Today is the day of the light operators!
Photo credit: Shutterstock
This includes people who design lighting for fireworks, rock concerts, shopping malls, and your bedroom. On this day July 11th in 1874, Russian electrician Alexander Lodygin took out a patent for an incandescent lamp. You can see the original at the Polytechnical Museum in Moscow.
Lighting is another one of those issues that makes me gnash my teeth here, particularly in my own living room, where we have gut-wrenchingly expensive recessed lighting which is about 4 zillion watts and, as the slimy contractor assured us, a dimmer was not possible (liar, liar pants on fire). We also have a bookshelf enclosed in glass (HRH insisted because he planned – and I guess still plans – to purchase a library of Russian classics and he feared the dust) with fluorescent tube lighting on either side. I don’t use either of these lighting fixtures, preferring instead the subtle play of shadow produced by the two interesting and tasteful metal light fixtures I chose, as well as lots of candles.
Let There Be Light
~ God
My father-in-law, however, just loves those bright lights. About the first thing he does when he comes in to the house is turn them all on. I go around and turn them off, and then he turns them back on.
This is how we keep the Cold War alive and kicking.
Today is also the Day of the Russian Postal Service and The Day of Fisherman, so be sure to head over to those where things are a little more comprehensive, funny, and worthy of detailed reading.
Hello there reader:
Did you find this illuminating? Do you have annoying in-laws too? What kinds of unacceptable behavior do they get up to in your own home? Let it rip!
