A Couple of Nice Things
Posted on February 16, 2008 Posted by John Scalzi 26 Comments
A quick note of some accolades sent my way recently:
* The Last Colony popped onto SFSite’s Reader’s Choice Best of 2007, along with Axis, Brasyl, The Name of the Wind (which took top honors) and six others. The Ghost Brigades was on this list last year, so it’s nice to see the series continue in SFSite’s readers’ affections (Old Man’s War didn’t make this list the year before, but it was nominated for a Hugo, which is almost as good. Almost).
* Speaking of Old Man’s War, the increasingly-indispensable SFAwardsWatch noted a week or so ago that OMW showed up on an annual “Best Of” list in Japan as well, as one of the top books in translation. To which I say, finally I have a reason to haul out this video:
(checks off another life goal)
Yes, I have tiny life goals. At least I have them, pal.
Wow! It’s like a a “spot the cheapest special effect” game, narrated by some guy dressed halfway between Robin Hood and a particularly surly Muppet.
Two reasons I’m happy:
1) I don’t remember the early 80’s (I was too young)
2) I grew up in the boonies and we never had MTV
Kelsey:
If you don’t remember the 80s, you pretty much missed MTV anyway.
Glad to see folks are still seeing the awesomeness that is Scalzi! Makes the hunger for ZT all the mightier. And I think my copy of TAD is permanently Canadian now due to it getting loaned by my brother to his mother in law, so I must go get the paperback.
Apologies to the family members who read this but…
I !@#$%^&* LOVE THAT SONG!!!
Like in my bones I love it!!!
It’s so hardwired into my being that when I hear it get all weird. Weirder. Man, I wanted to be that dude when I was a kid but I bet he’s not aged well. The song’s gone good and bad and is now back to awesome!!! Perhaps it’s my teutonic roots. I’m just giddy with delight when I hear synthpop. And yes, while I agree with Dave @ #1, it’s still part of my wayward childhood. What is it with Germans and standing under giant flags?
Guess I’m gonna have to get this offa iTunes.
Okay, the keeper says I have to go back in my cage or he’s gonna tase me, bro.
So this is what John Mayer did before he grew up…
Note to self: Buy awesome tunic.
Jerri Blank of Strangers with Candy said it best: “It doesn’t matter what you dream, it’s that you dream. And that’s my dream… to dream.”
Man, I love Amy Sedaris…
Ack! The 80s live on Youtube! Kill it with fire!
I’m ashamed that I knew exactly what video that was before I clicked play.
Also, damn, that’s a fabulous belt.
I remember the 80s, but I had never heard the song, so I had to get all the way to the chorus to get the point, and wound up watching the whole thing in sheer fascination (that animal print shirt with the high-waisted pants? wow)
That was 20 minutes ago. Yet, I can still hear the chorus….was the earworm also one of your life goals?
No, that’s just a bonus.
And no mention of the most important accolade of all, the awarding of The Official Ghlaghghee Fan Club Seal of Approval Award?
This coveted award not only dwarfs those “accolades” you mentioned, it ranks somewhere just above the Nobel Prize and Fields Medal.
Just so you know.
The Official Ghlaghghee Fan Club
I love the video John! If your taking request’s I would like to see SAFETY DANCE. You gotta love the 80’s videos!
I completely missed the whole 80’s MTV thing (I was overseas, in the military) – and if that’s a sample, I’m glad I did.
Great…I’ve fallen down the well of 80s nostalgia and I can’t get out. Quick -send Lassie for help!
*ahem* For a non-video, on-demand option, last.fm has a Big in Japan remix available. http://tinyurl.com/2gthp2
It’s got an annoying backbeat like the remix of Suzanne Vega’s ‘Tom’s Diner’, but it’s still quite catchy.
So much for getting anything productive done today. YouTube and last.fm call…
Now I feel old. Because,
a) I miss the 80s.
b) Those guys, they all look so young, they’re all just babies!!!
Remind me again why I brag about being old enough to remember MTV playing actual videos…
Before I clicked on the YouTube play button, I had this faint glimmer of hope that this was a video for Tom Waits’ song “Big in Japan.” But… no. Thanks a lot, Scalzi.
“some guy dressed halfway between Robin Hood and a particularly surly Muppet.”
I thought he looked like a young Bruce from Kids in the Hall, lipsyncing outrageously for the sake of a comedy sketch.
Chang, look up Girls On Film on Myspace. They’re a synthpop girl band who invoke the 80s extremely well. They’re local to me and I got hooked on them when they opened for MC Chris. They’re fun live, too.
I figured the video was going to be The Vapours Turning Japanese
When I was your age gas was less than a buck a gallon and MTV played music.
Is it just me or is it cool/weird to be a fan of an author that is in my age group? Most of my other favorite authors are quite a bit older than me and or dead.
Yay, Alphaville!
Oh man, I just got many flashbacks of High School…
I got my book from Tor… thank you!
I can always count on you, John. For some reason your 80s flashbacks make me feel young rather than old. This video really made me smile.
That made me laugh, as I knew exactly which video this should be and you didn’t disappoint.
I love the Alphaville video! Ok, not the video itself, but the song. Hell, the whole Forever Young album.
I am now off on an Alphaville binge that could have been avoided if I had not clicked ‘Play’ on your site. You bad, very bad, man. (See me avoid responsibility? Another 80s trait.)
As I jam to 80s tunes and refer to my son’s hair as ‘A Flock of Something’, I will direct my sons to your site. On your head be it…