Today’s post comes to us from Linda.
Something in the picture above seems ominous. Or perhaps omenous. But what does it mean? Wikipedia tells us:
The Romans, unlike the Greeks, considered that signs from the left were usually favorable and positive, while signs from the right were seen as adverse and negative. However, under Greek influence this procedure began to change and eventually lost its universal weight, meaning that each omen case was to be examined separately.
Left or right? Good or bad? Discuss.
Trail Baboon 
The idea that Romans considered signs from the left favorable seems to conflict with the latin for left: “sinistra”, which became “sinister” and is associated with evil. I wonder how that aligns?
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It sounds to me like it is somehow aligned with Frank Sinatra.
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Frank seems to prefer the side of misfortune:
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Robert Preston seems to be confused:
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Going into that bathroom when you have been plainly warned is like nonchalantly throwing open your bedroom window on a night when Dracula is known to be on the prowl.
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However, NOT going to the bathroom after your internal self warns you that you must is also risky unless you have donned your Depends.
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And even so, I can’t imagine that it would be a very pleasant experience.
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Take along your garlic necklace and a silver crucifix, just in case.
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I don’t know… depends.
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If omens have been labeled so there’s no mistaking them, are they still bonified omens? Is this “Omens for Dummies”?
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I think if it were “Omens For Dummies” the sign would have a little thumb pointing up or down so there could be no doubt.
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What does it augur, I wonder, when a society can’t recognize its omens?
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one of my favorite candid camera stunts was one where they put an arrow on the two bathroom doors pointing to the other
women —–>. <——-men
had people give reactions
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I’m guessing that “bonified” here means an omen into which bones have been inserted, but I have trouble picturing that.
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Meant (of course) to go under Bill’s comment. I can see WordPress and I are off to a difficult week.
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My bad.
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At the core of this discussion, is there something vaguely unsettling about public restrooms?
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One sort of surreal experience I had was being in a restaurant once when their fire alarm went off. It was extremely loud, and although there was no actual fire, the staff couldn’t seem to figure out how to shut it off. I went into the restroom, where the alarm wasn’t quite as loud, to see if I could wait it out there till it got quiet again. In the restroom, there was a flashing light, I suppose for the hearing impaired. You could still hear the insistent honking of the alarm from the lobby. And all the automatic faucets kept periodically coming on and turning off again, one by one, although no one was anywhere near them. Something was tripping the sensors. It felt sort of apocalyptic somehow.
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Sounds like something out of a Poltergeist-type movie.
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What’s the alternative? I’d rather have public restrooms than whatever would happen if we didn’t have them.
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There is no alternative, obviously, and that’s not the question I asked. I think many people find public restrooms slightly uncomfortable and I suspect it may have something to do with the ambiguity of the public and private space. I wondered if the fact that it was a restroom made the “Omen” sign more ominous.
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no lack of public bathrooms is unsettling
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I have been more than vaguely unsettled by the lack of a public restroom.
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Greetings from DC. Uneventful flights. (Well, After the spare tire fell off anyway).
I was at a conference and the convention center had ‘Unisex bathrooms’ which simply had a curtain pull down over the urinals in the men’s room.
And I thought that was such a simple solution. This doesn’t have to be difficult; just add a curtain!
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I’ve always hated public restrooms and have made a point of getting in and out of them as rapidly as biology and zippers permit. And there are some things I refuse to do in a public restroom except in the most dire circumstances.
Which happened once when I was doing Christmas shopping in Rosedale. I was already in a vile mood, as I hate malls. I had managed to give myself food poisoning, something I discovered only after getting in Rosedale. Since malls hate people using their bathroom facilities, they hide them where only the most desperate customers can find them. Staggering around Rosedale on the verge of exploding while I tracked down the public toilets was a horrible memory I’ll never outlive.
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I was just out running errands and had just gotten home when the spare tire fell out from under my truck.
At least I was home in the yard and only 30′ from parking.
Our plane leaves at 2:00. Hope that spare tire doesn’t fall off.
I hope that wasn’t an omen…
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it’s a truck
throw it in the bed
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I was home; I parked it in a corner of the shed.
More over, I was impressed that a spare tire still had air. It’s from 1999.
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thats really old air. i wonder if you could package air like they do wine ahhhh paris august 2004 whatr a great summmer that was. so full of wonderful smells.
the fire of yellowstone 1986. the smell of pines in the smoke.
bens tire 1999 the barn in hain family compound
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Left-handed pitcher brought in to face a left-handed batter is a good move.
I can’t remember the Bible book (Judges?) where a regiment of slingshot Benjaminites were all left-handed, and “would not miss which was good for the Israelites. Teachinga left-handed flooring apprentice the trade can be bad. It’s very, very bad as I am teaching TWO such rookies.
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Yeah, those lefties can be hard to teach.
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It’s the lack of dexterity.
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Rise and Shine Baboons!
We LEFT for home this morning from N. MN. WE have landed this afternoon, back in EP. No omens at all. We are all RIGHT.
Nice middle ground, eh? (Canadian influence after having been so close to the border.
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This tells of omens and portents
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daughters play at the senior summer school performance class at childrens theater. they sent out a note to the parents that there will be no nudity
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I would swear I commented something like this earlier today:
I find it interesting how some restaurants will have labels based on their theme, like Guys/Dolls, or Lads/Lassies – wish I could remember the one I was in just the other day… some are actually quite cleaver. If “Women” is Omen, what would “Men” be? (and don’t say “En”.)
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i think we should get me
it seems fitting
ladies are represented as omens
and guys are front and center all about me
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Snort.
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