Thursday, April 26, 2007

inner dork: pure randomness

It's a purely random dorking today. It's madness! Madness, I tell ya!

So, without further ado. (I love how that sounds.)

Did you know...

In the 1940's, the Bich pen was changed to Bic for fear that Americans would pronounce it "bitch." (Stupid Americans.)

People didn't always say "hello" when they answered the phone. When the first regular phone service was established in 1878, people said, "ahoy." (Followed by a quick, "matey.")

The phrase "the boogeyman will get you" refers to the Boogey people who still inhabit an area of Indonesia. The natives still act as pirates today and attack passing ships. (Hmm, my Boogey man lived in my closet. Or in my nose. I can't remember which. It's definitely one or the other.)

The term honeymoon is derived from the Babylonians, who declared mead, a honey-flavored wine, the official wedding drink, stipulating that a bride's parents be required to keep the groom supplied with the drink for the month following the wedding. (Just a month? Really? I would think it would be/should be required for a much longer period. That whole "married" thing and all.)

The word constipation come from a Latin word that means, "to crowd together." (As in, my poop is all crowded together and it won't come out.) (Too, far? Did I go too far?)

In French, essay means "to try, attempt." (As in, I tried to attempt to meet the standards of my "mentor" when it came to my thesis, but I clearly failed that attempt.) (Not bitter.) (Not at all.)

The expression "What in tarnation?" comes from the original phrase "What in eternal damnation?" (Did anyone else have Yosemite Sam pop into their head?) (Anyone?) (Anyone?) (Bueller?)

Crack gets its name because it crackles when you smoke it. (So, where's the snap and pop? I guess Kellogg's was already all over that one.)

The word curfew originated from an old french word that means "cover fire." (As in, if my ass didn't make it home by curfew it was going to be covered in fire.)

That's all folks!

9 comments:

Scott said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
limpy99 said...

Great, now I've got Monty Burns stuck in my head answering the phone with a cheery "Ahoy, hoy"

No, I don't watch The Simpsons too much.

Scott said...

I'm always learning something new here and it's always interesting.

I love your reference to Ferris Bueller's Day Off. I actually dated a guy who was an extra in that movie but I can't tell you which one just because a girls got to have her dirty little secrets. I will tell you this much though-the guy was a tool. It went from being one of my favorite movies to one I avoid at all costs.

BTW: I'm so glad you got your birthday 'do-over'. 32 is only a few months away for me but I'm not a single girl so I won't have nearly as much fun as you did.

-Lynne

(I had to edit to sign my name-I didn't want you to think it was Scott writing this:)

Bre said...

French derivations make me happy because I understand the French. I pretty much rule. (you do too!)

Nick said...

For some extra added geek... I give you some physics terms you might appreicated.

The change in acceleration with respect to time is called... jerk.

The change in jerk with respect to time is called... snap.

The change in snap with respect to time is called... crackle.

The change in crackle with respect to time is called... pop.

Seriously.

puerileuwaite said...

I use my Bich Pen to write to women that have been incarcerated. Sometimes I include a picture of my Bic.

Phollower said...

I still think "random dorking" sounds like somebody's gonna get some, we just don't know who yet.

And I am so gonna start answering the phone with a hearty "Ahoy". I just wish my name was Chips. You know, so I could say, "This is Chips, ahoy."

Party Girl said...

Limpy: I think we should start a trend. Let's all start answering the phone that way.

Lynn: Oh, that's good and fun! I hate it when I have a bad association to something ruins everything. Cool story though.

Oh, you're going to have an awesome 32!!! Just an awesome one!

Bre: Rule or understand French?...both? Yeah. I'm going with both.

Nick: Me, loves some geek! Those are fantastic, by the way! I love useless, but fun trivia!

P: and how do they respond?

Ph: You could have them phollow your chips ahoy!

puerileuwaite said...

They don't. Someone stole all the pens.