Buckets are mundane everyday objects that are actually quite interesting if you are willing to put some thought into them. Buckets come in a variety of sizes, of course. They come in a variety of materials and colors. The value of a bucket is directly related to the contents of said bucket. For example, I found online a 5-gallon bucket that costs $403. Of course, it is not the bucket itself, but the ATP Re-seal that is included with the purchase of the bucket. Actually, I guess you are really buying the contents and simply getting a bucket as part of the bargain. Which is nice, since buckets can be reused. It is kind of like the free gifts at make-up counters. Spend $35.oo and get a bunch of free samples for, well, free. Spend $403 on some resealing stuff and get a FREE 5-gallon bucket! If you happen to be a person who doesn't want the free gift, you can buy a 5-gallon bucket for under $10 at Wal-Mart.
Another interesting thing about buckets is the number of phrases including the word "bucket". We have all heard "kick the bucket," but what about these others-
- dinner bucket
- drop in the bucket
- bucket along
- bucket seats
- brain bucket
- bucket list
- crud bucket
- bucket baby
- bucket brigade
- bucket biologist
- bucket-load
In addition, there are apparently lots of buckets that belong to important people, or at least well-known in their hometowns people.
- Bimbles Bucket was an animated cartoon that involved a young male animal (called Foxbits by some fans, as the main character and the other residents of Stiltsville were fox/rabbit hybrids with rabbit ears and fox brushes for tails) named Bimble having a bucket which could grant him wishes.
- Newton's Bucket was an argument by Newton designed to demonstrate that true rotational motion cannot be defined as the relative rotation of the body with respect to the immediately surrounding bodies.
- Bobrinski Bucket is a 12th century bronze bucket originally manufactured for a merchant in 1163. It provides one of the earliest examples of Persian anthropomorphic calligraphy (?). It is named after a former owner, Count Bobrinski and is now in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.
While on the topic of buckets, what is the difference between a bucket and a pail? Apparently there are a couple.
- the spelling
- Jill didn't fetch a bucket
- the word pail predates the word bucket by 300-1,000 years (depending on the source)
- pails are usually metal
- buckets often have a narrower base and wider top, while pails tend to be pretty cylindrical
In closing, don't overlook mundane everyday items. Who knows what interesting facts you can find about them?
I leave you with this:
- There once was a man from Nantucket
- Who kept all his cash in a bucket.
- But his daughter, named Nan,
- Ran away with a man
- And as for the bucket, Nan took it.
- But he followed the pair to Pawtucket,
- The man and the girl with the bucket;
- And he said to the man,
- He was welcome to Nan,
- But as for the bucket, Pa took it.
- Then the pair followed Pa to Manhasset
- Where he still held the cash as an asset,
- But Nan and the man
- Stole the money and ran,
- And as for the bucket, Man has it.
- Of this story we hear from Nantucket,
- About the mysterious loss of a bucket,
- We are sorry for Nan,
- As well as the man—
- The cash and the bucket, Pa took it.
