2/03/2008

Little Triggers

"I don't know about your brain but mine is really bossy..."
-- Laurie Anderson from the song Baby Doll

I assume the wiring of my brain is much like everyone else's but then, I assume I don't require medication.

In the course of any conversation, there are trigger words or phrases that set off tiny explosions in my head. The din is generally over quickly and I can continue a conversation or at least appear to be listening.

One of the most common examples is when I hear someone say the word "everything". Before they've even finished the word, a very short visual of Sissy Spacek yelling "EVERYTHING" from the film In The Bedroom plays in my head and then things return to normal. I don't even remember the story from the film particularly well but the intensity of that second plays whenever I hear the word.

Sometimes my brain forces a longer diversion and it's a couple of seconds before I can get back to you. If I hear someone say "This is nice" a whole passage from the film Strangers With Candy plays. Jerri Blank is sitting at the dinner table and says This is nice. Family. You got the mommy and the daddy and the brother and the sister and ... this guy.

There are many snippets of songs that play as well depending on what someone's said but they're too numerous to mention.

It's my brain that takes control in these situations no matter how hard I resist so, should you ever see that glazed look in my eyes while talking to me, it's you, not me, you said the wrong thing.

23 comments:

Coaster Punchman said...

I have TONS of examples of this phenomenon from my own life; so glad to know I'm in good company. It's always a really innocuous phrase that sets me off, too. For example, when I hear someone say "yes, I do" I think of this drag queen in a bar who , when asked whether she knew a man named Mark Goldman, looked at my friend and said in this raspy low pitched yet feminine drag queen voice
"why, yes I do....and YOU are....?"

I'll try to think of more of these.

deadspot said...

I was holding that Laurie Anderson CD in my hand just yesterday.

Evil Evil Genius said...

This happens to me so often that I fear I am turning into the character from the Michael Keaton vehicle "The Dream Team" who can only speak in TV and movie quotes.

Me. Here. Right now. said...

This is nice. I just come over here, to check out everything, and what do I find?

At least you didn't say "most unique." That's the one that sets me off.

BeckEye said...

I do that too, but I'm more annoying because I can't keep those things in my brain - I have to say (or sing) them out loud.

One example I just thought of (I think it was that above mention of Michael Keaton) is if someone says "I don't drink." I always think of a scene from "Night Shift" where Chuck's fiancee's father says, "Mrs. Koogle and I do not drink." A lot of things remind me of that movie though. I applied for a job once at a place called 4K, and I thought if I got an interview, I would probably blow it by showing up and yelling at the receptionist, "WHERE THE FUCK IS 4K?" Again, "Night Shift." And no one appreciates those references like ones from, say, "Seinfeld" or "The Breakfast Club," or other things that EVERYONE has seen.

Mob said...

The word 'everyone', spoken alone, always gives me flashbacks to Gary Oldman, all coked out of his mind and chewing scenery in The Professional.

The wife and I can no longer say "Don't worry about it" to one another without falling into the Michael Cera dialog from Superbad, the whole "Don't worry about it, I'm not worried..." etc. bit.

paperback reader said...

I think everyone has their own versions of this. For example, the word "toast" makes me think of how much I love myself, as does pretty much every other word in the English language.

Monkey McWearingChaps said...

I have many Jerri Blank moments throughout the day.

SkylersDad said...

Whenever somebody says Italian job, my brain flashes on Charlize Theron in her black leather...

Dale said...

Same goes for me, my middle name should be innocuous instead of EVERYTHING Coaster Punchman.

And then what happened Deadspot? I love that song.

For years, I spoke in musical references EEG, it was charming, as charming as Michael Keaton and any of his straight to video work.

Maybe I'll award you MOST UNIQUE comment Ms. Hahn just to see what happens.

We should have a night shift only discussion sometime Beckeye. I'd have to watch the movie again to brush up and I have the feeling I'd rather watch it again as opposed to the Breakfast Club (which I've never seen through).

Gary can chew it up and spit it out can't he Mob? I love that. If you're quoting Michael Cera, you're at least gathering new references all the time, that's growth. I'm stuck years behind you.

I used to think when I smelled burned toast I was having a seizure Pistols, now I'll just know it's you and your influence over the entire universe.

You're the girl for me then Monkey McWearingChaps. You cross my chow zone again, you'll pull back a bloody stump.

Do you picture her in the back of a Mini too Skyler's Dad cause I'd change that, you need more leg room and everything else room.

Gifted Typist said...

My problem is worse because my mental linking mechanism takes me to the wrong place...

Whenever I hear the word "paraplegic" I lapse into the Hotel California line that (in my brain replays as) "one paraplegic rising up in the air" Of course we now know that line is
"the warm smell of colitas rising up in the air"

But try telling my brain that

Chancelucky said...

IT's okay to be wired differently just as long as you don't short circuit.

X. Dell said...

Hmmm. Sounds like MK-ULTRA programming to me:-)

Actually, when somebody mentions the word explosions, I picture Sissy Spacek blowing herself to smithereens, like she did in the TV movie Katherine.

Tenacious S said...

God help me on the days that the soundtrack starts playing. It's always the really annoying songs that go into the eternal loop. It renders me nearly useless.

Jacy said...

"This man, this hero, this human chain." Margaret Thatcher after some ferry sunk in the channel and some guy used his body as a sort of bridge to allow people to walk on him onto a lifeboat or something.

Whenever I hear a sentence that starts: "This man ..."

There's Margaret, in her Margaret accent: "This man, this hair-row , this ... human .... chain!"

Reese said...

The word "anyone," when repeated, reminds me of the teacher in "Ferris Beuller's Day off."

Dale said...

It's your new hat Gifted Typist, it's scrambling your colitas, I'm telling you!

As long as I don't Short Circuit 2, I'll feel quite lucky Chancelucky.

I don't remember that but now you've got me thinking of Carrie and the pig's blood X. Dell. I think it's time we wrote Sissy a letter.

Drives you loopy doesn't it Tenacious S? Me too.

Your hair-row is now making me think of Chelene talking about Maya Angelou and her 'heroes and she-roes'. The horror!

And didn't he turn out to be a big perve Reese? Or was that the principle? Oh my.

gennifer6 said...

there might be medication for that but I wouldn't worry about it until it tells you to kill someone.

Dale said...

Let's hope I only appear to be listening when that message comes through Genn6.

Writeprocrastinator said...

My favorite moments are the ones that set off my inner David Byrne, which is so much more desirable than my inner Clint Eastwood.

It is so much better when I am saying "same as it ever was, same as it ever was" internally, instead of grabbing people and saying "that is not going to happen" through clenched lips.

Dale said...

Ha! Same as it ever was played in my head for many a moon WP. I think I'd rather you be a Talking Head than a Clenched Mutterer too.

Katie Schwartz said...

I do the same thing! how funny. I hear "code red" and all I can think of is "A few good men" and Jack Nicholson on the stand.

wait, that sounds like I hear code red a lot, but it comes up in jest often. or maybe I'm a freaktard.

ps: did you know retarded isn't politically correct? I was such a bluejew when I heard that. (ha)

Dale said...

It's retarded to not be able to say retarded when that's what you mean Katie. Are you calling your periods 'code red' now?