Saturday 4 October 2008

Coincidence...


I've been amused before to notice the coincidence that some instance or terminology that you had never come across in your entire life reoccurs once, even twice more within days of your first exposure to it.

I've experienced that phenomenon again this week.

On Wednesday, fellow blogger Kezza exposed me for the first time ever to the term shirtcocking. Although I was not unfamiliar with the activity he had in mind, it was the first time I had ever heard the name.

So, this morning, when I read a few more pages from my current book God of Speed it was with new found awareness that I reached the following narrative by the main character, the legendary Howard Hughes;

"I was trouserless. I was underwearless. I was wearing a shirt."


There it is on Page 236 in black and white, the famous eccentric multi-millionaire engaging in shirtcocking!

To complete the coincidence I have shamelessly manufactured a third instance. I am sitting at my PC typing this post and I am doing so...shirtcocking.

Thanks, Kezza.

4 comments:

  1. I've never heard that term before. Sheltered life and all...

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  2. I admit I'd never heard of it either. Is it a commonly used Australian term.

    http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=shirtcocking

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  3. Firehorse: Well, I was born in Australia and am almost 60 years old and had never heard the term before last week.

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  4. Victor... I'm so glad I was able to introduce something new (well, the terminology if not the concept) even better still I'm glad to hear you're partaking as well! Most of the references I can find stem from the Burning Man festival so I can only assume it originated from there.

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