Remember "Gilligan's Island?"

From yesterday's Nextdraft newsletter (link):

3 men rescued from Pacific island after writing SOS in sand. (Wait, that actually worked!!?)

I have many memories of that show, and one of the most vivid (why, I have no idea) was a time when they somehow knew an orbiting spacecraft was going to be flying overhead, so they made a huge SOS sign out of logs and set them on fire.  Only, Gilligan tripped over the last letter, so the people flying above thought it said SOL and ignored it.

(Just now realized the irony of what the message morphed into, but I don't think that back then anyone used SOL to mean "Shit Outta Luck.")

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[Update 2020-08-05 13:35] I never thought to check, but thanks to a DMer on Twitter, here are more deets.

Putting a price tag on My Good Name(?)

It's nice to fantasize about for a moment or two (baby big brother needs a new pair of sandals laptop ... well, one of these years, anyway) but, uh, I don't really believe it. As far as I know, all of my doppelgängers have a different middle initial.

But hey, if you're someone new out there online, with nine benjamins burning a hole in your pocket, please get in touch! I may not be easy, but I'm comparatively cheap!

Deep thought

Why is an actor in a movie but on a tv show?

Deep thought

If you think half an inch doesn't make a difference, try going down a familiar set of stairs wearing only one shoe.

Deep Thought

When you find something ancient and obscure on the first shot, do you think:

1. Wow, Google is amazing.
2. Wow, I'm really good at constructing search queries.

Come on. Be honest.

Deep thought

Snow underfoot:

crunch + squeak
--------------- = creak
       2

Deep thought

Am I old because I learned a rock music fact only by reading the New York Times, or young because all of my life, until yesterday, I thought Nirvana wrote this?

(alt. video link)

(alt. video link)

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Which reminds me. I read somewhere -- sorry, I forget where -- a new version of an old favorite: You know you're old when your kid says to you, "Dad, did you know Dave Grohl was in a band before Foo Fighters?"

Clearly, not Irish

The Goodreads Quote of the Day ...

The nicest thing about feeling happy is that you think you'll never be unhappy again.
    -- Manuel Puig

...

    ... ?

         ... ???

Well, let's just note that he's Argentinian. My people? When we're happy, it's always tinged with the thought that (a) we don't deserve it, and (b) (and maybe probably therefore) something bad 'bout to happen.

;)

Deep thought

In certain corners of my house, when the micowave is running, the WiFi signal is interrupted.

Should I be concerned about this?

Deep thought

How do you pluralize iPhone 6s?

Deep thought

Q: When are you both decreasing and increasing?

A: When you're ironing?

Deep thought

Obvious Cat is obvious, yes.

But also, Vague General Ality is vague.

#needzgrafick

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Sorry. Just read one too many blog posts by one of those tech VC guys.

Glad we got that cleared up

Global airlines announced on Tuesday a new guideline that recommends even smaller carry-on bags … The guideline, which is not binding … While details of how the guideline will be put into effect are murky, and would vary from airline to airline …  … The trade group says the new guideline will not necessarily replace each airline’s rules on bag size, but gives them a uniform measurement that “will help iron out inconsistencies.”

It's hard to love airlines. They have so much baggage.

Found it!

[ + ]

MORE »

Deep thought

Did you ever have a friend named Godfrey? What did you call him for short?

(With Leibniz, it might well have been appropriate.)

L'esprit de l'escalier

After walking ... upstairs, as it happens, ... I wish I'd titled that last post Pick-up Line.

Acceptance

After three days, I think we can conclude that dead animal in the road in front of the driveway is not playing possum.

Thought balloon

OMG. NOBODY TOLD ME THERE WOULD BE CAMERAS.

</Timmy>

Well, if I count all of the different brands of leftover shampoo ...

I turned 66 last week and started worrying that maybe I really was getting older, but whenever that sort of thing happens I hold my head erect and whistle a happy tune.

Just messing with you.

What I did, actually, was walk into my bathroom and take the Wadler Sure Fire Accurate Aging Test, which I hope to be marketing soon. It goes like this: You count up the number of hair products you own, then you count up the number of digestive aids, and if the hair products are in the lead, you are still young. (I understand this test may not work as well for men; I’m open to suggestions.)

I do not actually own any digestive aids (I buy bourbon and cognac for other reasons, although admittedly they do tend to settle the stomach), so I guess I'm still infinitely young, amirite, Joyce Wadler?

__________

Also, I call men get to count razors and shaving cream as hair care products, especially if they're opting to Be Like Mike.

(pic. source)

Time for a new calender

Having recently (re)gifted an Advent calendar, it occurs to me that the next can't-miss item for retailers (assuming this gets a nod of approval from Dr. Oz) would be a Lenten Calendar.

It would work like this: every day, for forty days, a maw would open, and you, or your child, would be required to deposit therein a piece of candy.

Variations abound. For example, you could get all of it back (less tithe) on Easter.