The Rise of The Muffintop

If you do the Facebook thing, you’ve no doubt seen my previous three status updates lauding the work that my friends have recently done, captained by Marija Thomas (who wrote, edited, directed, designed, lit and performed (she’s in pink) in her video My Muffintop on YouTube.)  She happened upon the idea while “preparing something fatty and delicious” in her kitchen one night.  The rest of the story and the journey can be found on her blog My Mom’s A Nerd — a blog, by the way, which is fantastic–smart, witty, visually cool, and just wonderful writing.  Aside from this love-letter going out to the incredible creative team assembled for this project, I found myself looking at the project in a whole different (oven?) light.

A Muffintop Revelation.

I could be the only one who didn’t know what a “muffintop” was.  I thought the title of the parody was really funny, but I never really understood the reference.  Of course I hadn’t read the lyrics (which clearly defines “muffintop”) but when I did, I told my wife (who was very kind in not mocking me) “Oh, that’s what a ‘muffintop’ is?”  Then, I really thought about it, and said “Hey…that’s funny.”  It was a term I hadn’t heard, and now that I have, a whole world has opened up.  Maybe physiological references can fit all sorts of…”conditions.”  Maybe my size thirteen feet could be called “Wafflers.”  My large hands could be referred to as my good old “spatula” hands.  We have:  “spare tire” (not a food, maybe to a snapping turtle trapped in a car trunk, but not very tasty, I’m sure) and “pear shaped” and having a “cauliflower ear,”  but I haven’t heard “spaghetti hair” or “mushroom nose.”  I’ve heard someone being a “tall drink of water,” or wrestling the days of the week with “sausage fingers.”  Some people have to deal with “cottage cheese” (poor cottage cheese — I don’t like it, but imagine if you were associated with something so feared and detested — not even food deserves that.)  In the end, it just got me thinking…and it got me hungry.  So, whatever the etymology of this word (the Latin origin is “muffinus topius”) whoever the wordsmith, to whatever image that started it all…thank you, I approve (because my word approval matters so very much.)

The Meat of the Muffin

Here’s the real reason I’m writing this entry.  I think that it’s important to recognize the scope of this project.  Based on an idea, a group of people worked together and gave of themselves and whatever it took to achieve a goal.  Funny?  Yes.  Will it change the world?  Probably not.  But it is a testament of drive, passion and work ethic.  None of these people were paid.  There was no grand design of “first stop, Muffin top — next stop, Dreamworks.”  This was the product of laughs, heart, and the best of all “why the hell not?”  Before this was shot, they never edited a finished product with this technology. They only recently bought the camera (and just wait until you see the Team Zuzu project yet to come!)  There was a goal and it was met.  I find this very inspiring.  I’ve never really followed Lady Gaga, but if you go online, or anywhere outside your door, she is having incredible influence.  The creative kind.

A Good Recipe

Inspiration leads to inspiration.  Fashion, literature, music, politics…you name it, the pebble has been thrown in the water and it’s exciting to watch the ripples spread.  It would be nice to get a wave pool going.  Goal set.  Goal met.  Think of what can be accomplished if people found their muffintops.  The muffintop recipe could be applied to simple things, or things more complex.  Yes…I’ve taken all this from a parody video about a midriff spilling over a waistband.

But, just imagine people taking a muffintop approach to, let’s say…fixing an underwater oil spill.

Crack an egg and flick the whisk.

Turn the dial to “bake.”

There’s nothing like the smell of accomplishment straight from the oven.

–ALN

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