Yes! That's right!! I have the answer to the greatest question that has never entered into the thought of man!!! Sorry Bob, the Ultimate Question is not about "Life, the Universe and Everything" (though it may come in at a close second!); and the answer is not "42". No...the Ultimate Question is why "Great Googly Moogly"?! And the answer is...
...because!
Well...no...it's not simply "because"; it's actually a two-part answer.
First of all, I've always liked that phrase since I first heard it uttered by that poet of poets, that master of elucidation, that genius of scalar musical inventiveness...yes, that's right...Mr. Frank Zappa himself. I admit, the music of Frank Zappa is one of my (supposedly) "guilty pleasures"; though, as those who know me will attest, I don't think there is much of anything about "life" to be particularly guilty about when processed through a proper grid. Some may not agree with me, but I believe that Zappa is a poster-boy for how a person can testify of his Creator through his own creativity as a cultural "image-bearer" while at the same time curse his Creator by not giving Him the glory and by not using his creativity to promote shalom. While there may be much to be questioned regarding Zappa the person and Zappa the music, I can appreciate the "goodness" of Zappa's music as I listen to it through the lens of our shared "humanness" as people created in the image of God. I enjoy listening to Zappa's creative use of his gift to manipulate sound waves in such a way as to make great music (to these ears, at least!). If I can see, appreciate and glorify God in the music of Zappa as I listen to it, then there is no biblical reason for me to shun it. Of course, so as to not make my brother stumble, I would refrain from playing Zappa in the presence of my "brother" if he were to be offended by it; but, "To the pure all things are pure"...and I still appreciate the musical genius that is Frank Zappa.
Anyone who can so naturally and fluently incorporate the phrase, "Great Googly Moogly" into a song and have it mean exactly what it's supposed to mean is...well...a "genius"! And "genius" can be celebrated by Christian and non-Christian alike!
The second reason I've adopted the moniker, "Great Googly Moogly" is in response to a friend of ours (Abinator) who despises exclamation points (!). She believes, among other things, that they are way over used! Can you believe that?! I've never ever seen them overused!! How else are you supposed to make your point emphatic except by the use of the exclamation point! She believes that the exclamation point is not simply over-used, but abused. Hogwash!! Great Googly Moogly!! At least I know that I'm not guilty of either of those charges!!...!
Anyway, in response to Abster I've adopted Great Googly Moogly because it so perfectly captures the "sense" of the exclamation point. Whether in frustration, exasperation, agitation, perturbation, trepidation or in stimulation, enthusiam or excitement, Great Googly Moogly is the spoken and literary equivalent of the (!) . And since I'm a walking (!), the personification of "frustrating" and/or "excitable", I thought GGM would fit rather nicely.
So, there you have it. The answer to the greatest mystery that no one has ever cared about! Ooops...sorry! Darn it, I did it again! Great Googly Moogly! Oh man...somebody stop me!!!!!!!!!!
