Questions, Questions, Questions
I love questions that really make you wonder. Questions like, Is there an exception to the rule “there’s an exception to every rule”? Or one of my personal favorites, Why are there 5 syllables in the word “monosyllabic”?
The fact is, you don’t have to go searching for ‘em; they sometimes show up right at your feet. In fact, it happened just the other evening when a neighbor from down the street dropped by to chat with Mrs. MZM for a few minutes. She happened to bring her cute little son along with her, and as is typical whenever multiple adults and only one child get together, the tiniest member of the group became the center of attention. (How do they do that, anyway?)
C’mon, Push the Button
Just so you know, our house isn’t exactly child-proof, mind you, nor is it filled with fun stuff for babies to play with, either. However, unlike us adults, children have an innate ability to uncover the entertainment value in practically anything (up to and including dirt).
We usually keep an electric heating pad lying on the floor next to the couch. (What can I say? Sometimes it just, er, helps. If you know what I mean – great. If not – one day you will. Just sayin’.) Now, you and I both know this isn’t an appropriate plaything for a baby. So of course the little critter made a beeline right for it.
He grabbed the control pad and quickly discovered that pushing its buttons caused the little light to change colors in the following sequence: push #1 = yellow, push #2 = orange, push #3 = red, push #4 = off. (Please be assured – and you’ll have to trust me on this – all three of us were watching him closely and there was absolutely no danger involved.)
This impromptu “toy” seemed to keep him happy, but it was the “off” setting that threw him for a loop. Although the pretty glowing light fascinated him, every time it turned off his imagined solution was to simply push that button all the harder. In fact, I could see his hands and arms literally shaking with the effort to make that light go on, as if he could make it work by sheer strength. Eventually, of course, he’d let go – then push it again and voila! the whole sequence began all over again.
Now, when you think about it, wasn’t it silly of him to imagine that if a certain action (pushing a button) failed to produce an expected result (the light changed color), that doing that same action with even more effort (c’mon, push harder!) would magically make it work?
On the other hand… don’t we adults do the same thing? No, you say? Have you ever flipped a light switch, only to find the light didn’t work – then (and be honest here) flipped it at least a couple more times, just to be sure? Yep; thought so.
Well then why do you press harder on a TV remote control when you know the battery is dead? (Yes, you!) I mean, you know it’s dead, right? Then, um, why – ?
Yeah, sometimes we adults aren’t quite so smart as all that, are we?
Questions, Questions
Ah, questions, questions, questions! The fact is, life if chock full of imponderable questions, isn’t it? So, just to celebrate that fact, here’s a whole herd o’ questions for which I have never found a meaningful answer:
- Why do ballet dancers dance on their toes? Why doesn’t the company just hire taller dancers?
- Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible black cinder which no decent human being (nor most self-respecting animals, either) would ever eat?
- Speaking of bread – since all sandwich bread is square, why do they make round sandwich meats?
- What should you do if you see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant?
- If laughter is the best medicine, what does it mean when someone dies laughing?
- If milk goes bad when not refrigerated, why doesn’t it go bad in the cow?
- If a train station is where a train stops, what happens at a work station?
- Does a lightning rod on top of a church demonstrate a lack of faith?
- Do sheep get static cling when they rub against one another? And why don’t they shrink when it rains?
- If most car accidents occur within five miles of home, why doesn’t everyone just move 10 miles away?
Needless to say, there are plenty more where these came from! However, I’ll leave you with this one final question:
- If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?
By the way, if you happen to know the answer to any of these questions, then by all means feel free to chime in with it down there in the comment box. What the heck, if you feel particularly inspired, go ahead and make an answer up! I might even award extra points for the most creative answers.
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42 responses so far
Middle Zone Musings is a comfortable place to stop, have a cup of coffee, swap a few stories and share practical ideas for the real world. I don't ask for much, just a bit of your brain every now and then. Have a seat, take a load off, and relax...
Robert,
The answer to your second question—Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible black cinder which no decent human being (nor most self-respecting animals, either) would ever eat?:
For the benefit of my husband who asks why the toast is so light when it’s that horrible black cinder.
Okay. That does it! I’m not taking any chances. I’m moving. ….at least 10 miles! I don’t need any more accidents.
@Lillie – OK, so maybe I’ll amend that setting to “no decent human being EXCEPT Lillie’s husband would ever eat”. Yeesh.
@Pam – Now yer talkin’! Just make sure it’s in the right direction…
Why does the toaster have that insane setting and why oh why in spite of every effort do I not yet have 6-pack abs, why, waaah?
