Mandolin and Unicycle

May 25, 2010 7:33 PM

The Mandolin & Unicycle Project is a thesis project from Matt Manos. "I have always wanted to learn how to ride a unicycle, and I have always wanted to learn how to play the mandolin, so the most logical conclusion I came to was to learn how to play the mandolin while riding the unicycle. In one month." The project blog starts here.
posted by unliteral (23 comments total)

Dude, that is inspirational. Though important missing background: Did he already play guitar? Did he, um, have other circus skills?

Have to say, though, and I feel bad for feeling/saying this: [SPOILER] I'm kind of relieved that he doesn't master both by the end of that video.

Oh, but a progress blog! Awesome. I love uni vids, and, well, your hands are free (once the flailing becomes less than absolutely necessary).
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 7:44 PM on May 25, 2010

Aside from the fact that trying to learn either of these things while doing the other is making your learning unnecessarily difficult, I cannot think of any degree for which this is a suitable thesis project. I also think people on tall bikes look like they didn't get enough attention as children, so I am probably just out of touch.
posted by sanko at 7:45 PM on May 25, 2010 [2 favorites]

This guy is diluting the value of my degree in the most difficult way possible.

I didn't see anywhere what this was a thesis for. Was the term used loosely by the OP?
posted by cmoj at 7:47 PM on May 25, 2010

Oh, not thesis bashing. I politely ignored that part of the post. Meh. Some degrees you pay for. Some eventually pay you. The ones that don't don't "dilute" the ones that do. I say enjoy.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 7:49 PM on May 25, 2010

cmoj, from the Matt Manos link - "Mandolin & Unicycle" is my thesis project from UCLA's Design Media Arts department. I know what you are thinking... "You got to ride a unicycle for your graduation show??? When I was in college I had to write a 70 page paper on frickin' George Washington!"
posted by unliteral at 7:51 PM on May 25, 2010

I take care of the unicycles while the master is away.
posted by fleetmouse at 7:54 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

That actually makes sense. The thesis isn't what he's doing, but how he's putting it out there.

To be fair, I'm drawing pictures for my degree, diluting the degrees of Washington writers.
posted by cmoj at 7:55 PM on May 25, 2010

Though important missing background: Did he already play guitar?

Yes. He says so in the link in "here".
posted by kenko at 8:22 PM on May 25, 2010

I'm pretty sure this is concentrating the value of my degree, not diluting it. Awesome.
posted by Ms. Saint at 8:42 PM on May 25, 2010 [3 favorites]

Unicycle + guitar.
Unicycle + tuba & trombone.
Unicycle + guitar + alcohol.
Unicycle + previously.
posted by twoleftfeet at 9:35 PM on May 25, 2010

Man, that's awesome! I've been looking for new ways to break a mandolin.
posted by komara at 10:26 PM on May 25, 2010 [2 favorites]

I know what you are thinking... "You got to ride a unicycle for your graduation show??? When I was in college I had to write a 70 page paper on frickin' George Washington!"

George Washington? Yeah, no, I wasn't thinking that because for college I went to college not 4th grade.
posted by Nothing... and like it at 10:28 PM on May 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

We don't get to see the real trick here -- earning a living with a degree based largely on unicycle riding/mandolin playing. Oh, you'll be flailing, my friend.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 1:57 AM on May 26, 2010

Myself, I have always yearned to play the unicycle whilst riding a mandolin. But (hey) this is a great second best!
posted by JtJ at 2:10 AM on May 26, 2010

Flail it 'til you nail it, eh?
posted by krilli at 2:21 AM on May 26, 2010

There's a clip of a very young Mike Seeger playing banjo while riding a unicycle (it's on the New Lost City Ramblers 'Rainbow Quest' DVD). He's frailing, not flailing.
posted by scruss at 4:35 AM on May 26, 2010

I've always wanted to scuba dive, and I've always wanted to be able to be a master electrician.

I have not, however, run a 220 line to my bathtub.

x+x≠always a good idea
posted by HuronBob at 5:03 AM on May 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

Too bad it's not a banjo.
posted by fixedgear at 5:15 AM on May 26, 2010

I had a banjo once. But one day I left in plain sight in an unlocked car.

*sigh*

Now I have two banjos.
posted by kaibutsu at 5:21 AM on May 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

He should learn how to tune that freakin mandolin while riding a unicycle first! But, yeah, props for almost doing it. Unicycles are for jedi, and I give respect for mastering that even without the mandolin.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 5:56 AM on May 26, 2010

hands of fate...
posted by grubi at 6:47 AM on May 26, 2010

Did he, um, have other circus skills?

For some reason, this cracks me up. "It says here on your resume that you have 'Other Circus Skills', could you perhaps be more specific? You know, fire eating, sword swallowing, etc."
posted by tommasz at 7:01 AM on May 26, 2010

It's somehow become kind of catch-phrase in my circle, after a certain Incident with a pretty French lady and a Unicycle.

I think I'll leave it at that. More mysterious that way, given that the story itself is not that interesting.

As for awesome combinations, nothing beats stilt-walking fire-breathers, in my estimation.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 9:05 AM on May 26, 2010 [1 favorite]