Houseboat Hooligans: T-Shirt Project

For Hooligans, the annual houseboating trip/pilgrimage is what Mecca is to Muslims, or Jerusalem is to Christians.

For a number of years, it was an annual ritual at the end of the summer, just before school started back up. For each of the trips someone came up with a theme for a t-shirt for everyone. Many of the shirts were based on some movie poster with some suitable Hooligan touches added in.

And so I bring to you, the Houseboat Hooligans T-Shirt Project. My t-shirt collection begins with Houseboat Hooligans 2 1/2: The Smell of Beer. For some reason I’m missing the shirt for Houseboat Hooligans 7. Either I didn’t make it on that trip (unimaginable), I was too drunk to remember the trip, or I’ve lost the shirt.

To my fellow Hooligans, help out with the project by sending a digital photo of any Houseboat shirts you might have that you don’t see here. The original photos were captured as 2288×1712 TIFF images and reduced down.

Update:Thanks to Mike who reminded me that HH7 was Houseboat Hooligans: Beerheart. I know I definitely have/had that shirt. It’s just a matter of digging around and finding it now.

Hooligan Fireworks Safety Tips

The recent fireworks show for the new Cooper River Bridge (aka Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge) opening and the 4th of July fireworks show reminded me of a Hooligan fireworks incident one houseboating trip.

  • Fireworks should not be used while drunk
  • If you insist on using fireworks while drunk, do not hold them in your hand
  • If you insist on using fireworks while drunk and holding them in your hand, hold them right side up so that it shoots into the air
  • Fireworks should not be set off on top of a gas laden houseboat. Roman candles in particular should be held so they fire into the air, not into the houseboat

Hooligan Ramblings: Communing with Dagon

On rare occasions (being exceptionally intoxicated), Geezus has managed to commune with a being known as Dagon. Little is known about Dagon aside from a few writings made by Geezus after these ‘sessions’.

This is the tale of the interesting hallucination/drunken vision/daydream I had last night at the fireside. After a long and prosperous day of many beers, vodka, ammaretto and other substances too illicit to mention, I (Jesus) was sitting staring mellowly into the fire, listening to Billy Idol tunes. Slowly I became aware that each of my hairs was tipped with a tiny bloodshot cat’s eye. The irises of each eye would shift in colour across the spectrum as I moved my head back and forth. There was something mildly malevolent in the gaze of these thousands of tiny eyes. But I was not scared, because it was a nice day for a white wedding. The tiny eyes were able to communicate empathically, and were able to convince me to follow them. They took me into a very large cave which was not so much illuminated as illustrated. It was a gorgeous charcoal sketch with shadows & perspectives by MC Escher. Huge stalagmites flowed organically from the ceiling and uneven stalactites jutted from the floor (This struck me as unusual, as usually those structures are found in the opposite direction of the cave). We suddenly accelerated, the eyes leading the way. They guided me at tremendous velocities, zipping in and around the limestone columns in a feat of animation that would make George Lucas and Walt Disney pee themselves in envy. Our velocity and direction would change depending on the beat of the music, flying through narrow passages and wide caverns. Eventually we came to the center of the web-like maze of caves. There, floating in the middle of the air was a tremendously large octopus. His name was Dagon, and he had the same eyes as had taken over my hair. He writhed his tentacles in greeting, mucous dripping from his enormous arms and obviously venomous beak. Dagon spoke. “Hi Jesus,” he rumbled, subsonics reverberating and vibrating my balls. “Howsit going?” he asked. “Most drunkenly excellent” I slurred. “Cool” Dagon said, and then someone stepped on my hand and I woke up.

