It's been a helluva week but I think we can all finally celebrate that we've turned a corner and we're headed towards some positivity. That may be famous last words but I'm feeling optimistic that the darkness of Wednesday is behind us. Fingers and toes all crossed.

I'm furious and disgusted and bewildered by so much of the past four years. I won't go embrace a rant here but let's all try to collectively figure out how we can hold more people in power accountable for their actions in a timely manner and, possibly more importantly, figure out how we can agree on what are facts. It isn't hard. Thanks!

Dusting off the Friday Videos.. been way too long.

• Animaniac - the Internet never fails to make light of a serious situation and the complete idiotic nature of true morons.
• Turtle Dancing on Toothbrush - a salve for your doomscrolling. pure delight.
• Fox Valley Center commercial - I have been going on a deep dive into old mall commercials and these two mascots are just delightful. See also, this animated gem.
• Realistic and Interactive Eye Gaze - inversely, this is both terrifying and gripping. DisneyResearch going hard on the terror scale.
• Too Much Fun - look, I don't like to laugh at the hardships of others but this is a gripping 30 seconds with an inevitable end.
• Brewster McCloud Trailer - this 1970 Altman movie was unknown to me but having watched the trailer, I think this absurdity needs to be a part of all our lives.
• HOUSE trailer - speaking of bonkers movies you need in your life, I rewatched this 1977 "horror" movie over the break and can not stress enough how fantastic it is.
• When The World Became A De Chirico Painting - again, not particularly kooky but a rather poignant and well made piece looking back at 2020 through a unique lens.
• The Dankest Jump - sometimes the Internet just... doesn't make sense.

Stay safe out there. Keep wearing the dang mask.

A few things to start off your Halloween weekend. Listen to this this spooky playlist and if that's not enough for you listen to this one by my lovely lady and this Disney Nightmare Mix which never fails to deliver.

While listening to all that, take some time to peruse the Giphy Halloween Collections, there's just... so much. It's great.

Stay safe out there and have a safe and happy Halloween!

• Dance Skeletons - somehow I've managed to encounter this gem only now, in 2020. It's been around but no matter when it finds you, it's a treat.
• Spooky Scary Doot - 1 minute and 39 seconds of pure joy.
• Spooky Scary (Swingin') Skeletons - Extended Club Version - a much more accessible bit of spoop for you.
• What is Spoopy? - a diehard classic in my opinion.
• I Want To Bite Your Hand - a wonderfully ridiculous Halloween parody.
• Bangarang Halloween Light Show - yes, there's a Metallica version for 2020 but allowing myself to listen to a bit of Skrillex is a little treat for me.
• Pumpkin Dance - before he went on Dancing with the Stars, this was an unadulterated joyous gem of the Internet. 13 million views later, it still feels great. No Halloween is complete without this.
• Shaboi - Curse Walk - and the Shaboi remixed version always works surprisingly well.
• Carpetbagger Halloween - this YouTuber visits a bunch of Haunted Houses in the South and gets very scared. Yes, 20 minutes is a long video but his genuine shrieks are absolutely worth it.
• Retro Halloween Set - there's a ton of these floating around and they're usually worth a little scrub through. Some amazingly absurd creations in here.

Stay safe out there. Keep wearing the dang mask.

It's October so you know I've been compiling a Halloween playlist of absurdities. If you have suggestions, let me know. I want all the gems. Send them all!

Let's just dive into some distractions.

