Wanted to share a couple mnemonic shortcuts that I've found personally to be more useful than those offered in RtK 1:

System (Frame 418). Comprised of cow, belt, and blade immediately reminded me of Monty Python's "Architect" sketch in which John Cleese presents his design (for a slaughterhouse to a board who was expecting a block of flats). He provides phenomenal detail of the *system* that he's designed, in which the *cows* are transported on conveyor *belts* to the rotating *knives.* It's like that sketch was based on the character!

Pointed (Frame 500). Similarly, this reminded me of the "Fresh Fruit" sketch -- a group of men getting self-defense lessons from an odd instructor who only teaches about defending against attackers with fresh fruit. One of the students repeatedly laments that he wants to learn to defend himself against an assailant (devil) armed with a "poin-TED stick" (original emphasis).

Delusion (Frame 487). Comprised of deceased over woman, this character always reminds me of the Velvet Underground song "Femme Fatale," sung to a deluded cuccold.

Does anybody else use any similar (esp. Monty Python) tie-ins?

[Katsuo]

shifty Wrote:Does anybody else use any similar (esp. Monty Python) tie-ins?

Yep, I used exactly the same sketch to remember 制 "system".

Later on in the book there are several kanji with a right hand side consisting of "licence" + "walking legs" i.e. 唆俊酸悛駿峻竣. I called this "Ministry of Silly Walks/ John Cleese". Obviously the Ministry of Silly Walks is where you get a licence for your walking legs.

Some others where Monty Python inspired a story:
633 慕 pining: Polly parrot pining for the fjords (you leave a valentine at Polly's grave inscribed "To Polly, still pining for the fjords")
683 材 lumber: Michael Palin as lumberjack (obsessed with lumber, and asks genie for more trees)
693 吏 officer: Graham Chapman in uniform (when things are getting too silly he takes the stick from under his arm and pokes it in other persons mouths).
815 死 death: "Death" in the "Meaning of Life" film (one of the diners rattles a spoon in Death's bones to check he's for real)
1331 兵 soldier: "Trying not to be seen" sketch (the soldier is hiding behind a hill and has disguised his legs as animal legs, but still gets blown up)
1373 網 netting: Hole in the netting, tiger has taken Eric's leg
1463 爵 baron: Baron Munchausen (Terry Gilliam's film)
2146 剃 shave: Gilliam cartoon where shaver slices off own head. (Just imagine it's your younger brother using a sabre to shave).

And probably a load more I can't think of off the top of my head.

Nice! I'll have to remember those (when I get that far).

I still giggle and mumble "ro-TAT-ing knives, that's right" when I draw the dagger for "system."

I revert to imaginary superheroes, like Mr Miscellaneous who can't get work so he goes around rescuing baseballs out of trees after they were put there by criminal mastermind turkeys...

Having a crutch like this means that you never get stuck for a story for more than a few seconds and otherwise ambiguous attachments become so obscure and unique that you can't help but remember them.

Nice list. I was always thrilled whenever a Monty Python reference appeared in RTK stories. I wish there had been more as most of the pop culture references didn't really resonate.

btw - I enjoyed John Cleese's comment following his recent divorce. Something like: "If I ever get married again, at least I'll know she isn't marrying me for my money." =)

I use this line from 'Venus in Furs': "strike him, Mistress, and cure his heart" for 958 悠 (remote).

i remembered another

622) in fight club edward norton said "yes, these are bruises from fighting, I am enlightened"