Where Do Things Disappear To? Measuring Cups, Socks, and Mechanical Pencils

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the phenomenon of everyday items seemingly disappearing, specifically focusing on measuring cups, socks, and mechanical pencils. Participants share personal anecdotes and theories regarding the loss of these items, exploring both humorous and serious explanations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes the frequent loss of measuring cups, particularly the 1/4 cup measure, and questions how items disappear in general.
  • Another suggests checking a daughter's cabinet for the missing measuring cup, while a later reply dismisses this as unlikely due to the daughter's cooking habits.
  • Several participants share experiences of losing socks, with one humorously suggesting that sock manufacturers might have engineered socks to disintegrate after a number of washings.
  • A participant compares sock disintegration to radioactive decay, proposing that more expensive socks might have shorter "half-lives."
  • Another participant humorously suggests that items might be "quantum tunneling" back to the washer.
  • One participant recounts a method to reduce sock loss by folding them immediately after removal, claiming it has significantly decreased their lost socks.
  • There are suggestions to check various places for lost items, such as the dryer vent, under furniture, or in kitchen containers.
  • Some participants express frustration over the randomness of item disappearance, with one mentioning that they have a collection of unmatched socks that they eventually discarded.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally share similar experiences of losing items, particularly socks, but there is no consensus on the reasons behind these disappearances. Multiple competing views and humorous theories remain throughout the discussion.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty regarding the actual mechanisms behind the disappearance of items, with various assumptions and humorous conjectures presented without resolution.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to individuals experiencing similar frustrations with lost household items, as well as those looking for humorous takes on everyday phenomena.

  • #31
My wife has some type of fuzzy socks (not the alpaca ones - we don't dry them) that seem to go un-mated for long periods of time. Due to static cling in the dryer, they end up stuck to the insides of sweatshirts, fleece pullovers, etc. I don't throw away her un-mated socks because eventually, she will put on a fleece pullover and when she puts her arm through a sleeve, one of the orphans will pop out.
 
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  • #32
I use those anti-static cling dryer sheets, so don't have the cling problem. I'm going to start washing my socks in my lingerie bag, hopefully that will stop the problem. I had a pair of socks with cats on them and one pair with dogs on them, now I have one of each. :frown:
 
  • #33
Evo said:
I use those anti-static cling dryer sheets,
Blech. Slow poison.
 
  • #34
Just buy all of your socks in one or two styles. That way two lost socks is one completed pair.
 
  • #35
NeoDevin said:
Just buy all of your socks in one or two styles. That way two lost socks is one completed pair.

yeah...

but, they wouldn't be cherished as much (especially if you loose one)
 
  • #36
Evo said:
I use those anti-static cling dryer sheets, so don't have the cling problem. I'm going to start washing my socks in my lingerie bag, hopefully that will stop the problem. I had a pair of socks with cats on them and one pair with dogs on them, now I have one of each. :frown:

Oh, my god, if you wear them at the same time, your feet will get along with each other like ....

Now, I know how Moonbear fell down in the hallway for no apparent reason! She stole Evo's missing socks!

I think you should go with two styles of socks. Then you can start each day with a brain teaser:

Evo has 15 socks in her drawer: she has 3 pair of black socks, 2 pair of dark grey socks, 2 unmated black socks, and 3 unmated dark grey socks. How many socks does she have to remove from her drawer each morning to have a greater than 87.3% chance of having two matching socks.
 
  • #37
BobG said:
Oh, my god, if you wear them at the same time, your feet will get along with each other like ....
I do wear the cat and dog socks together now. I'm not throwing away perfectly good socks.
 
  • #38
Evo said:
I have to buy more measuring cups. I have 4 nested sets and the 1/4 cup measure is missing from three of the sets. I also only have 1 full cup measure. I live alone. These are my dry measuring cups, my wet measures are all there.