• Sizzler Promotional Commercial 1991 - watch the entire 4:41 seconds of this. A book's worth of investigations and questions will swirl around you. How is American Freedom and Revolution related to a buffet? Did they shoot all of this? Why is that one couple making out so hard in a Sizzler? Mysteries of the universe. HT to Baldwin for this one.
• Old Country Buffet Conversation Starters - staying on theme, this edit of a training video is Perfect Cringe.
• Wendy's Chili - okay, so there's a whole YouTube of Training Videos (of course there is) and this Wendy's Chili Song is FIRE.
• Marc Rebillet - Girl's Club - I am new to the world of Marc Rebillet. I was skeptical I would enjoy but I'll be damned if it isn't hilarious.
• Megan the Stallion - Savage - I know nothing about Megan the Stallion but this performance is phenomenal for a myriad of reasons; the song, the message and the insane projections. Worth your time.
• It Is Thursday, My Dudes - a new meme enters the arena.
• What is Spoopy? - a friend asked me recently "what is Spoopy?" - I was more than happy to have this classic ready to deliver.
• Dental School Robot (with sound) - truly the most disturbing creation I've seen this week.
• The Fly of Prophecy - let it be true.

Stay safe out there. Keep wearing the dang mask.

I made a Sprockets reference in my work Slack today and it fell on deaf ears. Turns out I really am 41 and these kinds of pop culture references tend to fall by the wayside. Particularly if you weren't born when they aired.

In other news, the latest Coupler EP is streaming everywhere. Treat yourself to this EP of "Strictly Bangers."

On to the visual distractions.

• Margot & Andy - "will you move your clothes?", "Yea, I need to do something tho"
• MAVS - "Algorithm" - it's a music video but really it's a short film. A pretty intense one at that.
• Buying a Computer in 1994 - a shocking amount of Good Ole Boys and Older Ladies.
• Fox in the Starbucks - these noises... :mindblown:
• Free Form Chair Climbing - an Olympic I'd watch.
• Too Many - or just enough?
• A bowl of salad in the seat of a wheelchair rolling down the street unassisted (with Diana Ross) - say no more.

Stay safe out there. Keep wearing the dang mask.

Fact: I took three days off work last week to catch up on personal work. Sad but true. I thought this would help me get all "caught up" on emails that I've had lingering since May but, no! It turns out, sending an email generally results in receiving one. I sealed my own fate on that one.

On a positive note, it's Friday. I'm ready to goof off with some stupid videos.

• Mississippi Fights COVID-19 with Out Run - you know what kids born in 2002 like? Educational instructions from 1980s video games. This can't fail, right?
• Shake Disturbance - I'm a big fan of rare cat meow noises.
• Caracal Screams for Food - never forget Laser Meow. One of the best.
• Pet the Cat - just a delightful diddy as far as I'm concerned.
• That one Papa John's interview - but as a clown.
• The Squirrel Bar - 7 minutes of a man constructing a deluxe nut bar for squirrels. Entranced.
• David Lynch being a madman for a relentless 8 minutes and 30 seconds - loved every moment.

Stay safe out there. Keep wearing the dang mask.

Have I used Lumpawaroo as a cover gif previously? Probably but whenever I see him in a gif dump, I just can't help myself.

Helluva week. Lots of horrible things happening in the news wherever you look. Hopefully we are all able to see these things as net positives; resolving injustice isn't going to come easy but at least progress is being made and a light is being shined on the problems.

But, hey, you don't come here for that. Enjoy:

• 80's Aerobics set to Dragula - need I say more?
• Karens But With Zombie Noises - I am dying crying.
• Cheeky Moon - sometimes being unbelievably high can be funny.
• Wide Eagle Walking - why is the Internet so weird?
• Uptown Spook - got me.
• My Fifth Highest Note - what exactly is the goal here?
• How to Eat a Sunflower Head - not particularly wacky but just weird. Just weird.
• Two Stoats Meet for the First Time - YouTube has been recommending videos about these adorable weasels and I can't say I can complain about it.

Stay safe out there. Keep wearing the dang mask.

Searched Giphy for #wonderful and this came back. Seems right.

If you're here for some meaningless distractions, you have no better destination than /r/AbruptChaos/ on Reddit. You're welcome.

Here's to a wonderful weekend.

