Saturday, March 22, 2014

"The Last Straw!"


"The Last Straw" © Paula Scott Molokai Girl Studio

There is a mild connection to the phrase for the title of this post and the image. It's a stretch, but there is a connection.

Whenever I am given a straw in a restaurant, I slip the paper off like most folks do-except that I take great pains to keep the entire sheath intact so that I can then flatten the paper out and proceed to fold it over into an accordion fold. I often take my husband's straw and remove it in the same manner so that I will then have TWO 'straw papers'. When I have two in hand, I then fold one over the other to make a more dimensional accordion instead of the zigzag one you see pictured here. It's a habit I have to busy myself while waiting for our order to be taken and for the food to come. As I sit here and write this, I wonder if my husband pays attention to this habit of mine since it's one of those 'background' kinds of behavior? I'll have to ask him!

Anyway, while chatting with him, I was holding the paper in the air and noticed the cool shadow it created. Cell phone comes out and need I say more? Deed done. Normal behavior. Everyone does stuff like this.

In selecting this image for today's post, I thought, 'title, title, what  title goes with this image?'. Which made me think of the last straw. Which made me wonder where the heck that meaning came from. So, I looked it up and concluded that no one really knows exactly where this saying came from. Wikipedia says:

"The idiom the straw that broke the camel's back is from an Arabic proverb about how a camel is loaded beyond its capacity to move or stand.[1] This is a reference to any process by which cataclysmic failure (a broken back) is achieved by a seemingly inconsequential addition, a single straw. This also gives rise to the phrase "the last/final straw", used when something is deemed to be the last in a line of unacceptable occurrences. Variations include "the straw that broke the donkey's back", the "melon that broke the monkey's back", the "feather that broke the camel's back", and the "straw that broke the horse's back"."

So, there you have it. I told you it was a stretch!

Come join us every week, as a group of us from around the world post our shadow shots over at Shadow Shot Sunday 2. Entertain your muse and be amused by stopping by to see what others have posted!

9 comments:

Hootin Anni said...

It did create a great shadow.

Boy, you're difficult to find from your blogger comments. The link took me to blogger profile but no blog links. So I did a Google search and found you. Now I have your meme blog copied and saved on my reader list I have on my sidebar so I won't miss out.

Happy weekend.

Magical Mystical Teacher said...

I don't mind a little stretch now and then!

Ralph said...

That paper must have come from a youngster's 'bendy straw'...an accordion or a stylish snake in shadow, the reuse of this paper sleeve is quite artistic!

Gemma Wiseman said...

Such a creative, entertaining post. Who would believe that a humble straw could take the limelight so beautifully and cast a mean shadow.

Catherine said...

itis cool indeed and very creative.....

Hettienne Grobler said...

I am there with you at that table such fun!!

namaki said...

How interesting ! I'll have to watch my behaviors closer !

Nonnie said...

Such an entertaining habit you have. I am so dull, I just squash the straw's paper! wonderful tale; such a rich history can be gained from such phrases we have.

Chubby Chieque said...

Ha! great and smart done. With your story, nothing can be better.

Hope you have a great week ahead, my Molokai Girl?

Hugs,
/CC

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin