Old West, and schoolhouses. Men's room / women's room.
The only reference I can find to the practice is in Eric Sloane’s The Little Red Schoolhouse: A Sketchbook of Early American Education. Discussing 18th- and 19th-century schoolhouses, Eric writes: “The woodshed was often a lean-to attached to the schoolhouse, but the most accepted arrangement was to place it between the schoolhouse and the privy, with a fence separating the boys’ entrance from the girls’. The ancient designation of privy doors was to saw into them a sun (for boys’ toilet) and a moon (for girls’ toilet).” Eric has supplied a sketch of both versions, showing the familiar crescent moon for the girls and a radiant sun for the boys.
By way of corroboration, I note here in my manual of semiotics that the moon “is usually represented as the feminine power, the Mother Goddess, Queen of Heaven, with the sun as the masculine.” Isn’t that just great? All this time you thought you were in there just doing your business and now it turns out you were participating in a pagan ritual.
I actually found a few references to gender/Gaia, from different sources, when I did a duckduckgo search for "outhouse door moon". Seems to make sense to me, especially since it was still fairly common in those days to be a non-reader, so "MEN" and "WOMEN" on the doors wouldn't do much good for the common folk.
Fer chrissakes; if you have an explosive case of Montezuma's Revenge, are you really going to stop and count letters on a sh*thouse door? For that matter, are you going to look closely at whether it has a crescent moon, a sun or Uranus carved in the door?
I sometimes think that an internet forum could complicate a peanut butter sandwich.
Gentlemen, he said, I don't need your organization, I've shined your shoes, I've moved your mountains and marked your cards, but Eden is burning, either get ready for elimination, or else your hearts must have the courage, for the Changing of the Guard
Surely I've heard this song, but the lyrics I've never had set in my mind. One, two of the few things I do well is read and write. Maybe ride.
Thanks, John.
"Sixteen years Sixteen banners united over the field Where the good shepherd grieves Desperate men, desperate women divided Spreading their wings 'neath the falling leaves
Fortune calls I stepped forth from the shadows to the marketplace Merchants and thieves, hungry for power, my last deal gone down She's smelling sweet like the meadows where she was born On midsummer's eve, near the tower
The cold-blooded moon The captain waits above the celebration Sending his thoughts to a beloved maid Whose ebony face is beyond communication The captain is down but still believing that his love will be repaid
They shaved her head She was torn between Jupiter and Apollo A messenger arrived with a black nightingale I seen her on the stairs and I couldn't help but follow Follow her down past the fountain where they lifted her veil
I stumbled to my feet I rode past destruction in the ditches With the stitches still mending 'neath a heart-shaped tattoo Renegade priests and treacherous young witches Were handing out the flowers that I'd given to you
The palace of mirrors Where dog soldiers are reflected The endless road and the wailing of chimes The empty rooms where her memory is protected Where the angels' voices whisper to the souls of previous times
She wakes him up Forty-eight hours later, the sun is breaking Near broken chains, mountain laurel and rolling rocks She's begging to know what measures he now will be taking He's pulling her down and she's clutching on to his long golden locks
Gentlemen, he said I don't need your organization, I've shined your shoes I've moved your mountains and marked your cards But Eden is burning, either getting ready for elimination Or else your hearts must have the courage for the changing of the guards
Peace will come With tranquility and splendor on the wheels of fire But will bring us no reward when her false idols fall And cruel death surrenders with its pale ghost retreating Between the King and the Queen of Swords"
I've noticed that those who copy lyrics on the interwebzzzzz like to add/subtract JUST enough letters or words to avoid being sued. I guggled the Snippet, ended up with a result. Might not be the author's exact original lyrics...
Heck, if they can Autotune a terrier's bark into a song, anything's possible... sadly.
"are you really going to stop and count letters on a sh*thouse door?"
I'll remind you the title of the thread is " Just Because"
Sheesh Crusty, you need to heal up & get back on two wheels soon. You're too good natured a fella to to be that cantankerous. I look forward to seeing you at HC.
Also, your'e absolutely right. If there was a peanut butter sandwich thread, it would indeed be, "complicated".
These boys ROCK it. Note the trade-off around 9:45 They're also on harlemrivernoise.com. If you catch wind they're going to be near you...go see them, and tell Kyle that Joe from PegLeg says hi!
Spent all day yesterday binge watching the whole season of Nightflyers. amazing Shades of 2001 and Aliens, quite a few plot twists and surprises. Bummed but not surprised it only made one season...