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70s Slang

Here’s a site for nostalgia: Terms of the ‘70s, Slang of the ‘70s. I grew up in the ‘70s; I still rememer when most of these words were current. Phrases like “Keep on truckin’” and “You’re so stunned” were part of everyday life then. I can’t say I’m sorry to see them less popular now.

The Museum of Small Things

Here’s an interesting concept for a museum: the online Museum of Small Things. The items featured here are often so small they are only visible through a microscope. There are four collections: · the freshwater collection · the marine collection · the insectarium · the botanical garden Some items featured include the water flea, a mosquito wing (which is amazingly attractive up close), algae, and daisy pollen. I would have like to see a little more information on some of the material, as some of the displays only have a label with no explanation of what they are. For example, I have no idea what a sessile is. Despite this, the site is still a good browse.

Old Testament Parenting

If you’d like a little humour to brighten your day, check out Ian Frazier’s Old Testament Parenting: Laws of Forbidden Places. Here’s a sample:

And though your stick of carrot does indeed resemble a marker, draw not with it upon the table, even in pretend, for we do not do that, that is why. And though the pieces of broccoli are very like small trees, do not stand them upright to make a forest, because we do not do that, that is why.

You don’t have to belong to the Judeo-Christian tradition to appreciate this. Via Books, Inq.

Sports Superstitions

Here’s an entertaining article: Sports Superstitions. I’d heard that athletes, especially professional players, were superstitious. This article spells out a few of the quirks of specific athletes and also lists some common superstitions according to the game. Thanks to this article, I now know the following:

Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra gets dressed the same way every day, makes sure to step on each dugout step with both feet, and tugs at his batting gloves and taps his toes during each at-bat.

I’ve also learned that bowlers believe that wearing the same clothes will continue a winning streak, and that in both rodeos and tennis you should never wear yellow. Golfers apparently should only begin with odd-numbered clubs. Via Yahoo! Directory—What’s New.

What Your Inbox Says About You

Here’s an interesting article: "Hoarders vs. Deleters: What Your Inbox Says About You". According to psychologist Dave Greenfield, how we handle our incoming E-mail is a reflection of how we handle the rest of our lives. He says "If you keep your inbox full rather than empty, it may mean you keep your life cluttered in other ways." He’s not full of approval for those who have super-tidy inboxes, either.

If you obsessively clean your inbox every 10 minutes, you may be so quick to move on that you miss opportunities and ignore nuances. Or your compulsion for order may be sapping your energy from other endeavors, such as your family.

The article cites the example of one person (a finance executive) who had 10,000 E-mail in his inbox, presumably unread. Perhaps part of the problem here is not that these people are always disorganised (although I’m sure that’s true for many). But some of them too may dread dealing with E-mail simply because they read slowly, type slowly, and hate to write. An E-mail that would take some people two minutes to respond to might necessitate 15 minutes work on their part. Via LifeHacker.

Mick Jagger’s Ongoing Education

Apparently Mick Jagger has now, after over 40 years of being a lead singer, decided to take voice lessons. No, it’s not because he wants to change his style—he wants to learn how to take care of his voice. Via Knotted Knickers.