Answering questions at Boston College O’Neill Library
![[redacted] οΰτις έμοι γ’όνομα ([redacted], no one is my name)](http://library.bc.edu/answerwall/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/aw013018-3b.jpg)
You’ve gotta watch out for falling rocks when you try that approach. (Odyssey 9.480). bit.ly/bc-odyssey. (p.s. The Wall can’t decide if it’s missing something, but our no-names policy also applies in Ancient Greek. Even if one also claims to have no name)
Non nobis solum nati sumus. (Cicero, De Officiis 1.22) bit.ly/bc-cicero
Think of all the risks, and become more comfortable with them. Then just dive in, and say, “Will you be my valentine?” Some kind of object imbued with human sentiments of romance (chocolates, flowers… or perhaps a book, for bookish types…) might sweeten the deal.
If two people have mutually agreed to be in a polyamorous relationship, then having a relationship with another person isn’t “shady” at all. Although they may have rules about openness and honesty that are being violated. It sounds like at least one person in the relationship isn’t actually comfortable with the polyamory, which is something they may want to discuss. However, if the relationship truly is polyamorous, then snooping would be a violation of trust and privacy. It is possible for both people to be at fault here: Person A for snooping and Person B for cheating (if the relationship isn’t an open one). Both need to take responsibility for their actions if they want the relationship to move past this.
The Wall believes the weather has to be hazardous to humans, rather than just annoying, for BC to close. You can also try one of the snow day superstitions, such as sleeping with your pajamas on backwards, a spoon under the pillow, or flushing an ice cube down the toilet. (Though I wouldn’t count on it!) Ask again if you’d like a more detailed answer.
You are not the first to request this. Library staff met with people to determine the logistics and cost. Apparently it is not so simple or cheap. I’ll forward your request and try to start the conversation yet again, even if I end up IN hot water rather than supplying it.
Did you write WMD? I love Wikipedia for those pesky acronyms and initialisms. Search Wikipedia, and you will likely land on a disambiguation page like this: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WMD. Which, in this case, tells me it might be short for: weapon of mass destruction or weighted mean in statistics or wiggle-match-dating or wiggle matching in carbon dating or Westmead railway station, Sydney, Australia, station code or Wymondham railway station, Wymondham, England, station code or World Malaria Day!
Facilities Management designated approximately 50 single-occupant restrooms across campus as gender neutral. The single-occupant bathrooms at O’Neill’s first and third floors were among the bathrooms that received this new designation. The Library will submit your feedback.
It’s wonderful to have you back! We don’t like to be left behind when you travel, so do know that many of our resources are available across the globe. Go in through the library homepage (library.bc.edu), and you should be able to access our ejournals, eBooks, and databases. Reference help is also available by email, phone and 24/7 chat at libguides.bc.edu/ask-a-librarian.
All you have to do is believe you’ve found The Truth. Oh, do you want other people to follow it? In that case, you have to believe utterly in the truth, have sufficient charisma that a few stalwarts begin to support you, and your message, values, and practices have to appeal to enough people that you gain a significant number of followers. If you want your religion to last beyond your own lifetime, that’s when it gets really tricky: you’ll need some sacred texts and/or objects, ritual language and practices, and an inner core of trusted believers to carry the torch beyond your demise. For more info, read Max Weber On Charisma & Institution Building (O’Neill Library HM131 .W38).
Being there for others requires knowing when someone wants you there. It is easy to help people who ask for help, so be alert to what people aren’t saying. It’s okay to ask questions as long as you don’t pry (okay, if they seem distressed maybe pry a little). Alternatively, if you know someone needs help and you aren’t there for them, ask yourself why- pry a little into yourself. Understanding what someone really needs and overcoming your reasons for not helping will go a long way in being there for others.
Am I wrong in thinking humans find boyfriends under cabbage leaves? This is what my parents told me. Perhaps there are many potential boyfriends *not* under cabbage leaves. I should think finding them would be something like finding friends: speak to a variety, and when you find common interests, let more conversations follow. Keep in mind, however, that I am a Wall, and Walls might not act quite like humans.
Rather than trying to find a good roommate, think about whether they are a compatible roommate for you. Consider your personality and what you want in a roommate and then have a candid conversation with your potential roommate. Be open as part of that process. It can be tempting to focus on the other person as the root of any conflict, but try to acknowledge how your future roommate will see your habits and actions as well. If you find someone that you can have this sort of honest conversation with, I think you’ll find you’re on the right path to a successful roommate relationship.
My understanding is that hookups can happen with people someone knows well or with people they just met. There doesn’t seem to be a social protocol around this issue. So, you should wait until YOU are comfortable approaching him about having a hookup. Then it’s up to him to tell you whether or not HE is comfortable. The key is for both of you to wait until you are both comfortable and not under the influence of substances or external pressures.
There is no need to work in an investment bank if you don’t want to! You should talk to the BC Career Center (bit.ly/BC-career). They can help you to figure out a career path that will let you use your passions. In the meantime, you should also consider joining one of BC’s many dance-related student organizations (bit.ly/BCStudentOrg).
♪ ♪ Dime si conmigo quiere hacer travesuras, ah
Que se ha vuelto una locura
Y tu esta bien dura
Y no me puedo contener…
Y no me puedo contener… ♪ ♪
Sorry to say that you can’t make your toes smaller. And please don’t try to. People have crippled themselves trying to make their toes and feet smaller. Give your toes lots of room and enjoy their glorious shape. If anyone makes fun of your toes, you have my permission to give them a (gentle) kick.
IAAWNAD. You really don’t want to be getting medical advice from a Wall! Please consider discussing this with your doctor, or visiting University Health Services (bit.ly/BostonCollegeHealth). And best wishes.
I often turn to the OED when I’m curious about the history of a word like “woe” (bit.ly/OED-woe – sign-in required). It’s quite an old word, dating at least back to bronze age proto-Iranian, and appears independently in non-Indo-European languages as well, suggesting its derivation is onomatopoetic, that is, it’s based on the sound of human expressions of sadness & grief. The Yiddish form (“Weh,” as in “Oy Weh!”) probably has more currency now than the English “Woe,” which is a little archaic. In recent history, Jews have good reason to be standouts in acute woe, and yet they’re also standouts in expressions of humor. It’s a mystery. Unfortunately, humankind seems to distribute woe generously, so there is no one group or person who can claim to be the most woeful in all of history.
According to the Wall’s friends at Parking and Transportation, it’s mostly two things. The first is lack of space on campus, which creates a lot more demand than supply. The second is more subtle: prices are partly high to encourage people who can to use other ways to get to campus, like the campus bus system, public transit, bikes, or feet–that makes for a greener campus, a healthier community…but it also helps with the first issue. The walls at T & P are sympathetic, as is this Wall.
