POP! goes the idea

And now for our daily story of glory... presented by Jersey Campbell

It didn't take too long for me to decide on what subject area I'd like to cognitively rape for the next month.

The first attempt was dull, uninspired, the safe pick with little upside past being a 18ppg starting 2-guard. So what, I was interested in it? I'm also interested in History Channel specials and MLB Tonight. Point is, we would have all been ready to send this subject to the gallows by the third day. It lacked the storytelling feature that could keep us captivated for the necessary 30 days.

Eastern philosophy (the original idea) contains schools of thought that may actually be able to fix the debt crisis, the national security crisis, or whatever crisis we're in now... I lost track. Just imagine if the world was full of Ip Man's not only teaching but living the virtuous life. Adhering to eastern philosophical codes that have been taught for-...zzzz. zzzz. zzzz.

Brother Pharmacist and I find ourselves on his porch at around two in the morning. We may or may not have participated in smoking marijuana not too long before the idea of "good god that was wonderful" pooped strait into my brain that may or not have have contained THC at the time. For the first time this year, a random conversation in New York happened to fall upon the state of Minnesota.

We ask ourselves how Minneapolis got the nickname "The Twin Cities," then pharmacist man tells me what I should study for my 30 day challenge: discover unknown facts about America! He should have known that given how much I love this most wondrous country in the world (America!! Fuck Yeah!!) there were no facts that I did now know about the ole USA of A. It would be pointless for me to find out all the fun facts. I know 'em all! If I'm discovering facts for the sake of everyone it should be a topic that I would get screwed over with on Final Jeopardy- like eastern philosophy, or how to get a job.

Things start picking up when thoughts start forming in my head like a bag of popcorn in the microwave. You watch it as it expands and smells up the whole kitchen; and you here all the seeds popping into crunchy/fluffy/buttery/I-wonder-how-much-I-can-stuff-in-my-mouth-y jellyfish looking chips of addiction.Then...

TING!

The moment of revelation has come. The popcorn is ready. It's piping hot and the best time to dip your hands into the buttery haven of the popcorn bag is when it's just been nuked. This bag of popcorn's flavor had a distinct smell I did not recognize at first, it was foreign to me. But with a little more conversational hoop jumping we figured out what I'll be studying.

America's fun facts were disqualified, but if we travel further south there is a whole history that my mind- and I'm guessing many other minds who will be reading this blog- have never thought to explore extensively. We've heard of the Aztecs, and the Incas, and the Mayans, but how much do we know about these cultures? How much do we know about the history of the indigenous South American people?

Get ready to find out ladies and gentlemen, because the popcorn bag is ready to be opened. Those former popcorn seeds are ideas and facts ready to be stuffed into my mouth, digested, then pooped out onto this blog... violently. (I may have a minor obsession with poop. Yes, I'm seeing a therapist for it.)

For those of us who have ever listened to a Dan Carlin's Hardcore History podcast, don't expect this to be anything like it. I do not possess the narrative umph that Mr. Carlin has, nor do I have three months to do research before each blog post. For all we know this 30 day challenge might turn into a 60 day challenge, or a 90 day challenge, or a 120 day challenge...

Well ladies and gentlemen, this bag of popcorn is for all of us. I intend to share it; who eats an entire bag of popcorn without a few buddies to share it with? Bon appetite.

Peace and Love