@Karen – Gee, I’ve never connected those two together like that. Maybe you’re on to something? :-O
Q – If laughter is the best medicine, what does it mean when someone dies laughing?
It means he died of an overdose
@Krishna – What a way to go!
Hey, you know, you are right about us pushing items harder or flipping them off and on again when we know they aren’t going to work. I had never thought about it, but it is soooo true. You have people figured out before they have themselves figured out. She sure make me think. lol
@Paula Jo – Yeah, I’m afraid we’re all pretty much… BUSTED!
In so many questions posted, this one really captivates my attention. If a train station is where a train stops, what happens at a work station?.. Is it probably there the work will stop?.. I think not…
@Mark – Well, ya never know, Mark…
hilarious questions..i think you ran out of topics to write about eh? hehe but atleast you have made us all smile and think about those wonders really..like those tricks children asking wheter an egg or a chicken goes first..
@kimmy – Ah, but we know the answer to that one…
Why “extraordinary” means highly unusual when they are EXTRA ORDINARY? lol
One of my personal favorites:
If aliens really are smart enough to travel through time and space, why is it that they only ever abduct dumb people?
@Sarah – Definitely on the top of MY list of questions!
Sometimes it’s indicated to have questions, but not all the time, and also it depends on the questions we have.
Sometimes we should stop asking and start acting, or start living:)
Interesting questions. I think they make dancers dance on their toes for the curvature or aesthetically pleasing shape of the body… or they want dancers to feel like they might fall and embarrass themselves horrifically in the middle of any given performance.
“Does a lightning rod on top of a church demonstrate a lack of faith?”
That’s probably more of harnessing & “keeping the faith” to the all powerful.
@Jorjette – You may have a good point there, Jorjette!
@Jasmine – You mean they DON’T need taller dancers? :-O
@Leroy – I don’t get it.
“Speaking of bread – since all sandwich bread is square, why do they make round sandwich meats?” — Because smart people invent a way to use round(or rounded) meats, they use them on BUNS, instead of squares. ………. Just Kidding!! haha!
“What should you do if you see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant?” — You laugh and point. It scares it away xD
“If milk goes bad if not refrigerated, why doesn’t it go bad in the cow?” — Because it is closed off from air, and bacteria can’t get to it. Like canned food.
“Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible black cinder which no decent human being (nor most self-respecting animals, either) would ever eat?” — I agree with Lillie. My Dad is like that with most things (including steak — ugh!)
LOL!
@Tasha – Well, I can see you put a lot of thought into this. Why don’t you sit down and have a piece of toast on me!
Haha, I have a good question for you: When cheese gets it’s picture taken, what does it say?
There are so many things we don’t wonder about. Usually…
@Eduard – Hey, good one, Bubba! I’ll have to add that one to the list…
I have a question for ya why does captain Kirk of the USS Enterprise have three ears? Because he has one right ear, one left ear,and one frontier!haha
If a tree falls in the forest does it make a sound? Seriously, do any of us really care?
LOL at the ballet dancer. When I was a kid, I also thought of why they dance in that way.
Another question similar to the square bread:
“Why is a round pizza put in a square box?”
Ha! These were hilarious! I have another one…why are there always 10 hot dogs in a pack and only 8 buns in a bag???
Where do you come up with this? Truly your talent has me amazed! LOL…
@Rich – Hey, good one, Rich! At tip o’ the hat to ya!
@Heath – I care, Heath. I care deeply. I think. :-\
@Heidi – Aw, man; that one’s obvious!
@Jasmine – The answer to the hot dogs/buns question is simple: it’s a conspiracy! :-O
@Val – Thanks, and a tip o’ the hat to ya for sayin’ so!
Milk does go bad in the frig after a couple of weeks. I imagine it would in the cow too. They get milked twice a day to keep it coming, but I think if you don’t milk them they stop producing milk. I know, it was not really a question looking for an answer, but it got me thinking. Obviously I am not a dairy farmer!
As to how little kids get to the center of attention, they do it by being cute or adorable, or sometimes by being insistent. Believe it or not we were all cute and adorable once upon a time!
@Will – I suppose we can’t begrudge the little critters their moment of fame, so to speak. Sooner or later they’re gonna have to learn how to earn folks attention, though, instead of just demandin’ it. It’s just life.
[quote]# If most car accidents occur within five miles of home, why doesn’t everyone just move 10 miles away?[/quote]
I like this questions that here in my country have it range approx. 5 miles from home.. and most of them think for 5 miles from home, accident should not harm LOL
BUT their thinking apposite from fact
@Jens – I suppose. I think.
Laughter is the best medicine for any one to stay happy in this life.