APR 30, singable satire: "R-I-C-E" (REST, ICE, COMPRESSION, ELEVATION) seniors' sports-injury mantra

                                                          

ORIGINAL PARODY-LYRICS

MUSICAL UNDERPINNINGS: "Y.M.C.A." is a popular song recorded by the American disco group Village People in 1978. In 1979, the song as a single reached no. 2 sales in the US and no. 1 in the UK. The song retains current popularity, and is frequently played at sporting and social events with the crowds spelling out the four letters of the song-title with arm movements.  

PARODY COMPOSED: "R-I-C-E" by Giorgio Coniglio, April 2014, with lyrics posted on-line at the parody-song-website AmIRight.com, as found HERE.

EXPLANATION: The American organization YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) built single-room facilities starting in the 1880s to house men from rural areas who moved into the cities to find work. By the 1970s, YMCA's tenants in American cities tended to be homeless people and youth facing life issues. "The Y", has always been interested in providing athletic facilities for youth, and retains that important community function in Canada, and many other countries around the world.

The Village People's lyrics emphasize the domiciliary and youth-support role of "the Y", with advice being given to a "young man" who would benefit by its services.

In his professional role, Giorgio Coniglio was frequently involved in the imaging assessment of older persons, including senior citizens, who had sustained athletic injuries. A four-letter mantra frequently voiced in the context of immediate care for these injuries, R.I.C.E, is essential in the initial care of injured patients of any age, but particularly in this instance seems directed at a wannabe athletic "old man" like the song's author. Ultimately, advice given to an ailing older patient, focused on a four-letter initialism grew into an earworm, and then a song. "Y.M.C.A." provided an obvious vehicle.  

UKULELE and GUITAR-FRIENDLY LINK: Our whole series of songs can be found in a friendly format for ukulele (and guitar)-players on our sister blog "SILLY SONGS and SATIRE" with chord-charts for both the parody and original song, as well as helpful performing suggestions. 

To find ukulele chord-charts to help you accompany "R-I-C-E" on your favorite instrument, click HERE.

R-I-C-E            
          

(to the tune of "Y.M.C.A.")

Intro:  Rest - Ice - Compression - Elevation  x2

Old man with a sports injury 

I said old man with sprained neck, twisted knee, ... 

These lyrics have been moved, along with ukulele chord suggestions, to a posting on our song-blog "Silly Songs and Satire".

R.I.C.E. is a mnemonic for 4 elements used to treat soft-tissue and other injuries.

___________________________________________________

READY TO SEE MORE ?

To navigate around the 2,000 posts on this blog ("Daily Illustrated Nonsense", or D.I.N.), be sure you are on the web-version, scroll downwards until you get to a widget with a clickable SUMMARY OF CONTENTS BY DATE displayed with blue fonts -- the most recent are at the top; the oldest at the bottom of the list. Then, just click on any year or month to view the detailed contents -- illustrated short humorous poems, wordplay, parody song-lyrics, funky photos, etc. 

 OR, go back to the latest post on this blogsite ("Elegy to Tom Lehrer") HERE. 

If you aren't on the 'web-version', you can get there by clicking that choice ('view web-version') at the very bottom of this blog-page! 

APR 29, American satire: results of DT's first impeachment trial (birds'-eye view)

 Reprise, originally posted February 9 and 10, 2020.

Authors' Note: Readers might want to check out prior posts, including that of Feb 9, entitled "Anagrammatic tribute to a Senator", and those of January 1, 9, 10 and 11, dealing with great egrets. The photos of birds were obtained from Giorgio Coniglio's personal collection, whereas those of political leaders were obtained from readily available online sources.

We hope that you enjoyed this playful photo-art. You can find 30 more submissions, mostly poetic on this topic in 5 collections on our full-service blog 'Edifying Nonsense'. Click HERE to start! 

APR 28, insects: mosquitoes

You can review Giorgio's other verses about pesty and occasionally beneficial insects, as  collected in 'Buzzwords: Verses about Insects' on the full-service blog "Edifying Nonsense". Click HERE.

APR 27, wordplay map: American Scramble-towns, 4

 

LINKS to other nonsense in this series: 

Forward to the first Canadian map.

Forward to the next American map (5).

Back up to the first American map.

APR 26, trees: gnarling

TO ENLARGE any slide or stand-alone photo on this blog, just click on it. To reverse the process, and return to this standard view, find the little 'x' in the upper right corner of the black field and click there.