• Nelson Travels to Midnight City - the perfect mashup for 2020.
• Class Action Park trailer - if you told me this was mockumentary I'd believe you but, scarily enough, I think it's legit.
• CHAOS commercial - commercials for rollercoasters are weird, this one is especially obtuse.
• Roy Faires Reviews Howard the Duck - spoiler alert: this guy did NOT like the movie. Amazingly, not believable enough for him.
• She's a Brick... - an excellent remix.
• Marianne McCall performs "Midnight Rider" - I'll be honest, I just love this woman's entire vibe.
• Gold Dancing Singing Skeleton - Grandin Road makes "high end" Halloween decorations. Most are actually pretty fun but this one is hysterically subtle. What a fright!
• Windows XP Intro - Perfect Internet Stupidity.

Side note, have you watched YOLO: Crystal Fantasy on Adult Swim? Has a SuperJail vibe to it, which I am into.

Stay safe out there. Keep wearing the dang mask.

Really been enjoying the disgusting allure of these Dax Norman GIFs, maybe you will too.

Before we dive in to the distractions, please take a moment to please your ears with this new Prudish Few song, I think you'll enjoy it.

And on to the distractions!

• Genesis Trash Can Trash - maybe I've seen this before but it still endlessly entertains. via.
• In the Stairs Tonight - variation on a theme.
• CATS PSA: Seatbelts - in 1984, the cast of CATS really wanted you to wear a seatbelt.
• Savoy Motel - Crossword Puzzle - not a wacky video but a new, hand animated, video from a band I enjoy.
• Music Makes a Difference - I tend to avoid Star Wars things but this was spot on.
• Fingertips - if you get it, you get it.
• The Evolution of a Meme - if you thought you were out of the loop previously...
• I Love Refrigerators - all local commercials should be this.
• You Gotta Eat - during a flight delay in 2006, Daniel Box and I filmed this stupid Checker's commercial. I quote it often so I'm dredging it up from the archives.

Bonus: Love the message, hate the messenger.

Stay safe out there. Keep wearing the dang mask.

Ran across this hacking gif and it serves as a nice reminder that maybe it's time to rekindle that tradition of watching Hackers every five years. Couldn't hurt.

On to your distractions. Let's start with some small morsels and drag you into longform time waster.

• Antoine Dodson Realty - the "hide your kids, hide your wife" guy is here to pitch you real estate! Honestly, just feels good to see him doing well.
• A Reason for Children - King of the Monsters
• Strange Lights Spotted in Florida - what an absolutely shocking reveal.
• Henry Rollins urges teens to expand their musical horizons - it's rare to see someone so put out by electively choosing to host an MTV show but Rollins surely regrets his decision!
• Metalhead Teens in a Record Store - a 1989 slice of life featuring Larry and Darrell. The commentary is pure gold.
• 500lb Gingerbread Winchester Mystery House - look, I don't expect you to watch this whole thing but if someone makes a 500lb gingerbread house in the form of the Winchester Mystery House and it's historically accurate, respect should be paid.
• I'm Thinking of Ending Things - not your typical absurd distraction video but a new Charlie Kaufman movie is always reason to celebrate. Especially when it looks this good.
• Only in New York #4 - there are many of these and I can't recommend enough watching every single one.

Stay safe out there. Wear a dang mask. Don't be an idiot.

Nothing like a screen melt to remind ourselves just how much we're online these days.

I posted last weeks Friday Videos as a Twitter thread; new tradition?

Lets cut to the chase and get to the distractions.

• Matrix Reloaded Opening Night - Freeman 713 is my new favorite person.
• Tape Measure Trick - Dad YouTube is real and is this man should be their leader.
• Come As You Are (Swing Edition) - go for the terrible cover, stay for the perfect crowd shots.
• The Best Pirate I've Ever Seen - Internet Score: 10/10
• Sumo Bot Teleporation - waaaaaaait for it.
• Beaver Trilogy Part IV - a movie about a movie about a movie. Groovin' Gary is delightful and mysterious; Sean Penn and Crispin Glover are a surprising appearance.
• Never Illegally Download - a classic from the archives.
• Harder, Woman, Faster, Camera - I try not to post anything enjoyable involving DJT but this showcases his stupidity most excellently.

