You know how you are wandering past a book store on a street or in an airport and all of a sudden you feel compelled to buy a book? And it is that odd book that you wouldn’t usually buy. Then you put the book in your bag and instead of reading it, right then and there, you forget about that book. And a few years later, you are unpacking all of your books after moving back from Europe and you find that book and wonder ‘What compelled me to buy that book?’.

I am sure that has happened to all of us.

Created in Darkness by Troubled Americans is that book for me. I found it the other evening while the boys were doing homework, the fireplace was on and I was in a mood to procrastinate (which means, I didn’t feel like ticking off one of the never ending action items that adorn the board with the title ‘Michael’s list’).

Which lead me to a couple articles which I ended up reading to the boys, my favourite being On the Implausibility of The Death Star’s Trash Compactor. The following quote sums it up (note, you have to have a certain type of humour – which means you are one of those people who loves Monty Python):

3. Why does the trash compactor compact trash so slowly, and with such difficulty, once the resistance of a thin metal rod is introduced? Surely metal Death Star pieces are one of the main items of trash in need of compacting. It thus stands to reason that the trash compactor should have been better designed to handle the problem of a skinny piece of metal. (And while I hate to be the sort of person who says I told you so, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that a one-movable-wall system would have improved performance.)

It also lead me to root around the McSweeneys site and too many LOL articles to comment on, so I point to two:

Teddy Wayne’s Unpopular Proverbs:

Unity.

A house divided against itself cannot stand. Wait, I forgot about duplexes. Duplexes are the exact literal definition of bifurcated housing. I can be such an idiot sometimes.

Imitation.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Also, believe me when I say you’re very attractive and brilliant.

Perseverance.

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again, and by the fourth failed attempt, it’s probably time to give up and admit that you’ll never be a decent recreational juggler.  (Which is reminiscent of this poster).

And of course, a few funny jokes:

A man walks into a bar. He has a few drinks and chats with the bartender.
Later that night, he goes home alone and reflects on the poor decisions he’s made in life.

A little worthwhile downtime.