GUS HAS NO FUZZ!

2010-01-08 · letter vlog · John · 2:38 · watch on YouTube

Topic: Nerdfighteria (also: Sports, Science & nature) · mode: Personal update · tags: community lore, song or performance, guest or collab, punishment or challenge

John reveals that Nerdfighters' search for his childhood book Gus Is a Bug was a baby-warming present, and presents a video book of Nerdfighter illustrations for his baby, after celebrating Alabama's football title and Hank's 15 hours in Target.

What is said

The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).

00:00:00 — Alabama's college football championship; thanking the Yeti for not going into labour; dreading the Frog Hopper

★★ Celebrating Alabama's college football national championship last night, John says the state may be 48th in education but is first in college football. (playful) — 00:00:00
★★ John thanks the Yeti for not going into labour during the game, and half hopes she will before next Wednesday (13 January 2010), so his Frog Hopper ride waits until after his paternity leave. (playful, hedged) — 00:00:00 · Sarah Urist Green

00:00:29 — Congratulations on 15 hours in Target; a 2008 study on hand dryers and bacteria

★★ John congratulates Hank on spending 15 hours in Target without going insane or getting arrested. (playful) — 00:00:29
★★ John cites a 2008 study (linked in the sidebar) that he says shows using a hand dryer after washing leaves far more bacteria on your hands than not washing at all. — 00:00:29
- check: way more bacteria on your hands than if you just don't wash them at all — doubtful

00:00:58 — Gus Is a Bug: Nerdfighters found it, and the find was a baby-warming present; their illustrations

★★★ John recalls asking Nerdfighters months ago to find his favourite childhood book, which he called Gus is a Bug; they found it although that was not its real title. — 00:00:58 · Nerdfighteria
★★★ John reveals he wanted the book to give to his baby, so by finding it Nerdfighters were unknowingly giving him a baby-warming present. — 00:00:58
★★★ John says Nerdfighters drew their own versions of Gus is a Bug, which he likes even more than the original, and he made them into a video book that will introduce his baby to Nerdfighteria. — 00:00:58 · Nerdfighteria

00:01:34 — 'Gus is a Bug by Nerdfighteria': the illustrated video book read aloud; thanks to illustrators; 'Gus is not a bug'; sign-off

★★ John thanks the Nerdfighter illustrators, regrets not including more, and thanks one who drew Gus as a non-bug larva (species name unclear) for reminding him smart is cooler than cute. — 00:02:03 · Nerdfighteria

In the description and comments

★★ John credits the Nerdfighters who illustrated the Gus is a Bug video book: Dr. Noise, Kaiti, Becca, Andrea, Minna, Sara Roscoe, Suzanne and SamWiseGirl. — video description
★ John notes that the link to the hand-dryer study went down from too many clicks, and points readers to Wikipedia's hand dryer article for its conclusions. — video description · Wikipedia

Humor (significant)

John celebrates Alabama, 'our ancestral homeland', winning the college football title. — 00:00:00

“Alabama may be 48th in education, but we are first in football played by people enrolled at educational institutions.”
John congratulates Hank on 15 hours in Target without going insane or getting arrested. — 00:00:29

“A feat that is hardly ever even accomplished by Target employees.”
After reading the Nerdfighter-illustrated book, John thanks the illustrators for restraint with one line of the text. — 00:02:03

“having the decency not to abuse Gus rubs his fuzz Gus rubs and rubs in the way that you might have”

Threads in this video

update · John and Sarah (the Yeti) are expecting a baby (2009) — John thanks the Yeti for not going into labour during the game the night before (7 January 2010) and half hopes the baby comes before next Wednesday (13 January 2010). (00:00:00)
accepted · John: ride the Frog Hopper, punishment for Nerdfighters finding Gus Is a Bug (2009) — John acknowledges the Frog Hopper punishment, hoping his paternity leave will push it past next Wednesday (13 January 2010); he says he doesn't want to ride it. (00:00:00)
performed · Hank: 15 hours in the Missoula Target for his 4:02 video (2009) — John congratulates Hank on completing 15 hours in Target without going insane or getting arrested. (00:00:29) → refers to 15 Hours in Target!
result reported · John asks Nerdfighters to find a copy or the author of Gus Is a Bug (2009) — John recalls that Nerdfighters found Gus is a Bug despite it not actually being called that. (00:00:58)
result reported · John asks Nerdfighters to illustrate Gus Is a Bug (2009) — John presents 'Gus is a Bug by Nerdfighteria', a video book of Nerdfighters' illustrations made for his baby. (00:01:34)
thanks · John asks Nerdfighters to illustrate Gus Is a Bug (2009) — John thanks all the Nerdfighters who illustrated Gus and apologises for not including more. (00:02:03)

Where the stories that moved here went next

John asks Nerdfighters to find a copy or the author of Gus Is a Bug (2009) — reported back; last: result reported, 2010-01-08
John asks Nerdfighters to illustrate Gus Is a Bug (2009) — reported back; last: result reported, 2011-05-23
John: ride the Frog Hopper, punishment for Nerdfighters finding Gus Is a Bug (2009) — performed
Hank: 15 hours in the Missoula Target for his 4:02 video (2009) — performed; last: looked back on, 2014-07-18
John and Sarah (the Yeti) are expecting a baby (2009) — told 2×, last update 2011; last: retold, 2011-04-29

Mentioned

Central: Gus Is a Bug

Also: Alabama · Frog Hopper · hand-dryer study (2008) · Sarah Urist Green · Target Corporation

Only in the description or credits: Alabama Crimson Tide football · Bill Martin · Sara Roscoe · Wikipedia

Also centred on Gus Is a Bug: Gus Is A Bug · Question Tuesday: The Free Money Edition · Eating the Unicorn

Replies to

answers · 15 Hours in Target! — “having watched you do this”

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