If you need a little bonus, enjoy this.

Stay safe out there. Wear a dang mask.

The #Bonkers tag on Giphy is prettty stellar. It's weird but it's the variety of weird that makes it so entertaining.

Hope you're doing okay. Enjoy some distractions.

• Fourth of July, 2020, Marquette, Michigan - for anyone that has pride in America; think again!
• Law and Order: Seasonal Depression Unit - absolutely perfect. This thing has so many small details that it requires multiple viewings to appreciate the amount of care put into this.
• Detroit swindle + Sax - yes please, more of this (from 2018, don't get upset about the crowd).
• Andy Samberg Reacts to Andy Samberg on SNL - the promotional circuit for Palm Springs has helped spawn some enjoyable gems like this one.
• A Black Lady Sketch Show: The Basic Ball - I've yet to dive into full episodes of this show but there are some rather enjoyable sketches making the rounds. Loved this one.
• iPod Unboxing, 2002 - I posted this earlier in the week but 18 years makes a world of difference in terms of knowing what a device like an iPod even is.
• 'Scott Pilgrim vs. The World' Reunion Table Read - this is nearly 90 minutes long but I suggest carving time out to enjoy it. It is, delightful.

Stay safe out there. Wear a dang mask.

Woah, been a minute since the last Friday Videos! Sorry about that but, also, not sorry because my life is extremely busy these days and there's not a lot I can do about it. I hope you understand.

But I digress! The above GIF is from the wonderful new Modern Feminist Lyric Video, which you should watch but has no relation to the distractions which follow.

And here they are.

• Banksy's Back - a short little video documenting his latest tags. I include this entirely for the music choice at the end. A total groaner or stupidly brilliant? Maybe both.
• Cleaning a Boar with a Pressure Washer - may we all know such elation one day.
• Fulblown - "Poor" - your endurance challenge for the week. The song is... mediocre (to me) but what is going on with these images?!
• Table Tennis with the Lads - everyone gets what they deserve
• Birds with Arms - more of this, please
• DJ SHAQ - downright delightful. A perfect edit.

Stay safe out there. Wear a dang mask.

Back with another dose of distractions. Can't believe it's almost July but I suppose time is both flying by and crawling at the same time. As a kid, I always wondered how memorable the year 2020 would be and, turns out, it's really making a name for itself in the history books.

Hope you're safe, hope you're sane and hope you're able to enjoy some distractions.

• Nine Inch Nails - Closer But It's Funkytown By Lipps Inc. - a cursed mash-up if ever there was one and, honestly, it's kind of great.
• Skull Trumpet [HD] - this has been available since 2018 but it feels new to me. YouTube's greatest video, now in 4K.
• Dear Class Of 2020 - John Mulaney - a commencement speech I can get behind.
• Friday I'm in Love [Bardcore] - did you know there's a whole genre of re-inventing modern songs as if they were performed by a Bard? Let Bardcore into your life.
• Baby Driver Opening Scene but with cowboy bebop theme playing instead - never seen a single episode of Cowboy Bebop but this works.
• British Politics, Man - when it's done right, it's great.
• Super Star Kid - :chefskiss:
• Nine Inch Nails - The Perfect Drug But It's We Like to Party by Vengaboys - endurance challenge; how much can you endure?

The above image has nothing to do with anything but it lieu of a Friday Videos post, I thought you might find it entertaining.

Frankly, finding and compiling amusing videos is not just something my brain is geared for at the moment. You can not look at any form of social media without being confronted with absolutely abhorrent examples of police brutality. For people of color, it isn't the least bit surprising. For me, it's sickening.

I stand with the Black Lives Matter movement. I stand with the protests. I even stand with the rioting. While I am certainly not in favor of anyone getting hurt, I don't believe anyone was willing to pay attention without a bit of revolution. There are plenty of historical examples conducted by white people to back that up. I certainly stand with defunding the police as well.

