I missed my chance to have green hair

On my trip back from Science Online London 2009 today, I finally had a chance to start reading the first book of Stieg Larsson's millenium trilogy. Near the beginning of the story, I was surprised to find Salander's boss wondering about what her reaction would be if he coloured his hair green.

This suddenly reminded me that colouring my hair green had, for quite a while, been something I really wanted to do (this was around the same time I kind of really wanted to play an alien in a science fiction movie, preferably with weird, cat-like eyes - or maybe green skin). I never did (colour my hair green), because it never quite seemed the right time. Even as a student and during my PhD, when I might have gotten away with it, I was reluctant to do it because I wanted people to take me seriously and was worried they might have a hard time if they saw some kind of grass-colored growth on my head (my hair was also extremely short at the time).

For many years now I have had grown-up jobs, and I had totally forgotten about the green hair. Reading about it and remembering this is quite nostalgic, because I would just never get away with it now - the chance is gone... and I really don't want it anymore. Tomorrow, at a meeting with diplomats from many European countries, would definitely not be the time to try it out.

I wonder about the number of things, including those more serious than green hair, we never try because we are somehow hung up on waiting for "the right time".

If you want to, go ahead and colour your hair green - because if you don't, chances are you might regret it at some point.

Farting Farknarkles

Farting Farknarkles are very rare. They live in the deep, dark woods where they are deepest and darkest. In those deepest and darkest spots in the deep, dark woods, they prefer to sit in puddles. There aren't usually many puddles in forests - the water just runs through the layers of old leaves and goes straight into the ground, which just goes to show how rare Farting Farknarkles are.

Farting Farknarkles are small, purple and slimy, and have lots of green warts. And they are shy. They don't like people. If they see a person, they... fart. Rising up to the surface of their puddles in thick, disgusting bubbles, their farts are so bad that they make a person pass out instantly. When the victim wakes up, they usually can't remember where they are and, tragically, they are lost in the deepest, darkest woods forever and never find their way back out again.

So what you have to do if you ever go for a walk in the deepest, darkest part of the deep, dark woods and come across a Farting Farknarkle - listen carefully, because this is your only hope of ever getting out again - is to say 'Farting Farknarkle' three times as fast as you can. It is paramount to say this in an American accent, and that you say it without slipping or mixing up the words or letters. If you do, the spell will not work.

If you get it right, the Farting Farknarkle will run away screaming into the deep, dark woods, and you can safely walk home.

Ich habe ein Problem...

...mit tollen Kinderbuechern. Oder genauer: mit Kinderbuechern, die Kindern die Welt, die sie umgibt, erklaeren - Buecher fuer kleine Wissenschaftler und solche, die es werden wollen.

Seit wir letztes Jahr nach Deutschland gezogen sind, habe ich die ohnehin umfangreiche Bibliothek meines Sohnes noch erheblich erweitert - es scheint, dass hier jeder Buchladen, an dem ich vorbeigehe, gleich mehrere solcher tollen, schoen gemachten Buecher ausliegen hat. Ich werde fast jedesmal schwach.

Auf dem Bild ist nur eine Auswahl davon, was jetzt so auf dem Regal im Kinderzimmer meines 5-jaehrigen Sohnes steht - die Technikbuecher (Flugzeuge, Raumfahrt etc.) sind gar nicht dabei. Ach, und die Dinosaurier hab ich auch vergessen...

Mein Sohn hat keine Chance: von Anfang an eine Art Wissenschafts-Gehirnwaesche - die ihm einen Riesenspass macht.