Pete on transport
Kia ora and welcome to the transport issue of In Unison, glad you could make it.
To the disbelief of many of my close friends, I actually find public transport to be rather nice – in particular busses. I think of them like a really cheap limousine – a sort of ‘stretch-van’ - which just happens to be dirty and late most of the time. I have often recommended to bus-drivers that they consider wearing suits and caps. I am yet to have any takers but rest assured I’ll keep trying. If you ever see a bus driver wearing a suit, I only ask that you smile and think of me.
So, anyway, in writing about transport, I’ve begun to wonder about a few things - I figure I’ll put them out there to you all as food for thought. First, why is it that the time of day with the slowest traffic is called rush hour? Secondly, if someone goes jogging, and somehow manages to reach the speed of sound, can he still hear his I-pod? And lastly why is it that when you transport something by car it’s often called a ‘shipment’, and when you transport something by ship it’s often called ‘cargo’? I just don’t get it…
Actually, speaking of ships, interesting story - it’s a little known fact that the word “shit” came from an acronym: Certain types of manure used to be transported by ship and in dry form it (naturally) weighs a lot less, but once water gets into it, it not only becomes heavier, the process of fermentation began again, of which a by-product is methane gas. The methane would build up below decks and as soon as someone went down there with a lantern - *BOOM*. A good few ships were destroyed ‘back in the day’ before they figured out what was happening. After that the bundles would always be stamped with “S.H.I.T.” (Ship High In Transit) – Funny, I always thought it was a cricket term… Something new every-day I guess.
As a last word, I have to send a shout out to someone – I received an email the other day, and it was absolutely lovely - a real day-brightener. Erika, your last name eludes me, and I lost your email address, but thank-you, a smile at the end of a long day can make a big difference. You rock!
I hope you are all enjoying being back on campus after the break – nice to have a big student presence around again – I missed ya ;-)
Hugs and high-fives all round,
Pete.
Staying hip in changing times:
Earlier this week I watched a Kiwi film called Eagle VS. Shark: hilarious. The style of awkward humour used just hits me in the right funny little spot. So, I’ll encourage you all to watch this movie, and then be as awkward as possible. I expect the awkward turtle to be coming out all over the place. Odd is cool ladies and gents!