But I'm not trying to pat myself on the back or tell you all what a good person I am for aligning with this. We all should be. It should be devastating to learn that someone is not. I'm trying to listen, to learn and to alter my own behaviors to uplift those marginalized voices where I can.

If you have not; please consider becoming an ACLU member. I know clicking that "recurring donation" button is hard but they are doing fantastic work. Give to your local Black Lives Matter chapter. Contribute to Bail Funds. Find any organization that needs your money and help them accomplish their cause.

Then consider that Just The Beginning. That's how I'm approaching this and I hope you do, too.

I keep thinking about this tweet. All day, every day. I feel this, a lot. Hopefully others understand but it really stresses me out!

In other news, I suggest you join this mailing list if you want an early treat for your ears.

Managed to squeeze in a bunch of graphic design this week and it was a welcome change from writing documents and putting out fires. Give it a try sometime!

On to the distractions!

• Ween, Buckingham Green on Public Access - the above GIF is taken from this Ween performance. I've posted it before and I suspect I'll post it again. They seem coked out of their minds and it only gets more ridiculous the more you watch. I suggest watching the whole thing.
• Why Dogs Stick Their Heads Out Of Car Windows - honestly, I just found this interesting.
• Johnny Lee "Looking For Love" - I recently watch Urban Cowboy, a 1980 film starring John Travolta in which the two main leads are absolute assholes and empathizing with either one is nearly impossible. But this song (and soundtrack) were great.
• Mac Tonight, 2007 - did you know that McDonald's revived Mac Tonight in 2007 as a CG character for ads in Southeast Asia? It's not great.
• Why Some "Remastered" Music Videos Look Awful - again, just interesting.
• Name a Famous Cracker - nailed it.
• neutralmilkhotel.mp3 - it got me.

Are Friday videos every other week now? Am I on the SNL Quarantine schedule? Maybe. I'm just trying to pump these out as I have time and material.

Do me a favor - go listen to this and then enjoy some distractions.

• NIN - The Perfect Drug But It's We Like to Party by Vengaboys - this is an endurance challenge if I've ever heard on. I wish you luck.
• Bring back the f**king Quaalude! - is this John Goodman's character from Treme? Hard to know. It is definitely a rant of a man who has done too many quaalude's, that's for sure.
• Deadliest Animal Comparison: Probability and Rate of Death - this is the most dramatic presentation of infographics you will ever see.
• Barrel Fit Ad - this ad features the music of You Drive, the collaborative project between Makeup and Vanity Set and Jasmin Kaset. What is this ad for?! I can not tell by watching, at all.*
• A two-year-old's solution to the trolley problem - nailed it.
• Trixie Mattel - Watching My 10 Year Old Makeup Tutorial - I dunno if you're a Trixie fan but I found this whole thing to be delightful.
• Saxquatch - Tequila - sometimes a quick dose of Saxquatch is all you need to improve your day.

* it's clothes, I get it. But it's also quite ambiguous, you gotta admit.

You may be asking yourself - what's up with the lack of Friday videos last week? Why isn't my tiny dose of blog entertainment coming on the regular schedule I am used to?! I hear you but, frankly, I've been underwater with my job, my side projects and trying to actually give myself some space to relax offline.

That said, I hear you. I'll do my best to use that offline time to find plenty of stupid stuff to watch. Such as the following.

• X Æ A-12 First Day at Summer Camp - did you know Elon Musk comes from Emerald Mine money? Maybe that will help explain his complete disconnect from reality, for better or worse (often worse).
• Jon Drinks Water - not a very exciting video until you look at the complete archive of 9,000+ videos of... Jon drinking water. Great use of Internet right here.
• Conan Gives Lizzy Caplan A Haircut Over Zoom - nerve wracking haircut with Lizzy Caplan.
• Bang Cut Fail - same idea, quicker dose.
• X Æ A-12 First Day At School - this meme will be short lived but I'm enjoying it for the moment.
• X Æ A-12, Say My Name - see!? Good stuff.
• Henry Hoover - legitimate good use of Internet.

