Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Something at Which I'm Lousy!


And if you tell me you're good at it,
I'm going to be suspicious.
It is: approximating distance.
Especially in "yards."


In case you're wondering what in the world
could have prompted me to think about
such an important issue this morning, it is this
article which was on my Facebook feed:

No floaties needed! In the video, the bucks were crossing from one island to another, and the man who shot the video estimated that they swam approximately 700 yards across the lake.


 I do point out that the information quotes a man as
estimating the distance of this swim as
"approximately 700 yards."
I think it is usually a man thing.


Now if I had seen this fascinating sight, I probably
would have said,
"You just wouldn't believe how far they swam!"
Sad but true.
That would be the best I could do. 
(But I might be good at rhyming.)


Did this man really know how far 700 yards is?
I mean, how the heck do you even do this?
I might be able to estimate feet--sometime.
And I know there are 3 feet in a yard.
But 700 of them?  No clue.


I think my pal Judge Judy acknowledges this problem.
I can just feel you wondering how I know that.
Well, when she is trying a case involving distance,
she says,
"Point to something in the courtroom which is
about as far away as you're indicating."
Not, "How many feet."
And certainly not, "How many yards!"


Next post will be "Something at Which I'm Good"
(if I can come up with anything!)














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