...is the punchline to a story that my sister tells about an escalating challenge to sneak food out of the jealously-guarded dining commons that she and I both ate in as freshmen here. It is outside the scope of this blog to evaluate the truthfulness of her assertion, so I will merely state that a) my sister is a frequently truthful person and b) I don't even know if I ever saw the DC make that much honey available to take, but then, I ate there four years after Katie so perhaps they learned their lesson.
This is not about that. This is about the burning need for empirical knowledge which is so central to the character of Woolsey women and drives them to attempt such outrageous endeavors. Thus: if you were ever wondering whether it is possible to carry a paper to-go cup of hot tea (Twinings English Breakfast) into the library (Doe) by stuffing it into one's book bag (medium-sized Timbuk2 messenger style) and walking very carefully from the north entrance past the security desk, through the computer room and around the circulation desk, I can now tell you that it is. I have done it. And if I ever need a caffeine boost during class, all I have to do is suck on my slightly damp Anthropology of Food notebook.
Posted by dianna at November 17, 2006 12:57 PMI am commenting on your journal from the other side of the world... because i can. Know that even in China they are celebrating your spirit of scientific inquiry (where "they" represents at least one person, and i can't prove i'm the only one, so there).
Posted by: Ping at November 18, 2006 09:31 AM...said one prominent scientist between stops on his lecturing tour of East Asia. Not-quite-doctor Ping could not be reached for additional comment on the cutting-edge logic employed in reaching this conclusion, due to the severe restriction of his busy schedule.
Posted by: Dianna at November 18, 2006 11:49 AMWhen I lived in the same dorm as you and your sister, I had a suite-mate who attempted to smuggle an entire loaf of bread out of the DC. He was caught in the act and made to put it back. Sadly, he complied rather than attempt to escape only to be hounded through the end of his days by a DC security officer hellbent on making him pay for his crime.
I used to sneak lunch into the library all the time. What I did was to walk into the north entrance through the farthest-left door. I'd walk as close as I could to the security desk, holding my food/drink/whatever in my left hand, so as to obscure it from the sight of the desk person. Then, generally around the tattletape scanner, I'd smoothly pass the contraband off to my right hand, holding it in front of myself so that my body was interposed between it and the security officer. I generally never had a problem with folks harassing me at the security desk.
All of which was to avoid the hassle of spending 10 seconds explaining that I was a library employee and was just taking my lunch back to the break room.
Posted by: Zach at November 20, 2006 05:51 PMWhich is precisely the same reason for the ridiculous act featured in this post. I could have explained, but I'm a) incredibly socially phobic and b) possessed of a devious and inquisitive mind. And I have to come up with blog material somehow, right?
Posted by: Dianna at November 20, 2006 10:39 PM