January 6, 2007
-
A new issue has arisen between my sister Hope and I, and I sumbit this description of it to you so that you may judge for yourselves who is right.
Now there are two possible scenarios in which our debacle could apply:
1. A situation in which you have recently taken a shower and someone asks you, “How long was your shower?” and you respond.
2. A situation in which you have recently taken a shower and you voluntarily admit to someone a simple statement such as: “I just took a ___ minute shower.”
The equicovacy of the situation exists in a person’s definition of a “shower” and according to each definition how long the shower was. What follows are the two definitions, or interpretations, of how one should report the length of a shower. (And you will notice how much significance it has in describing to someone how long a person’s shower was).
Shower Length Definitions:
1. The amount of time that elapses from the time a person enters the bathroom door to the time in which he or she exits out of the bathroom, given that a shower is taken at some point during the course of that enclosed time interval, and also a time in which any number of other bathroom activities may also be conducted, so long as a shower is taken. In short: from entering the bathroom to exiting the bathroom.
2. The amount of time that elapses from the time a person enters into the actual shower to the time in which he or she leaves the shower. In short: from entering the shower to exiting the shower.
Here is a classification I would like to make: I want you to apply the definition that is most accurate by what you mean when you say, “I took a ____ minute shower,” without having been asked. Therefore, if you scan to the top of the page, exclude situation #1. The reason for this exclusion of possible description of your shower time is this: you may answer a person according to the intent of their question, and their intent may skew your true innate definition of shower time because you are answering according to their intent. Their intent could range from 1) arguing about how much hot water you used up OR 2) arguing about how much bathroom time you used up. Thus, the intent of an interrogating person can obviously skew the results of this analysis.
Of the people I have asked verbally I have received approximately and equal quantity of ascribers to each definition. I hold firmly to definition #2 because I cannot understand why ”taking a shower” would mean anything other than “taking a shower.” Why would someone randomly lump brushing his or her teeth or putting in his or her contacts into the category of shower-length? But you be the judge.Definition #1 or #2?
Comments (6)
Most definitely, shower time is determined by the length IN THE WATER, thus a shower!
How could it be anything but? If you want to ask about bathroom use, then use the word bathroom, not shower. Unless it is normal for you to ask a waiter at a restaurant where the shower is, then never mind. Sorry, Hope. I am a girl who agrees with your brother on this one.
well phil, we have already discussed this question, but I haven’t left you any xanga comments in a while (as you so kindly pointed out) and so I decided I would leave you a comment. and 2 eprops. what do you think about that? lol
oh and if it makes you feel better, the only reason I haven’t left you comments is because I haven’t checked my mail in a few months, and therefore could not read your xanga. but excellent question philip! and I love the conversation between you and melody. wow how funny would that be? although I suppose I have been involved in weirder methods of conversation. for example, can you imagine texting someone who is sitting in the other room because neither of you feel like getting off the computer to talk to the other person, but you are both hungry? (and extremely lazy i might add) yes, very good stuff.
I say, from the time you enter the shower until the time you finish drying off/getting dressed.
Which is kind of half of both.
But seriously, I’m not going to get out of my shower, go look at a clock, and then return to the bathroom to dry off. It’s just not efficient.
i’ll go with two. because if one wanted to know how long the person was in the bathroom you should ask “how long were you in the bathroom?” asking how long were you in the shower specifically asks how long were you actually in the shower cleaning yourself.
simone =]
#2 — from the time you turn on the water until you turn it off …. that’s my vote.
you are wrong