My favorite part of any conference: the women's bathroom. Most of the physics buildings I have ever worked in were built in the 1960s or earlier. This was a time when women in physics were a rarity (even more so than at present) and, therefore, didn't need as many bathrooms. Clearly, these buildings were not constructed with long term planning in mind or they just had really low expectations for our success rate. Unfortunately, it now means the women's bathroom is always full at work and I always have to wait. I am being slightly whiny here, but let's see how happy you would be after hitting all three women's bathrooms in your building (only one stall in each) and find them all full. Now combine my work situation with the fact that at every concert, sports game and play I attend, I will once again have to wait in line. You can start to see how girl might get a little pissy (pun intended, so shoot me).
With that in mind, the conference had 1300 attendees and I think it is safe to say the vast majority of them were men. For the only time in my life, this means the women's bathroom is completely empty. No lines, no waiting, just rows and rows of empty stalls. Life even hands me a cherry on top and makes the men wait because their bathrooms are so crowded. I feel it is sweet revenge for every time I've had to wait at work or in a ball park and, damn it, it feels good. Finally, the scales are tipped in my gender's direction ... it's a bummer it is only temporary.
Not related to crowded bathroom, but pretty funny experience of mine regarding bathroom. Hope this doesn't sound obscene to anybody out there.
I went to visit a friend at Argonne. When I went to the men's room, here's the interesting thing. There is no handle or button to be toggled/pressed by hand to flush the urine stalls. But there is a PEDAL close to the floor, next to the urine stall to be pressed by foot to flush the toilet.
I haven't seen similar thing after that.
Posted by: haryo | May 21, 2005 at 01:02 AM
Ha! Same thing at the ATLAS physics conference. 450 people. Line around the corner for the men's bathroom. Nothing for the women. ;-)
Posted by: Gordon Watts | June 08, 2005 at 12:20 AM