Behind the Music

Last Monday I posted a couple videos here at the Void. The clip of Phil tubing is growing in popularity with over 200 views. But somehow in just one week, Water has been viewed 1,245+ times.

It spent over 24 hours on the PyroManiacs bulletin board and was later given the monicker of “world-famous.” The comments there ranged from “everything about it is just wrong”, “ouch” and “painful,” to one person calling me their “hero” and another nominating me for a Dove Award. One commenter even suggested an idea for a future video: “I would like him to do a ‘you are like fire’ song (he could wear a protective suit) or something with ‘I’m stumbling over the rock’ kind of lyrics.” Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.

Here at the Void some responded emotionally, one suggested that lip-syncing would have been enough, and one accused me of ruining another perfectly good song (which begs the question, Are the originals of Flower in the Rain and Water “perfectly good”?). Still others seemed to care far more about the condition of my computer than that I was being doused with cold water in little clothing on a January day in Washington. So for all of you more sympathetic to the PowerBook’s plight, let us go behind the music.

First, I’m typing this post from the machine in question and it is working just fine. Some thought I was using my old Titanium G4. I was not. My Apple friends would have quickly spotted the difference between that and my current laptop so I knew I couldn’t use a stunt-computer.

Second, I was not trying to fry my primary work machine in order to upgrade. Though Spurgeon may have thrown bricks through inferior windows in order to expedite their replacement, I had no similar motivation (though come to think of it, I would throw bricks at Windows machines). Besides, I am only halfway through our church’s three year cycle of computer replacement, so if I destroyed my computer I would have worked with a destroyed computer for quite a while. In addition, mine is the ministry video editing computer and we needed that for the snow retreat the following week. It would have been a very poor time to impair its abilities.

Third, okay, I was not actually expecting that much water to hit my desk. I more so envisioned the water running down the front and back of me, onto my chair, and then onto the floor with only a minimal amount spilling onto my desk. In fact, we covered the bottom shelf of my books with a plastic tarp to protect them from any splash. But I failed to consider that I was sitting too close to my desk, leaving the path of least resistance as the top of my desk.

Fourth, the keyboard to my desktop PC (used only for entering grades for my Bible class) was absolutely soaked. When the Intern and I turned it over I estimate maybe a cup of water drained out. Not to fear, however, because CTRL-ALT-DEL still works and those are the only three keys you need on a PC anyway.

Finally, I have done some stupid things in my life (as the video itself demonstrates). But I am not that stupid. If you look closely at the bottom left of the screen near the edge of my laptop you will notice a piece of light blue fabric that does not move when my shirtsleeve moves. That piece of fabric is a blanket, folded in thirds to approximate the width of the computer. The blanket ran from my lap, covered the keyboard, and shielded more than half of the screen. Though a few drops did hit the display causing the screen to shake, very little water actually touched the PowerBook. As soon as the segment was filmed I picked up the computer so that all the water on my desk wouldn’t seep into the bottom.

So the only thing damaged in the video was my credibility, not my Mac. I hope everyone will be able sleep tonight.

UPDATE [4:06PM April 19]: Get the final answer to the treadmill fall.