One of our innocuous hobbies: coming up with the perfect band name.

So my kids and I do some chatting. And sometimes those conversations devolve. The chats become random and pointless. And there's a point when we realize this pointlessness occasionally evolves into the construction of a band name.

In walks the random.

"This is crap," Logan says.

"That would be a great band name," I say.

Sometimes I use the "that would be a great band name" as a conversational distraction. A deflection of potential discord.

In any case, the search for the perfect band name is our comfort zone; our occasional familial red herring.

Familial red herring. That would be a good name for a band.

It happens all the time, the list of band names that come up vis a vis our middle-aged-mom vs teenager conversations.

Chris in the Morning is one of my favorites.

So many conversations, so many band names.

And the winner?

It comes from my friend Erin. We were chatting about some innocuous interpersonal issue, and she brought up the best name ever, without even thinking.

Sounding out the crazy.

If I had a band, that's what I'd call it.

It's a good thing, seeing conversation in relation to something randomly contextual.

More meaty entries will follow. But sometimes it's good to keep it light.

I guess I'm just sounding out the crazy.

I wish I knew how to play an instrument.