Bunduki
August 16th 2007 -
Mike L. is leaving our work this week, and as he is the current reigning Fearless Master of the Jungle (FMOTJ), held a Bunduki challenge on Monday. I was originally going to take Monday off work for the aforementioned house repairs, but the thought of missing out on the Bunduki challenge – again! – was more than I could bear.
The Bunduki (and associated challenge) is a strange tradition at work. The reigning FMOTJ has the official chair, cow, loincloth, trophy, set of books etc. (the collection of Objects grows each time the title is passed) and is greeted in the corridor with cries of “We are not Worthy!”
The Bunduki challenge is chosen by the FMOTJ to select a new FMOTJ. Each time it’s different. Astute and loyal readers may recall the snake-stretching contest of some years ago, in which I cheated outrageously to advance to the semi-finals. I missed the last challenge due to being on the SVG working group, so I was extra-determined to enter in this one.
The first challenge on Monday was to construct a Quagga. The Quagga is some kind of fearsome beast mentioned in the Bunduki novels (as I understand it, the Quagga hunt in the novel “Fearless Master of the Jungle” is the point at which most readers surrender). We were given some long, stretchy balloons and instructions on how to build a quagga, and set forth. We competed in groups of four; the fastest quagga-constructor advanced to the semi-finals.
Forty people competed in the first round. I finished fastest in my round. I’m honestly not sure if I’ve ever built balloon animals before – it seems like the kind of thing I’d do, but I don’t recall it – but it came fairly easily to me. Twisting those fragile bodies requires a certain confidence that they aren’t going to suddenly pop.
The second round was to construct a crocodile – much harder than the first round! The top four of the ten would go through to the third round. I finished second – through to the semi-finals!
At which point, SingStar was revealed. There’s a game associated with SingStar ’80s – you can play “Pong” by using your voice to control the paddles. We were required to hoot like monkeys to make the paddles go up or down.
To summarise: buggered if I could make my paddle go up. No matter how high I hooted, the paddle remained mired in the middle, and I lost 10-3 to the eventual Bunduki challenge winner.
I am not worthy!
lexifab Says:
August 16th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
Clearly you need to train up on your power falsetto. Perhaps a weekend in the smogless crisp Canberra air will clear out the pipes.
lexifab Says:
August 21st, 2007 at 9:08 am
A poem about optimism and loss:
Click expectantly
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