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Dec. 26th: Christmas, Manga, and Goat Poop

2007-12-26 · John · watch on YouTube · Personal life · personal update

John, filming on Christmas Day at his parents' house in Asheville, reports on the visit (a haircut, his parents' constantly pooping goats), calls this one of his favourite Christmases thanks to the Happy Dance Project and gifts, describes the brothers' used-book and manga exchange, and wishes Hank luck at his concert.

What is said

00:00:00 — Greeting from Mom and Dad's house in Asheville, admitted to be filmed on Christmas Day ('Movie magic!'); 361 days since the start; Mom pleased with John's haircut

  • ★★ In the description John admits he mangled the Eliot quotation and gives the actual wording. — 00:00:00
  • ★★ John says he is back where it all started, at Mom and Dad's house in Asheville, admits he is filming on Christmas Day rather than the 26th, and marvels it has been 361 days. (playful) — 00:00:10
  • ★ John says Mom is in a good mood because he got a haircut, though he finds her concern odd given her questionable judgment when she controlled his hair. (playful) — 00:00:10

00:00:55 — The parents' goats: adorable but pooping constantly, which John jokes held goats back in evolution

  • ★★ John reports that Mom and Dad have goats they love; he finds them adorable but says they poop constantly. (playful) — 00:00:55

00:01:25 — Christmas: John the Grinch warms to the tree and the parents' Hedwig ornament; one of his favourite Christmases thanks to the Happy Dance Project; argyle socks as 'the visible sign of the invisible nerdfighter'

  • ★★ John admits he is kind of a Grinch about Christmas, but the presents, tree and ornaments, including a Hedwig ornament, gave him a little Christmas spirit. — 00:01:25 · Christmas
  • ★ John notes that his parents really have a Hedwig ornament, calling them Nerdfighter parents. (playful) — 00:01:25 · Nerdfighteria
  • ★★★ John calls this one of his favourite Christmases, first because of the Happy Dance Project, which has made him happy nearly every minute for days and which he thinks will be his cure for sadness. (playful) (hedged) — 00:01:47 · Nerdfighter Happy Dance Project, Christmas
  • ★★ Although John agreed with most people to swap only used books or give to charity instead of gifts, he received argyle socks. — 00:01:47
  • ★★ Adapting a T. S. Eliot line ('Light is the visible sign of invisible light'), John calls argyle socks the visible sign of the invisible nerdfighter. (playful) — 00:01:47 · nerdfighter

00:02:16 — The brothers' used-books-only exchange: Hank's books for John, John's 'weird' manga for Hank

  • ★★ The brothers agreed to exchange only used books: Hank gave John used books including a history of Christmas, and John gave Hank manga. — 00:02:16
  • ★★ Since Hank said he likes 'the weird stuff', John reads the blurb of the manga he chose, about a samurai named Jin whose blood sugar drops: a diabetic samurai. (playful) — 00:02:16

00:02:46 — Diabetic-samurai manga punchline; favourite present the book from Wynflete; good luck for Hank's show tonight; sign-off; thanks to Dad for editing the Happy Dance Project; reminder to Missoula Nerdfighters to see Hank's show

  • ★★ John says his favourite Christmas present is probably the book he got from Wynflete. (hedged) — 00:02:46
  • ★★ John tells Hank not to be nervous about tonight's show and that he'll rock, to the extent a guy with an acoustic guitar can. (playful) — 00:02:46
  • ★★ John thanks his dad again for all his help editing the Happy Dance Project. — 00:02:46 · Nerdfighter Happy Dance Project
  • ★★ John reminds Nerdfighters in and around Missoula, Montana to go see Hank's show, with details in the video info. — 00:02:46 · Nerdfighteria, Missoula, Montana

Humor (significant)

  • Mom worries about John's haircut now, though she once had full control of his hair. — 00:00:10 > «you have to say that her judgment was questionable»
  • John explains why humans, not goats, became the dominant and most intellectual species. — 00:01:25 > «very difficult to accomplish much when you have to poop every 11 seconds»
  • John quotes T. S. Eliot's line that light is the visible sign of invisible light, then applies it to his gift. — 00:01:47 > «Well, Argyle. socks are the visible sign of the invisible nerdfighter.»
  • Hank asked for 'the weird stuff'; John reads the blurb about Jin, whose blood sugar drop means trouble. — 00:02:46 > «it's manga about a diabetic samurai. I hope that counts as the weird stuff.»

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