Happy Thought for 16 June 2023

Have a Happy Thought:

 We are coming up on the mid-year solstice, 6 days from now to be exact - That’s the date where the Earth’s tilt has the greatest impact on the length of the day.

 For those of us in the Southern Hemisphere, this means the days will be getting longer soon!

 And for those of you in the Northern Hemisphere – you get to really enjoy those long, slow evenings, and need to get up really early to catch those sunrises!

 6 months ago exactly, I wrote to you all about the wonderful practice of cities naming their snowplows.

 I am back to tell you that cities all over the world name all sorts of their infrastructure… including (and Aucklanders will immediately resonate with this):

Storm drains!

 Yes, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, specifically, has an “adopt a storm drain” programme. The main point of this is to recognise the work that people do to keep their storm drains clear (and also give some safety tips).

But anyone who ‘adopts’ their local storm drain… also gets to name it (at least on the city’s map of adopted storm drains).

 

There are some clear themes coming through here:

Musical references:

  • Purple Drain, Purple Drain
  • It's Draining Men - 1
  • It's Draining Men – 2 (yes, and there’s probably #3 out there somewhere, too)
  • Lil Drayne ft. Misty Elliott (Supa Dupa Flow)
  • The Drain (Supa Dupa Fly)

Some names are very practical:

  • Storm Drain 3263827 (2)
  • Hudson-Crandall Catch Basin
  • The Grey Cliff on Dover (yes it is on Dover St)

Obligatory references to Mormon country:

·      Missionary Draining Center
·      High Tithe

Some people obviously start feeling very friendly about their drains:

  • Watershed Warrior
  • Grate Mate

 Some… social commentary?

  • Stormy Drainiels

Finally, just some that I liked, no particular categories here:

  • Holey Guacamole
  • September’s Puddle (do you get the feeling whoever adopted this one had noticed a trend…?)
  • D. RAIN-ged
  • Stormy McDrain Face - 2
  • Draino Malfoy

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