Learning Opportunities Abound

The world is full of wonderful and odd ways to learn things.  I guess that was the basis for the novel Q&A (also known as Slumdog Millionaire).  As a teacher, I have tried to impress upon my students that there millions of opportunities to learn that aren’t in the classroom.  Today, I came across one for myself.

I went for a haircut, and while there is nothing interesting or insightful in that, it did provide me with one of those interesting learning activities.  Before you start wondering, I have to explain that it did not come from talking to the barber.  I am rather reluctant barbershop chair talker.  Unlike some of the people sitting alongside me, I don’t find I have a lot to say while someone hovers around me with sharp objects.  Luckily, most barbers have mastered the skill of talking to the talkers and leaving the silent ones alone–if only one of the hygienists at my dentist’s office could do the same.

As I was getting my haircut, I noticed that the shop owner had invested in new aprons, or bibs, or dustcovers , or smocks–come to think of it, what are those sheetlike things they cover your body in called?  If anyone knows, please leave a comment in the comment section.

These new aprons featured a dizzying array of moustaches with the names of the moustache types below them…..and there were a lot of them.  I know of the standard goatee and handlebar, but I had knowledge whatsoever of any other names.  I have told my student that everything has a name–sometimes right down to the minute part of any machine or object, but I really hadn’t considered it as deeply as these new smocks forced me to do.

I notice that beards (I have heard them called hipster beards but I am not so up on the trends to know if that is correct.  Again, feel free to comment.  While we’re at it, I would like to know what the women think of this current fashion trend–I am just curious.  I have long given up my goatee and have no intention of ever growing it back.)…. where was I?

Okay, beards seem to be trendy.  I have to guess that is why the barber decided on this particular pattern for his new smocks.  These replaced purple red ones that matched the chairs along the waiting wall.  Given that the decor in the barber shop probably hasn’t changed in 20 years (despite and ownership change that preserved the name of the shop for some odd reason), I wonder what spurred the change of smocks.

As a learning exercise, I can’t really file this under the useful knowledge section of the great hard drive in my brain.  However, it will find its way into the great collection of useless trivia I already know.  If only pub quiz’s were more popular here.