You can review these illustrated verses in a wider context by proceeding to 'Uprooted Verse: 'Poems about Trees' on the full-service blog "Edifying Nonsense". 

APR 24, scopes of medicine: endoscopic spectrum

Authors' Note: 

Uro: medical jargon for 'urologist'

scope: (jargon, as here) in modern usage, a camera with flexible fiberoptic cable to visualize internal viscera; abbreviated from endoscope

   This verse deals with endoscopic procedures that use flexible fiberoptic devices to inspect and sometimes to biopsy or to treat the lining of various hollow body organs (viscera). Recently, as  such instruments have become more technically sophisticated and widely used, these procedures have expanded their role and their accuracy in specialty medical practice. Advanced training is required for practitioners to acquire expertise. In addition to the procedures mentioned in this collection of verses, similar considerations underlie operative laparoscopy, culdoscopy, etc. 

You can view a collection of verses on this topic  by proceeding to 'Inner Enlightenment: The Scopes of Modern Medicine' on our full-service blog "Edifying Nonsense". Click HERE !

APR 23, wordplay maps: new world palindromes (#19,#20)

A pandemic greeting from the Editors: Keep more to yourself for a while, wash your hands frequently, remember to laugh on occasion, and stay well!

You can view the entire collection of these 50 wordplay maps, by accessing the collection 'Tourists Palindromic Guides: The Americas'. Start by clicking HERE! 

APR 22, boating: kayaking in "My Blue Heaven", poetic interlude

Start of the 'maiden voyage', 2015
(archival photo per RCH)

SONG-LYRICS: You may not be surprised that we have a parody song entitled "My Blue Sit-On" that you can enjoy by proceeding HERE. 

APR 21, mammalian wildlife: star-nosed mole

Authors' Note:  You can find a song about the star-nosed mole on our blog 'Edifying Nonsense'. Click HERE to access it! 

You can also review the whole collection of illustrated verses about mammals (both domestic and exotic) by checking out the more extensive post on our full-service blog "Edifying Nonsense". Click HERE !

APR 20, singable satire: Frank Sinatra sings "MY BLUE SIT-ON"

PARODY SONG-LYRICS

ORIGINAL SONG: "My Blue Heaven", W. Donaldson (music), G.A.Whiting (lyrics), 1928. Performed originally by Gene Austin, covered by almost 100 other bands and soloists, from Marlene Dietrich, to Frank Sinatra,  Fats Domino and Norah Jones.

PARODY COMPOSED: Dr. G. H. and Giorgio Coniglio, 2015,(updated March 2020). You might also explore a further day's adventure by clicking 'kayak excursion' on our blog 'Daily Illustrated Nonsense'.

UKULELE and GUITAR-FRIENDLY LINK: Our whole series of songs can be found in a friendly format for ukulele (and guitar)-players on our sister blog "SILLY SONGS and SATIRE" with chord-charts and helpful performing suggestions. To find ukulele chord-charts to help you accompany "MY BLUE SIT-ON" on your favorite instrument, click HERE.

MY BLUE SIT-ON

(to the tune of "My Blue Heaven")

When scupper-holes bail

No fear to capsize!

I’m stable in my new sit-on.

She’s plump but petite,

Just measures nine feet

I’ve christened her My Blue Heaven.

I'’ll need a saddle-seat, a paddle, some repellent (-bug)

A type III vest to keep each vessel-rider snug.

Self-draining kayak,

Swift lift to roof-rack
Where I strap on My Blue Heaven.

A dolly to haul,

Don’t bring alcohol (chmmh!)
Boat-ramp to launch My Blue Heaven.

Could have a fishin’-pole, small ice-chest on a tidal ‘crick’
And she won’t swamp in wake or surf – that’s quite a trick.

Shem Creek, SC
foreground: sit-on kayak
background: trawlers

Where scupper-holes drain
Skip’s feeling no pain
Secure in his new blue sit-on.

I’ve got my cellphone in a baggy, I’m not gab-repressed
So while I’m damp and floating, I’ll 'yack-yack or text.

When my darling calls
That evening is nigh
I’ll be docking My Blue Heaven.

A neat gift for me
Just turned seventy.
I’m happy with My Blue Heaven,

Just so happy in My Blue Heaven.  

APR 19, wordplay maps: new world palindromes (#17,#18)

You can view the entire collection of these 50 wordplay maps, by accessing the collection 'Tourists Palindromic Guides: The Americas'. Start by clicking HERE! 

