Just for Fun

[drpeterwardle]

When I was a lad studying up N'rth I was sent to a conference and I discussed the issue of contamination from smoking on radiocarbon samples with somebody that should know the answer. Apparently the sample preparation will remove such contaminants in any event.

I have also excavated a site where dinosaur stuff was present in the in the bedrock. The media coverage was fun.

Dr Peter

(Again expecting to be told off for being too serious)

[Real Job]

Can't remember where I first heard it, but it has been doing the rounds for a long time (has the ring of truth about it tho'!):

Archaeologists deep in a muddy trench, howling wind, rain, clay natural, freezing cold etc.
The bloke who cleans the portaloo (i.e. spends his days sucking up **** and wiping piss off the floor) arrives at their trench, pokes his head over and offers 'Jeez, you've got the worst job in the world!', before walkin off to clean more toilets...

Thanks for that info about smoking DR Pete - I always suspected that it was an urban (rural?) myth since nobody ever was able to tell me why cigarette ash would contaminate a sample and not e.g. lying in the ground for 2000 years....

[Alfie]

I love the bizzare phone calls I get as a local authority curator.
All time favorite: "I need a good taxidermist, who do you use?"
Close second has to be when I called the secretary of a local history group at lunchtime and an absolutely furious voice said " cant you see I'm in bed?"

[Steve-B]

Phones calls, now theres a subject...

"hello how can I help you..."

"I think my wife is having an affair..."

"OK, sorry to hear that, how can I help you???"

"I want you to follow her and get some evidence..."

"You do realise we sell metal detectors...."

"Oh, can you sell me a bug for the phone instead then..."

"Sorry Sir we sell metal detectors, hobby metal detectors.. you need a private detective.."

True, I have been asked for phone bugging devices, miniture cameras, and alsorts of covert devices....

You would have thought I would have tapped into the market by now...



http://www.detector-distribution.co.uk

For all your detecting needs.

[mercenary]

My favourite story concerns a colleague who was approached by American tourists in York, wanting to know when the City shut its gates. Medieval World perhaps?

[Mole]

Best peice of advice form my 1st supervisor - just remember what the difference is between a bucket if sh*t and an archaeologist - at least the buckets useful!!

Strangely enough this sage advice has seen me through 10 years of professional archaeology!

[Real Job]

quote:a colleague who was approached by American tourists in York, wanting to know when the City shut its gates

In Oxford it is a commonplace experience to be approached by an american tourist asking 'where's the university' (for those not familiar with Oxford, the correct answer is 'almost everywhere'). I heard tales of various mischievous answers, including pointing the victim up the Cowley Road and saying 'follow the signs to Blackbird Leys'.

[Tim]

Sorry Weegie wasn't me sleeping on the bookcases, they were much to tall and precarious.

Little Tim

"Freedom of ideas is one thing, freedom of the purse is quite another". Edward Harris

[troll]

Colleague of mine was taking a group of schoolchildren around the site when, after repeated requests for them to be careful (deep holes/tools etc) he had finally had enough and chastised them verily.This complete, he then turned to the next trench-edge where he trod on an upturned hoe which promptly smacked him in the chops.

..knowledge without action is insanity and action without knowledge is vanity..(imam ghazali,ayyuhal-walad)

[1man1desk]

quote:he trod on an upturned hoe which promptly smacked him in the chops

The lucky ba*****d.

Some years ago, my then new girlfriend came to visit the site I was working on. Approaching the trench edge without looking, I stood on the head of a pickeaxe. Strangely, a pickaxe-handle turns out to be almose exactly the same length as my inside-leg measurement, and the consequences left me unable to walk for two days, and put a crimp in the early days of our relationship.

Luckily, the effects were not permanent, as my son would be relieved to know...



1man1desk

to let, fully furnished