The Tartan and Ukulele Woman
I like meeting new people. Especially when those people are incredibly passionate, enthusiastic and perhaps a little bit eccentric.
Today I met a woman (whose name disappeared into the mists of my brain as soon as she started talking) who meets this criteria all too well. This woman practically spoke in exclamation marks (or surprise marks as they should rightly be called - but that's an argument between me and Lan for another day).
She gushed into the tea room where my manager and I were preparing our lunch: "I just have to tell someone what just happened to me!" She went on to tell the most amazingly fascinating story about her 10 year obsession with tartan, how she had learnt to recognise different types, knew when they were real or fake, researched different tartans and what they are used for, and so on.
After this flurry of information she got to the crux of the story, which was that she had seen a beautiful tartan school uniform and had asked the student what the significance of that tartan was for their school. Apparently tartans are often linked to school uniforms by the suburb the school is in, or have some other significance. Anyway, back to her story - the student didn't know what tartan was, let alone why it was their school uniform. Thankfully Tartan Woman realised that a short explanation was probably in order and mention 'Scottish clans' and left it at that.
She then told us that for public transport tartans they make up fake ones so that no one clan can get offended.
Clans usually have at least two tartans - an everyday tartan and one for meeting aristocracy. Several clans/names which are still in use today also have ancient and modern tartans.
She also told us the reason they use tartan on school uniforms, public transport and pencil cases - they don't show dirt or stains. Very scientific. IN fact, the Tartan Woman once ran a program in Science Week for scientists (at a conference maybe?) where she interpreted the tartan on their pencil cases. Or something.
I asked her if anyone had ever called her a 'Big Tart'. Score one to me.
I learnt a lot about tartan, which I will store with all my other useless facts but it did make me curious as to how they choose tartans for school uniforms - do the factories just go "ummm... We've got a lot of red and blue and a bit of yellow. Lets go with that." or do the schools just see what they can get 900 metres of at the cheapest price?
There is a thesis in there - I know it! I couldn't convince my mum to change her thesis topic (hers is actually about uniforms, just not tartan) so will have to leave it open for someone else.
So Tartan Woman has a convert. I am intrigued. Probably not to the point of actually researching anything, but I've thought about tartan all afternoon. That has to count for something doesn't it?
As she was leaving she asked if I played the ukulele. Random question to which she was expecting a 'no'. Random answer - yes I can play a little as my dad got one for his birthday so I tried playing it and it is much like a guitar (strangely enough). She was very excited. Even more excited than about tartan. She told me that the Melbourne Ukulele Society (I've made that up - I can't remember what it was actually called) was doing a recruitment drive at the moment, of which she is a member, and did I have my own ukulele? She can get me one!! It would be a great way for me to meet some Melbournians!!!
Too much excitement for me, and I'm not sure the members of the Melbourne Ukulele Society are exactly the sort of people I'd be looking to meet. Or maybe they are? I do like anything that gives me an excuse to sing along...
Today I met a woman (whose name disappeared into the mists of my brain as soon as she started talking) who meets this criteria all too well. This woman practically spoke in exclamation marks (or surprise marks as they should rightly be called - but that's an argument between me and Lan for another day).
She gushed into the tea room where my manager and I were preparing our lunch: "I just have to tell someone what just happened to me!" She went on to tell the most amazingly fascinating story about her 10 year obsession with tartan, how she had learnt to recognise different types, knew when they were real or fake, researched different tartans and what they are used for, and so on.
After this flurry of information she got to the crux of the story, which was that she had seen a beautiful tartan school uniform and had asked the student what the significance of that tartan was for their school. Apparently tartans are often linked to school uniforms by the suburb the school is in, or have some other significance. Anyway, back to her story - the student didn't know what tartan was, let alone why it was their school uniform. Thankfully Tartan Woman realised that a short explanation was probably in order and mention 'Scottish clans' and left it at that.
She then told us that for public transport tartans they make up fake ones so that no one clan can get offended.
Clans usually have at least two tartans - an everyday tartan and one for meeting aristocracy. Several clans/names which are still in use today also have ancient and modern tartans.
She also told us the reason they use tartan on school uniforms, public transport and pencil cases - they don't show dirt or stains. Very scientific. IN fact, the Tartan Woman once ran a program in Science Week for scientists (at a conference maybe?) where she interpreted the tartan on their pencil cases. Or something.
I asked her if anyone had ever called her a 'Big Tart'. Score one to me.
I learnt a lot about tartan, which I will store with all my other useless facts but it did make me curious as to how they choose tartans for school uniforms - do the factories just go "ummm... We've got a lot of red and blue and a bit of yellow. Lets go with that." or do the schools just see what they can get 900 metres of at the cheapest price?
There is a thesis in there - I know it! I couldn't convince my mum to change her thesis topic (hers is actually about uniforms, just not tartan) so will have to leave it open for someone else.
So Tartan Woman has a convert. I am intrigued. Probably not to the point of actually researching anything, but I've thought about tartan all afternoon. That has to count for something doesn't it?
As she was leaving she asked if I played the ukulele. Random question to which she was expecting a 'no'. Random answer - yes I can play a little as my dad got one for his birthday so I tried playing it and it is much like a guitar (strangely enough). She was very excited. Even more excited than about tartan. She told me that the Melbourne Ukulele Society (I've made that up - I can't remember what it was actually called) was doing a recruitment drive at the moment, of which she is a member, and did I have my own ukulele? She can get me one!! It would be a great way for me to meet some Melbournians!!!
Too much excitement for me, and I'm not sure the members of the Melbourne Ukulele Society are exactly the sort of people I'd be looking to meet. Or maybe they are? I do like anything that gives me an excuse to sing along...
posted by Miff at
9:02 pm
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