APR 18, magical canal palindromes: 'A man, a plan, ... Paris'

You can become an expert fan of our wordplay concoction 'magical palindromes' by reviewing the explanatory material found in ancient days on our full-service blog "Edifying Nonsense" HERE; then, you could check how we applied this technique to 'canal palindromes' by viewing this more recent post.

APR 17, nuclear cardiology haiku, continued

 

APR 16, classic palindrome: 'Do geese see God?'

Authors' Note:     As with many classic palindromes, the origin of the iconic query,  ‘Do geese see God?’ is, in fact, unknown. The verse, however, suggests that it dates back to at least the fifth century B.C.E. The philosophic query is felt by some to be tarnished, and it remains unanswered into modern times.

You can review these illustrated verses in a wider context by proceeding to 'Reversing Verse: Limericks About Classic Palindromes' on the full-service blog 'Edifying Nonsense'. 

APR 15, the Charleston garden: Japanese yew

Keep more to yourself for a while, wash your hands frequently, remember to laugh on occasion, and stay well!

TO ENLARGE any slide or stand-alone photo on this blog, just click on it. To reverse the process, and return to this standard view, find the little 'x' in the upper right corner of the black field and click there.

UPDATE (2023): The property on the left no longer ( as of 2023) numbers among our real-estate holdings. See the recent posts on "Reconstructive Attitudes" showing views of an ongoing demolition/reconstruction project! 

You can review these illustrated verses in a wider context by proceeding to 'Poetry Praising the Charleston Garden' on the full-service blog 'Edifying Nonsense'. Click HERE!

APR 14, anagram swarm: A-VERY-STABLE-GENIUS, #5/#6

You can review an amazing number of anagrams based on this book title on our full-service blog 'Edifying Nonsense'. There are two posts to view:  'A Very Stable Genius': Theme and Variations (97 anagrams), and 

'A Very Stable Genius': additional funky anagrams

APR 13, geysers: second-hand geyser

Authors' Note: Björg(f.) and Björn(m.) are typical Icelandic names.  In Britain, the term geyser, has come to mean a secondary water heater at the point-of-use, e.g. near a bathtub. In Iceland, hot water is distributed to all homes as a part of geothermal energy systems; such devices are not needed, and probably not available.

In North America, such auxiliary plumbing devices are known as ‘tankless water heaters’.

 Björn originally conceived of his gift idea based on occasional offerings of spent hydrogeologic geysers in Icelandic second-hand stores, e.g. the original reliable vent at Geysir which thrilled Victorian tourists has died back, 'replaced' nearby by other vents. The reader is left to judge whether such second-hand devices represent a figment of the author’s imagination or contrived nonsense. 

 

You can review these illustrated verses in a wider context by proceeding to 'Poetry that Spurts: Verses about Geysers' on the full-service blog "Edifying Nonsense".

APR 12, patients and maladies: the common cold

 

Be sure to check out the whole collection of verses on 'Patients and their Maladies" by proceeding to our full-service blog ,"Edifying Nonsense." Click HERE !

APR 11, waterfowl: snowy egrets

Find more photos (still-and live-action) of these birds by proceeding to the post "photo-collage: snowy egrets". 

You can review our outpouring of illustrated verses about various types of waterfowl by proceeding to 'Immersible Verse: Limericks about Waterfowl' on the full-service blog 'Edifying Nonsense'. 

APR 10, a brief saga (wordplay): Claire's celerity

 

Authors' Note: As there is no etymological commonality, wordpairs of similar appearance, but unrelated origins, may have disparate meanings and usages; this is certainly the case for: 

celerity / celery,

gravity / gravy,  

cavity / cavy,

and levity / levy, examples discussed in he above verse.

For the purpose of this blog, a 'brief saga' is defined as a poem, usually narrative, but occasionally expository, that tell its story in at least 15 lines. Most commonly, the format involves three stanzas in limerick form. Your blogging team has been presenting these concoctions at the rate of one per month, and as of 2025, there are 50 such pieces mixed in with shorter poems, wordplay and  general offerings.    

To access the next 'brief saga' on this blog (May 2020), proceed to 'Fluoridation'.

To access the most recent previous 'brief saga' (March 2020), back up to 'Walrus and Carpenter (Carolina lowcountry version)'.  

 To access all of our 'brief sagas' by the year of their creation, click on your selection below.

2020
2021
2022
2023.