#196 Topsy Turvy

Ever feel like you’re just moseying along and the whole world goes topsy-turvy? Now there’s a sentence to challenge the English as a second language people. Both mosey and topsy-turvy in one place. Try finding those terms in a foreign language/ English dictionary. Topsy-turvy. Origin anyone? Perhaps how a top spins and then suddenly flips upside down, or maybe just wobbles weird. The derivation of “topsy” from “top” I get. Turvy I can’t figure out. When someone puts glasses upside down in the cupboard can someone else say? Hey, who put these glasses turvy? Or can I now call my favorite dessert “pineapple turvy cake?”
Anyhow, I imagine that’s how the listeners from KVSN radio felt when one day they turned on their beloved Christian AM station and suddenly started hearing NPR. Not that Christianity and in depth news are necessarily exclusive, but you know, the tone was probably just a touch more highbrow than normal. I also wonder how long it took the old listeners to catch on, and how many of them actually got a different point of view slipped in before they got their guard back up.
Lord knows doing the format switch during NPRs monthly evolution discussion was ill-timed.
Grownup people do the damnedest things. The other day I was watching TV, or possibly cable, I’m not really sure, I’d been channel surfing for a while and all the content seems equally unfettered these days. In any event I saw a picture of some really appetizing food on this channel and I was really hungry so I did what I’m sure a lot of people do. I turned up the volume. That’s right, I saw a picture of some really mouth-watering food and in order to enjoy it more I turned up the sound. So my question is: Is increasing the sound volume to my ears going to make me visualize the taste better? Hunger is a cruel and unforgiving mistress.
Speaking of empty feelings, this coffee culture stuff is getting out of hand. The other day I ordered a drip coffee at a local coffee-ing hole. First complaint: you can’t just say cup of coffee any more. In order to justify the high price for the liquid that sustained countless dirt-poor folk during the depression because it was so cheap, you have to specify whether you want your plain coffee “drip” or “Americano.” The barista then asked me: “Do you want room with that?” As if “room” was a solid object of some sort. Like, “...you want biscotti with that?” Or, “...you want sugar with that?” “Do you want room with that?” should, I would think, be more appropriately stated as “do you want room in the cup for cream?” or, “room in that cup?” or “room in that?” Empty space is not an object any more than zero is a percent.
I know because I once had some empty space in my hand and I tried to turn it topsy-turvy.
America, ya gotta love it.