Always gets a replay
Never tilts at all
That deaf, dumb and blind kid
Sure plays a mean pinball
~ Pete Townshend’s “Pinball Wizard”

(The Who begins to play at the Superbowl halftime show)

Mother: Okay, which ones are these guys again?
Me: The Who.
Mother: And what do they play?
Me: Well, this song is Baba O’Riley, although most people think it’s called teenage wasteland.
Mother: What do they play that I would know?

(brief pause)

Me: You know this one. It’s the theme song for CSI New York. Who songs are used for all the CSI theme songs.
Mother: Even my favorite?
Me: Sadly, yes.
Mother: They do all of them?
Me: Yes.
Mother: Wow, I wonder how they got them to do all three?
Me: The songs were hits before they were used for the shows, Mom.
Mother: They were? When?
Me: 70’s.
Mother: They weren’t written for the shows?
Me: No.

(A few songs play - including an excerpt from “See Me, Feel Me”)

Me: Oh! You might have seen Tommy. That was all songs by The Who.
Mother: What was that?
Me: A musical with Ann-Margaret.
Mother: Like Bye Bye Birdie?
Me: No, Mom, it was called Tommy.
Mother: And who was in it?
Me: Ann-Margaret, Tina Turner, Jack Nicholson, the guys from The Who…
Mother: Ann-Margaret and Jack Nicholson?
Me: Yes.
Mother: And it was a musical?
Me: Yes.
Mother: When was it?
Me: Mid ’70s.
Mother: Really? Wow. I don’t remember it.
Me: You were too busy dragging me to Barry Manilow concerts against my will.
Mother: It wasn’t against your will, you loved them.
Me: You have no proof of that. I maintain I was forced.
Mother: You still know all the lyrics.
Me: Yes, that’s why I couldn’t learn math - there were Barry Manilow lyrics taking up room in my head. I hope you’re happy you kept me from being a math genius.
Mother: Your Dad made you listen to Bob Dylan and his songs are way longer.
Me: Don’t try to confuse the issue with your fuzzy logic. You’re why I don’t know math.

(Half-time show ends)

Mother: That wasn’t so bad. I really do like musicals. I wonder why I didn’t see that one.
Me: It had good music in it?
Mother: Ha. Ha. Who else was in it?
Me: Elton John.
Mother: Is that the one where he’s in the really big shoes?
Me: Yes!
Mother: Oh, I did see that, then.
Me: I am so impressed.
Mother: I think your Dad took me to see that at the old Tropicaire drive-in.
Me: You remember where you saw it, but all you remember about the movie is Elton John in big shoes?
Mother: We weren’t really watching the movie.
Me: What were you…oh jeez, TOO MUCH information!!
Mother: Come to think of it that might have been when your brother was…
Me: Waaaaaaaaaaay too much information! Way! Too! Much!

“Cheer up, the worst is yet to come.” ~ Philander Chase Johnson

It’s Friday and, regardless of the last two weeks, Friday demands levity. So, passing on some links from other sources.

First, just when you thought your 80s flashbacks were bad, we get The Sara Carlson Experience which proves no matter how horrible Miami Vice and Solid Gold were, America can’t hold a candle to Europe when it comes to TV shame.

Is that why my night elf dances like that? God, I hope not. So many flavors of wrongness.

Next, I cannot stress enough how NSFW this safe sex ad is, but it’s cute, creative, and naughty in all the right ways (I believe it’s French, but another source says Russian).

“The only legitimate use of a computer is to play games.” ~ Eugene Jarvis

A friend passes along The 100 Cupcakes Game.

My score was 90/100, but I think I should get credit for two of the ones I technically missed and two others I would have gotten if I’d seen other cupcakes before them. So, honestly, I think I should have a 94. Yes, I was just this annoying with teachers in high school.

I would also like to note that #14 was my favorite video game of all time as a kid.

Semi-Spoilers after the jump.
(more…)

“I had a friend who was a clown. When he died, all his friends went to the funeral in one car.” ~ Stephen Wright

USPS which probably ranks up there in public satisfaction with the DMV and IRS has had a couple semi-clever ads over the last year promoting their flat-rate express shipping products. I always take mild interest in how advertisers try and turn around their client’s image, and I think going with humor and reminding people that they’re still the cheaper option for USPS is the right tack to take. Trying the integrity route would be a bust.

The latest commercial entry in their ad campaign is an absolute winner that makes me giggle every time I see it.

Clowns are creepy. If only I’d had USPS flat rate boxes for Raggedy Ann and Andy.

I blame it on Walt Disney, where animals are given human qualities. People don’t understand that a wild animal is not something that is nice to pat. It can seriously harm you. ~ James Cameron

Avatar vs Pocahontas

I’m sure it’s just a coincidence. It has to be a coincidence. It’s a coincidence, right?