Why? Because I caught myself doing something that I’ve been doing for years: if I sit in my car before, for example, going into the grocery store, I don’t just turn the car off. I take the key out of the ignition, because I’ve seen that episode of Breaking Bad where we learn that leaving the keys in the ignition is a very, very bad idea.
(I learned from the same show to be very wary of flippy floor rugs, but I don’t want to say more than that for fear of spoilers.)
I’m not 100% sure, of course, that Breaking Bad is the best place to get automotive advice. But even reality TV can teach us things. The Great British Sewing Bee is finally available in the US, so I’ve just learned that I’ve been understitching my facings and bias tape incorrectly. Shame!
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| May Martin, judging my understitching. |
What about you? What have you learned from TV? Have we ever figured out the plural of "apocalypse"?
Josie Kafka is a full-time cat servant and part-time rogue demon hunter. (What's a rogue demon? Has anyone learned that, too?)
‘Apocalypses’.
ReplyDeleteShort, snappy answer: Everything I need to know in life I learned by watching Star Trek. (TOS, in my case.)
Slightly longer answer: I’m sure I learned a number of things from cooking shows (one that come immediately to mind is how to squeeze a lemon against a knife blade to direct the juice). Obviously, various facts from documentaries too numerous to mention or even remember.
Not sure about specific lessons from other shows. Don’t stick your big toe in the bathtub faucet? Lemon juice and paper clips stirred in coconut shells can be used to recharge batteries? I’m sure there are some useful titbits in there somewhere, but maybe it’s too early in the morning to think of them.
I've learned so much from TV but to be honest, I'm drawing a blank. My brain isn't working. I'll have to come back to this. :)
ReplyDeleteDon't know whether this sounds nuts - or you guys relate. But characters of shows live rent-free in my head, like constantly available helpdesks, that I can 'talk' to when I'm dealing with a problem or going through a rough time. I know them well enough to 'hear' them 'say' what encouraging advice they have for me. I have whole conversations with them. Some of my sage advisors are: Uncle Iroh (Avatar The Last Airbender), Data (Star Trek tng), G'Kar (Babylon 5), Destruction (The Sandman),...
ReplyDeleteStijn, you just reminded me of when I was an emotional, screwed up teenager in high school and I used to pretend I was Mr. Spock because he was so calm and cool all the time.
ReplyDeleteBillie, I just remembered I've had imaginary conversations with Giles (Buffy) in the past. Having an imaginary talk with someone like Giles when you're not doing well, is wonderfully stabilizing & soothing.
ReplyDeleteThat cars always explode after rolling down a hill or hitting any obstacle!
ReplyDelete