Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Today I learned... (Day 130 KEDfaY)

Before I go to bed every night, I have a routine, like many people. I brush my teeth, wash my face, then cosy into bed and play Words with Friends or solitaire until the light goes out. The light goes out when the Boyfriend finally falls asleep or asks me to turn it off. It's on my side of the bed so I get to deal with it, an argument that we've had many times because we are both inherently lazy people and it's just so far away...

But then I read Wikipedia. I usually also listen to TV shows on my iPod because the only way I've found to fall asleep is to be overstimulated which sounds backwards for most people but it really does help me. Don't judge.

Generally my Wikipedia routine is to go to the main website and just hit the random button, read the article, sometimes it will be a foreign minister in a very small town in a country smaller than the city I currently live in, sometimes it's a random world event, more often it's an athlete for a sport that I don't pay attention to. I skim it if it isn't interesting or read it if it is and then either hit "Random" again or I find a link and fall down the Wikipedia hole. My favorites articles are the ones about nature. Simple things that you would take for granted are fascinating. Have you read the Wikipedia article for apples? How about the sea? What about kiwi birds? For example, the other night I started reading about rattlesnakes. I will say that I didn't random myself to this article, I had watched an episode of Mythbusters with a rattlesnake in it and I wanted to know why and how they made their rattly noise. And then I fell down a Wikipedia hole. Did you know that pit vipers are called so because they have pits in their face that allow them to sense heat? I thought they were called pit vipers because they enjoyed living in pits, a simple but easy to follow train of thought. These are things that we don't learn in school and I think that we totally should because what's more badass than a rattle snake that has extra holes in its face to smell its prey? I would've paid attention in class that day.

Another example: Today, I was curious about the bar exam that lawyers have to take and after reading all about that, I somehow ended up reading about the Talmud. Fascinating and stuff that I never would've learned if it weren't for Wikipedia. I know Wikipedia gets a lot of flack for the fact that anyone can edit it (with restrictions but no one cares about those) but I honestly love it. It's my second favorite website (seconded only to Ravelry.com because Ravelry is amazing) and I feel bad whenever I visit Wikipedia's page and they ask for money. I love Wikipedia and I use it pretty much daily. There's a long list of things I plan to do once I have a steady income and possibly extra money and donating to Wikipedia is definitely one of them. Even if Wikipedia gave me a job (something I don't know how to go about getting but I'm damn sure I would love working for Wikipedia because who wouldn't love to do research and fact check various things all day?) I would donate a part of my paycheck.

So, Jimmy Wales, if you find this in your random google search of your name, I would love to work for Wikipedia because pit vipers are badass.

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In knitting today, I just worked on another hat for Christmas, my 2nd to last one, I *think*. I might do one more just in case I've miscounted or forgotten someone. This one is going to be a Creeper hat for my youngest brother. He likes Minecraft (or at least did the last time I saw him) so I'm hoping he likes it. If not, tough. I'll just take it back! Harumph. After I finish this hat, I will only have 3 more presents to knit which I'm pretty excited about since it's not even December yet. Look at me, all ahead and everything!


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