Geezus describes a visit from Dagon during Houseboat Hooligans 5

Once again, Dagon visited last night. As Chris Whitly played, I could see him riding a pink cloud in a sunset sky. This time it was my responsibility to find him, no hair guides would be provided. Climbing (with a few minutes of rations), I found a site on the forest moon of Endor. A giant white gryphon arrived, bowing his head in respect and recognition of my exalted state of consciousness. I mounted the gryphon (Har), and he lept into the air. Trees flew by at an alarming rate, screaming around obstacles until we broke from the trees over the lake. Campfires were visible below, and quickly left behind. We headed west, attempting to gain a last look at the sun. Shadows flew across the clouds below, silver and black. Wind blew back my hair. Dagon could be seen ahead – floating and waving his tentacles. He seemed less malevolent, almost happy. CCR was playing. He was attended by his servants – several black, oily, spindly creatures. They looked like a cross between a dragonfly, naeid and a salamander. Bug eyes, long whip-like tails and extrudible mandibles. They chittered to each other as we approached. Dagon wiggled a little, and said in his booming ball-rumbling voice “Howzit goin, eh. Long time no see.” I just shrugged, still wondering what he wanted. “Just chill dude, let the water drip up the spout, let it go and let it all hang out.” As I awoke on the forest floor, I realized he meant this as a general philosophy of life, and one I hope I can live up to. I shook the leaves and mice out of my hair, and returned to the boat.

Hooligan Ramblings: Lizardman campaigns for DSAUG

During Houseboat Hooligans 4, Lizardmann became a founding member of a new organization called DSAUG, or Don’t Shoot At Us Geese. This is the speech he used in an attempt to solicit funds for the cause.

I am campaigning for the D.S.A.U.G. fund. That is the “Don’t Shoot At Us Geese” fund. Your worthy contribution will go to either Safeway Travel Miles and/or ballistic vests to provide the waterfowl of today a fighting chance of tomorrow. The natural goose of leisure cannot compete in today’s rapidly changing world of target acquisition systems combined with proximity fuses. Thus it is necessary that we allow our feathered friends a fair fighting chance. Your cooperation will be appreciated.

Hooligan Ramblings: Jaques Fondue

Jaques Fondue writes (in a bad french Canadian accent) of discovering a new creature, the Rocky Mountain Ginch Goose.

Sacre-vert! Ah ‘ave at last length located de ‘Ooligans in Cybairspece! Ah ‘ave jest caime fram an intrepid expeditien to de remote lend of Amorous Amazons. Eht waz vera dangairous zo ah mast refrain fram inadvairdantly enfairming yew ‘ave itz lacation. Owhevair, ‘ah fail det et iz mah swarn ahbligaytien az ahn envaironmahntalist prezairvaitienest to raipert de descovairy ahv ehnozair beeztiarie tahpe ehntree: Ah gave yew de: Racky Mahntain Ginch Goose! Ah discovaired eet in a mast tragick feshion. De Ginch Goose iz de wan witch hez ahn ahfinite’ wit de eelastick benhd evh yer ahnderwair. Ah well elaboraite en grater dehtails an’ specificks eht ah layter dete’. Noat: Der’ ez somezing to beh sed fer dose Dactair Dehntists longjehns ah hused te wair!


Once, a note written by Jacques Fondue was found. The note said:

Help! We are lost, have run out of rations and are forced to live on food and water! Send supplies quickly or we are doomed!

A log entry from Jacques Fondue from a Houseboat Hooligans trip

Jacques Fondue writes: Sacre Bleu Cheese Dressing! Today is a day that will live in infancy! My trusted (formerly) crew mutinied. Those illegible bastards! How dare they challenge, my penultimate authority? My decision to accept the loss of two crew members to save the greater welfare was not met well. Initially the crew had no ejections, however, upon recovery of our windward shore party (Jade and her man Chris) the two of them injected a mutiny. The result was rather a riotous result. My stuporior skills in the marital arts were to no match for their numerous numbers. I am afeared that I was overruined. They made me the target of many a jape and jest. I was farced to injure a dowsing of libations and the most haitian crime of having an adhesive material applicated to my nethermost epidermal follicles. (Kin yew say pane, boys and girls?) Fornicatiously, I was able to confiscate them by insisting that they could not reprieve me from my bondables to the railing without appallachianing. They did not regenerate until posthumously portraying mine portrait. Having been freed, I have been cautious in reassisting mine authority. These people are a turgid lot and are temperaturemental. However, I breathe a sigh of relish that this expectoration is near collusion. My chances of surrealism are good. Until next time.