as I was cruising around 22 mph, something with a bit of mass smacked my knee. And this was the ensuing chain of thought:
Hmm. That felt like a junebug.
But junebugs usually just bounce off.
Ow, what was that?
(looking down)
OH MY GOD HOLY HELL IT’S A F*ING YELLOW JACKET AND IT’S STINGING ME OH HOLY CRAP GET IT OFF ME GET IT OFF ME GET IT OFF ME!!!!
(hand is now furiously smacking at leg, trying to dislodge the burrowing insect)
The spectacle must have looked hilarious: cyclist cruising at speed suddenly jerks up, hand flailing, bike swerving, a stream of curse words unfit for sailors flowing from his mouth.
The thing about yellow jackets is that they don’t just sting. They bite too, and this one was intent on a dinner of Scott Patella Steak, extra rare. I actually hadn’t believed that it stung me until this morning when I looked at the larger bite wound and noticed a smaller, slightly more painful wound next to it. That and the minor swelling and soreness.
And now I can definitively say that the bite/sting combo I received a couple months back in my ear was also from a yellow jacket. That encounter was within 200 yards of this one, so they must prey on passing cyclists in that area.
techno chicken
Monday, July 7th, 2008Well things are pretty dreary around here, what with all that’s happening, so here is a yoo toob that may or may not lift your spirits:
Thanks to neat-o-rama for bringing this to my attention.
the bad and the good
Monday, July 7th, 2008First, the bad news: my brother was hit by a catering truck while riding his bike last week. He’s ok (as in no apparent permanent damage), but suffered some broken bones and other injuries. He spent several days in the hospital and is now healing at home. We’re all thinking about him and his family.
This has been a very sobering event for all of us: he and his wife had been cycling for the past year or so and both have become fit and trim, and I know my wife worries about me on my bike.
I will continue to ride and I will continue to be vigilant, now more than ever. I hope my brother and his wife will get back in the saddle but I sure do understand if they call it quits.
Now for the good news: my mom is engaged to be married to her sweetheart. He asked her to marry him in Vienna, and they are both very happy. Unfortunately I interrupted their bliss with an early morning phone call to tell her about my brother. The confluence of major life-altering events is something to ponder.