Not exactly a funny video but this New York Christmas, 1976 piece is 20 minutes long and brings me great comfort. Maybe it will for you, too.

Stay safe out there.

When I need a pick-me-up, I think of this D. Striker video. The man's got moves, plain and simple.

Without getting too Livejournal-y on ya, I have been absolutely buried the past few weeks. When my day job went into self-isoation for the whole company it amped up communications across the board 1000%. I am not sure if this is the result of people that normally don't work very hard finding themselves having to put in a true 8-hour day or if it's a result of not being able to lean over to a co-worker and just ask a question. Probably a combination of a lot of things but, regardless, it's been stressful. That said, it's a very privileged stress and I am happy to be gainfully employed.

Emotions aside, let's try and get distracted.

• Michigan anti-quarantine protest? - starts with a bunch of idiots, ends with the perfect idiot.
• Coffin Rave - I am proud to understand the multiple levels of meme happening here and that guy deserves more than just a pinch on the nose.
• Corona Handshake - I hope the video is staged. I hope the video is staged. I hope the video is staged.
• Quarantine Time - time well spent I'd say.
• Photoshop Requests - James Fridman entertainment.
• How Hamsters Fit So Much Food Inside Their Cheeks - wild stuff here. not even kidding.
• What Cheese Are You? - I shouldn't laugh. I shoudn't laugh. I shouldn't laugh.

Stay safe out there.

Lots of PSA's floating around to remind everyone to keep social distancing. Julia Louis-Dreyfus did one, Larry David did one, Schwarzenegger did one with donkeys. Several countries are talking about relaxing the quarantine rules but I hope everyone is keeping it smart and staying in. It is, obviously, difficult to maintain the quarantine but please do keep in mind that the alternative is death - maybe not for you but potentially for others.

And on that light note! Here are some videos.

• Climb Around a Table - you know, Quarantine activities or just regular everyday activities
• Backward Hippo - Zefrank - simple and brilliant.
• TNG Blooper - makes for a great GIF, too.
• Taco - Puttin' On the Ritz (Live, 1983) - I've always loved this song and this bizarre lip sync performance only validates that.
• Gorillaz - Aries - given that Peter Hook guests on this track, it should be no surprise it has a real New Order feel.
• Tricolored Bat Eating - i found this delightful.
• TheFoodReviewer - 2014 - Never forget.
• Shieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet - Clay Davis never sounded so phenomenal.
• Disco Cat Stroll - total swag.

Stay safe out there.

Let's not talk about COVID-19 or self-quarantine or any of that. Let's focus on what's important right now. My Apple laptop with a butterfly keyboard is really miserable and types three "L's" for every one time I press the key. It's insane! How did this happen? Is this where we've gotten in the technology space, we're just bad at keyboards now?!

Alright fine, that's not really important (though, I promise, it is annoying). I hope everyone is safe and following orders to stay inside as hard as it is. Scary and sad times out there, please do your best not to contribute to socializing.

Here's some dumb stuff.

• Drive to Work - sad but nice to see an Austin Power's meme make a comeback.
• Watch Out! - see, told you it was making a comeback.
• Cyberpunk is Now - speaking of stupid technology.
• Bob Odenkirk Playing Stephen Colbert Playing Bob Odenkirk - this is 3 years old but completely new to me. Perfectly Odenkirk.
• Beluga Whale Meets Penguin - look, I know times are tough out there but this is delightful.
• I Miss You, Batman - I don't even get this joke but I still enjoyed it
• Slider Make You Lose Control - oddly, I actually understand this one slightly more while still being completely confused and delighted. It's a real maelstrom of emotions.

Thank you /r/youtubehaiku for being a constant source of idiotic content. Oh, and if you have anyone in your life that is not convinced that COVID-19 and The Flu are different, please send them this VOX video; as it does a wonderful job of explaining things with science and not involving anything slightly political; so there's no room for argument. Unless you don't believe in science; which I understand is a problem some have.

Take care. Talk soon.