venta: (Default)
venta ([personal profile] venta) wrote2004-11-05 01:52 pm

I think my education's gone out to lunch

Yesterday, I claimed that a Whitby (goth weekend) wasn't a proper Whitby unless you'd been fed dubious jelly off a shared spoon. Over on [livejournal.com profile] nalsa's journal I was just declaring that a chemistry lecture simply isn't a chemistry lecture unless you end up with a treacle tin buried in the ceiling.

I'm fond of such yardsticks. Yesterday I treated [livejournal.com profile] secutatrix to some of my views on narrative theatre (Shakespeare isn't really Shakespeare unless it has a pantomime camel. A play about 19thC. Russian history isn't to be considered a worthwhile play about 19thC. Russian history unless it has a 6ft tall ginger cat smoking a cigar). She was remarkably tolerant.

However. There are many things in this world for which I do not yet have a reasonable yardstick, so you are invited to knit your own measure of worth:

[Poll #379020]

Thank you. All metrics gratefully appreciated.

[identity profile] leathellin.livejournal.com 2004-11-05 06:22 am (UTC)(link)
You know that poll does not result in a nice easy to read format.

[identity profile] venta.livejournal.com 2004-11-05 06:25 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, I did just notice that. I was considering posting an update saying that I will publish the most spectacular pearls of wisdom thus acquired (and possibly the dross, too) at a later date.

[identity profile] venta.livejournal.com 2004-11-05 06:26 am (UTC)(link)
On the other hand, it does mean you get to guess what the second half is from looking at the first :)

For example, having read what you've written in the first text box, I'm guessing that the second one is going to say "at least three bottles of White Zinfandel" :)

[identity profile] venta.livejournal.com 2004-11-05 06:26 am (UTC)(link)
Poot. I was wrong :(

[identity profile] leathellin.livejournal.com 2004-11-05 06:29 am (UTC)(link)
I did consider it, but it wouldn't have been nearly as hard to find as a six foot ginger cat.

[identity profile] wimble.livejournal.com 2004-11-05 06:34 am (UTC)(link)
If you two want to demonstrate, I'll preserve the documentary evidence?

[identity profile] wechsler.livejournal.com 2004-11-05 07:39 am (UTC)(link)
Dogs Die in *whatnow* ?

[identity profile] venta.livejournal.com 2004-11-05 07:55 am (UTC)(link)
There is a certain school of thought that says the band is called Dogs Die In Hot Cars.

But a colleague misread the CD cover over my shoulder, and I decided I liked his version better :)

[identity profile] venta.livejournal.com 2004-11-05 08:03 am (UTC)(link)
Besides, it opens up the way for a great Frank Zappa collaboration :)

[identity profile] broadmeadow.livejournal.com 2004-11-05 08:50 am (UTC)(link)
> I was just declaring that a chemistry lecture simply isn't a chemistry lecture unless you end up with a treacle tin buried in the ceiling

On a tour of a local secondary school the other day I was pleased to note that there are still gas taps on the benches for Bunsen burners and the like, with the nozzles set horizontally. A chemistry lesson simply wasn't a chemistry lesson without a good 3-foot flame coming out of one of these things and the wax melting on the bench. Regrettably modern-day preference appears to be for melamine worktops.

A chemistry lesson also simply wasn't a chemistry lesson unless you could get the teacher to rush your experiment into the fume chamber with a slightly alarmed look on his face.

I like the image of a treacle tin embedding itself into the ceiling. I don't think we ever achieved that!