Project MERCATOR
For the second consecutive weekend, Red Patton & your humble narrator motored south to Ann Arbor—"A²," "Moscow on the Huron," the "People's Republic of Ann Arbor." We saw the English-language Norwegian film Kon-Tiki, a dramatization of Thor Heyerdahl & company's 1947 voyage across the Pacific by raft. I parked the Lumi just around the corner from the Michigan Theater & intended its box office as our first stop, reasoning that if we secured our tickets first thing there was no chance of later being left a day late & a dollar short should the forthcoming show sell out the theater. Alas, the box office was closed, not to reopen 'til forty-five minutes 'fore our 9:30 showtime. We dined at Ashley's, which was loud & crowded due to "lobster night." Halfway through our meal, Red Patton mentioned that upon seeing how crowded Ashley's was he'd considered suggesting we go elsewhere; fat lot of good the notion did us at that juncture. Still, dinner was lovely & our conversation focused on society's obsession with the zombie apocalypse. (I've recently devised a theory, that I generally dislike post-apocalyptic movies because I already live in post-apocalyptic times. It takes a truly cynical person to deny that the First & Second World Wars—the trenches & the gas, the Holocaust & the atom bomb—were apocalypses.) After supper we repaired to the Michigan, explored the architectural changes wrought since last I was there, & settled in for Kon-Tiki. I was surprised by how much Red Patton talked during the film. Then again, that might just be me. I'm so single-minded when sitting in a darkened theater that last summer I was surprised & mildly annoyed when The Interpreter wanted to fool around during Marvel's The Avengers. (That annoyance did not interfere with my compliance, but still.) In any event, his voice was at least a whisper, so none of our fellow moviegoers were disturbed. The film was exquisite; I recommend it unreservedly to all & sundry.



We had a relatively heavy discussion of religion on the drive home. Red Patton is an atheist, a fallen Lutheran, blessedly not plagued by the arrogance & meanness that is the usual hallmark of the atheist. This is not the first time religion has come up, always at his instigation. He is, at a minimum, still seeking something. I strive to put Christianity's best foot forward in these discussions, harboring the perhaps prideful hope that I might play a rôle in bringing my friend back to the Father Almighty.

We also schemed to arrange future games of Risk, the sooner the better. Our Kon-Tiki expedition was entirely successful & a good time was had by all.

I'm of a humor that I've created an iTunes playlist titled "Ocean," which includes R.C.Y.'s "Shiver Me Timbers."

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day
Real Can of Yams, "Shiver Me Timbers" from CODENAME: Koala (T.L.A.M.)

Commentary: Fun fact about the B.T.W. bands: Mike Wilson was never credited as a member of Real Can of Yams nor of Murky Transport Disaster. Instead, the "hacksophone" player (hack saxophonist) was credited as The Last Angry Man.