Well, I am headed back to the airport today so that I can return home to my real life. Yes, indeed – the life where my room is not tidied up by someone else and meals are not prepared for me. Back to my real life where blintzes and karaoke are not the standard Wednesday fare. 

As always, it has been a delight to spend time working and visiting with my colleagues here. I do not get to see them often enough, but when I do it is always a rich experience. Seeing my dear friend, Barbara, and EM mentor, Dr. B, was once again (and as always) a pleasure.  I also visited with other colleagues I had not seen for awhile and met new folks.  It was an enriching and refreshing trip even if a late night at karaoke left me a little worse for the wear (but wow was it fun…). When I get home I will have to share "the legend of the  flying claw" which is my new favorite Lee Newsome story and some of the other antics that went on.  There simply isn’t enough time now to relate them properly. 

For now, I just want to share a quick and somewhat troubling observation I made in the airport restrooms on my way out to EMI that I intend to pay closer attention to on my way home – overactive flushers.

I imagine you are asking yourself right now – "Whatever is she talking about now?" You likely are thinking I meant to say something else – like overactive bladder.  No, you heard me right – overactive flushers. That is what I am terming the airport toilets that flush multiple times without warning based on their heightened sensitivity (and by that I mean the toilet’s sensor sensitivities, not the toilet’s feelings).

First of all, these overactive flushers are wasteful of water.  There is no need for three flushes when one would be quite enough. Waste not – want not.  I am reminded of Sara Lepp who will be without a flushing toilet (or any toilet for that matter this weekend).  I bet she would relish even one flush.  This waste of water is really quite inexcusable.

Secondly, overactive flushers are startling to the individual in closest proximity.  There is a certain order to things and multiple flushes disorient the unsuspecting participant.  Enough said on that front.

Finally, overactive flushers give the impression that something big and exciting is going on when it is not, or conversely that one is a bad steward of resources.  Either impression is one to be avoided in a public restroom if possible. 

I am curious to get to the bottom of this.  There is clearly a technological piece to this puzzle that can be easily researched.   As I travel today I will be trying to figure out what it is about the sensors that allows for the overactivity.  Today I will be doing the important work of the people – researching overactive toilets…seems a fitting finish to my travel week…what a glamous and exciting life I lead. 😉 

Day ninety-five of the new forty – obla di obla da

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