MusEditions

Musey Psilon’s Blogalot

Posted on June 7, 2009. Filed under: Culture, Games, Health, HowTo, Music, Musings, Philosophy, Science |

***WARNING***This post is very nearly completely silly. {You have been warned}

Gosh, I love this title! I needn’t write another thing, need I? I shall, though. I feel compelled to explain it.

I like science, and I’m fond of the absurd. This post blends them. I must wonder why? Why are our minds attracted to certain things, and combinations of things—even Things on top of Other Things? Why would I just, splendidly, enjoy theoretical physics AND Monty Python’s Flying Circus? Both these things are acquired tastes. While the former is seen as a “legitimate” interest, with a “place” in society (it’s a Branch of Science, after all!), I’d argue that the field of “comedy” has just as legitimate a place in society as does science. What comedy does is shake us up; it tears a hole in our everyday reality and makes us look at life in a new way. And that’s what science does, too! I used to think that “science” was about “discovering” the “facts”. Then, one manipulates, exploits, and recombines them—to what end? Well, primarily because it’s fun for the scientists. (If you are a scientist and not having fun, get out of the field! Now! I mean it!) 😮 But, secondarily, I believe, to “benefit” humankind. Comedy does not appear to have as direct a benefit. I propose that, although a more “lowbrow” form of entertainment than, say, the Ballet, it has its place. We would not survive as a species without comedy!

The title of the post came to me when I discovered that the great Tony Award® winning musical play Monty Python’s Spamalot is coming here to Tucson! I am of course looking forward to seeing it. Did I say this play has won awards? From the legitimate theater award organizations? You know, the mainstream, “serious theater”, well-respected organizations?

I just wanted to be clear on that, because, amazingly, I’m not sure with whom, amongst the many Tucson theater-goers I know, I shall attend. I am a Python-Geek(1), defined as “someone who has memorized all the skits”, and most of my peeps are not. 😦 When I think of one or two or three people I’d love to share this magnificent, culturally significant event with, I only come up with people who roll their eyes when I mention Monty Python. 🙄 I fully realize that Python is not to everyone’s taste. 😕 However, even though one or two of my friends might attend this play with me if I ask them, I refuse to go with an eye-roller! I’d rather go alone! Which I may do. (There is no shame in that!)

I’m also a Star Trek geek. (I told you I was going to talk about science, too!) Therefore, with this overly verbose bit of background out of the way, I’ll explain my post title:

(“I feel Musey! Oh, so Musey! I feel Musey, and Newsy and Glib!”)

So, “Musey“. This is an affectionate, diminutive, nickname for my blog name, “Muse”, which had already been contracted early on by some of my incredibly affectionate and diminutive readers.

So, “Psilon“. I thought I had made up this word. I wanted it to rhyme with “Cylon” (see below) but also have it relate to “psi” phenomena because the title sounded cool that way. Behold! a Wikipedia entry on the very term! “A Psilon is a unit of length that is equal to 44 manly strides or, less precisely, 0.025 miles (a quarter of a tenth of a mile).” However: “This article’s factual accuracy is disputed.” Nevertheless, I had to practice my “manly strides” in my living room to see how far 40 of them would really take me. Unfortunately, my room is only four “manly strides” long (if I’m doing the “manly” part of the stride, right. Wait a minute; isn’t “Stride Rite” a brand of baby shoes? How did they get into a post about striding Manfully?) So, in order to perform 44 “manly strides” I had to go ’round and ’round my living room four times (the circumference being ten “manly strides”, or would be if I walked right over the sofa as well as the television cabinet). After thus going ’round and ’round, and beginning to feel considerably less “manly” at each turn, I gave up on the “psilon” as a useful measure of anything; agreeing completely with the Wikicritic.

Still, there is the aurally identical “Cylon” to consider.  “Cylon stands for Cybernetic Lifeform Node” and is a term to describe cybernetic workers and soldiers in the television series Battlestar Galactica. For months; nay, years, I tormented my friends (both sci-fi fans, and not such) with the query “How do you know I’m NOT a Cylon? (You see, [if you haven’t watched Galactica, and if not, why not?] the latest evolution of Cylons [and yes, I used the term “evolution” deliberately] look identical to humanoids!)

And finally, the last word, “Blogalot“, I believe, is fairly self-explanatory(2)

Thank you for reading this far, if, in fact, you did. You have an incredible amount of fortitude and spamina stamina. 😀

1 The thing is, when I recite the sketches for some of these unenlightened friends, they do laugh. I can be a one-person show with this, using different silly voices for each role. I have mastered Silly Walkery (yes, I really did practice it) and I have a pet ant called ‘Eric’. (Alright, I made that last bit up.)

2 “Camelot” (musical play) > “Spamalot” (very silly musical play) > “Blogalot” (unforgivably silly blogger).

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

***Broken news (from 2008) “Michael Palin to replace Sarah Palin on McCain/Palin ticket!” (This seems to have been just a rumor, but DO scroll down and watch the video.)

***In a related story “Michael Palin’s reaction to his ‘niece’ Sarah Palin’s nomination”. (I didn’t know she was his ‘niece’! Did you?)

***In a somewhat related story, John Cleese tells how he’d thought Michael was the funniest Palin; his place has been usurped. With Cleese’s commentary on the American politcal system. Candid; estute; inflammatory—quite Cleese.

***My aplolgies for excessive linkism in this post. I imagine I’ll get back to normal one of these times.

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