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5. Developing modes of expression so subtle it takes emotional radar as sensitive as a scanning electron microscope to detect them. You know the Eddie Izzard sketch* where he talks about the difference between British and American films? And he uses, as an example, a scene where Sebastian walks into a room where someone is arranging matches, exchanges some words and departs? In the British version, the words are few, seemingly desultory and painfully polite. In the American version, the words are many, their meanings transparent and there is a lot of arm-waving and swearing. What is perhaps not obvious is that these scenes have exactly the same emotional content.
I can illustrate with an anecdote. We had to rush Humuhumu to the hospital a couple of weeks ago**. The bloke was extremely upset and worried. Would you like to know how he expressed that? He was tapping his finger on the steering wheel and exceeding the speed limit by more than five miles an hour.
* If you don't know it, please watch here: YouTube video of the sketch, 05:34, audio NSFW.
** Nobody panic: She's fine and there won't be any long-term effects.
I can illustrate with an anecdote. We had to rush Humuhumu to the hospital a couple of weeks ago**. The bloke was extremely upset and worried. Would you like to know how he expressed that? He was tapping his finger on the steering wheel and exceeding the speed limit by more than five miles an hour.
* If you don't know it, please watch here: YouTube video of the sketch, 05:34, audio NSFW.
** Nobody panic: She's fine and there won't be any long-term effects.
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I tend to swear quite a lot when I get upset or angry, even at work. But that's just performance art. You can tell when I'm *really* upset, because I don't say anything. I just compress my lips a little. And occasionally knock my coffee cup over.
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(Also I am very glad that Humuhumu is fine.)
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0onquIv89g
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Last time I flew out of Minneapolis, there was a woman shouting in the toilets so loudly that you couldn't help but hear her at about half the chairs at the nearest gate. I think she must have been on the phone but she never stopped to let the other person speak, it was just a constant stream of vitriol.
I thought it was kind of impressive, really. But only because I'd never witnessed such a thing before (I couldn't help notice, and I'm sure it wasn't coincidence, that she had a strong southern accent).
The most interesting thing was watching the effect it had on the people sitting in those nearby chairs. Ripples of psychic discomfort were disseminating through the room as Minnesotans tried their best to ignore this, uncomfortably reached the threshold where they no longer could, and grudgingly muttered things to each other like "little loud, isn't it?" and "well it's never going to help if she doesn't let the other person say anything, is it?" in the camaraderie of people who would die before being heard doing anything like this themselves.
The emotional constipation and the diet are make me feel like Minnesota's twinned with the north of England.
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And now for something completely different...
Joyeux anniversaire,
Hau`oli Lā Hānau, dear nanila,
Happy birthday to you!
(you have to imagine the singing)
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Re: And now for something completely different...
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZVjKlBCvhg
"Talk, will you?"
"But it hurts!"
"Well, loosen it up a bit then, would you?"
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What's a Halloween Oreo like?!
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Basically (and in much less flowery language than my first attempt at asking): Please may I copy and use (where appropriate) your "Swiss Army knife of Sexuality" icon.
- Paul B. =:o}