Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Overspill from the Answers Vid

If you haven't watched it already I invite you to either 1) jump in front of a truck or 2) take a look right here.





Regarding video games there is a lot to be said and a lot I will leave unsaid.  Suffice to say they have been an integral part of my life for about as long as I can remember.  From age 5 when I figured out how to pwn this crappy ascii game on our vintage 1982 64k ram and no hard drive computer, to the three gut wrenching attempts to make it over the first goomba in the original mario brothers, to the epic struggle to beat Street Fighter II with Zangief... They have always been close to my heart and have inspired a number of fantasies and fictions that no doubt linger on in my writing and thinking.

Regarding alcohol I don't do a lot of drinking anymore but when I do a nice warming glass of red wine usually takes the edge off and an ice cold beer is still very much welcome to the tastebuds.  But my favorite liquor drink remains "The Naughty Brown Cow" as first decanted by my good friend Tom.

Naughty Brown Cow Recipe:


1 oz Kahlua
1 oz Silver Rum
4 oz Chocolate milk

Shake with ice and to make the milk nice and frothy and then serve on the rocks.  It's heavenly.  Actually its better than heaven because it's real!

Regarding people who post first I think I am with the majority on this one: death by melon baller is far to kind a fate

Now I know some of you will stumble over here from youtube thinking something along the lines of 'man that guy is a dick' or something but I wanted to share a little about my philosophy of humor (for Krensharpaw) and to explain my point of view.

If you've read Malcolm Gladwell's book "Outliers" you know that it takes about 10,000 hours of practice to really become world class at something like playing an instrument or a sport.  The more you do it, the better you get.  Easy money.

However for things like writing, and stand up comedy there's probably some distinction.  Being a good, or at least an interesting writer demands more than practice.  You have to have experience of your own, insight into the world, a unique perspective or a story to tell that is rare among people.  Its almost a meta-talent and any number of factors can influence quality beyond putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard.

And I think humor is very much like that.  It's not simple, it's very nuanced and very context specific.  Jokes that are topical and awesome in one culture fall flat as hell in others.  Like writing I think humor can be influenced by a number of factors and there's always the element of practice for delivery if nothing else.

But when it comes to when it is appropriate to make a joke or who to make a joke about I draw very little distinction.  If the opportunity presents itself I feel compelled to make the joke regardless of who will find themselves the butt.  Be it a good friend or a respected elder or some prole on the street...humor should be blind to its subjects.

That's how I feel on the matter anyways.

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