I rarely host dinner parties, but I have actually had things go missing after those types of events. It would be hard for someone to make off with my measuring cups, though, as those are stored in a place which would be impossible to access without me knowing. :biggrin:

Evo said:
I bought 6 new pairs of socks a year ago and a couple of months ago had to buy several more pairs because I no longer had any matching socks. I've already lost 2 socks. How do they disappear between the bedroom and the laundry room next to my kitchen? I've looked on the sides and back of the washer and dryer to see if they might have fallen, but don't see them.

My cat takes socks to the most bizarre places! I'll find them on top of beams, behind the couch, inside cabinets, and most anywhere she likes to hang out.

Evo said:
I use mechanical pencils and buy them in packs, I have two of the six pack I bought last year. They're refillable, I don't throw them away.

Mine simply get stolen. Is this happening at work or at home? I have stopped bringing my own supplies to work because of pen/pencil thievery. If this is happening at home, I'd say it's time to set up some video surveillance. :cool:

Evo said:
I know the sock thing happens to everyone, but does anyone else notice that they have things that just seem to "disappear"?

Notes to myself. :smile:
 
  • #39
ok, I just saw my dog carrying off my measuring cup!
 
  • #40
Evo said:
I bought 6 new pairs of socks a year ago and a couple of months ago had to buy several more pairs because I no longer had any matching socks.
I solved the missing sock problem years ago when I started safety pinning my socks together as soon as I take them off.
 
  • #41
Evo said:
I do wear the cat and dog socks together now. I'm not throwing away perfectly good socks.

You know... perhaps your legendary accident-proneness is due to your left foot and your right foot chasing each other...
 
  • #42
DaveC426913 said:
You know... perhaps your legendary accident-proneness is due to your left foot and your right foot chasing each other...

I knew you were a scientist !
 
  • #43
leroyjenkens said:
I've dropped things right next to my chair on the carpet before and never saw them again for the rest of my life. It makes no sense.

That is so much like me that its, SCARY.:bugeye:
 
  • #45
Lateralus. said:
Evo said:
I use mechanical pencils and buy them in packs, I have two of the six pack I bought last year. They're refillable, I don't throw them away.
Mine simply get stolen. Is this happening at work or at home? I have stopped bringing my own supplies to work because of pen/pencil thievery. If this is happening at home, I'd say it's time to set up some video surveillance. :cool:

If you'd buy your pens and pencils from Pen Island, people would be less likely to steal them.

http://penisland.net/samplepens1.jpg
 
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  • #46
Oooohwww! Oooohwww! I want one of those pens!
 
  • #47
Doc Al said:
I solved the missing sock problem years ago when I started safety pinning my socks together as soon as I take them off.

GENIUS! she could just sew each pair of socks into a pair of pantyhose
 
  • #48
BobG said:
If you'd buy your pens and pencils from Pen Island, people would be less likely to steal them.

If I'm going to get my pens and pencils from an island, that island will be Bora Bora :smile:.

So we have a plan, Evo: let's get the Sisterhood together, go to Bora Bora, and buy you some mechanical pencils. Oh sure, the PF Brotherhood (is there such a thing?) can join us, too!
 
  • #49
lisab said:
If I'm going to get my pens and pencils from an island, that island will be Bora Bora :smile:.

So we have a plan, Evo: let's get the Sisterhood together, go to Bora Bora, and buy you some mechanical pencils. Oh sure, the PF Brotherhood (is there such a thing?) can join us, too!

Posh! Who's going to buy pens from you when you have a domain name like www.boraboraisland.com?

If there's any silver lining, it's that there doesn't seem to be a single pen or pencil store on the entire island. And the only ink they have might be in the tatoo parlors.
 
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  • #50
BobG said:
If you'd buy your pens and pencils from Pen Island, people would be less likely to steal them.

http://penisland.net/samplepens1.jpg
[/URL]

You guys do realize the joke here, right?

Let's just say I can't link to the Pen Island website without getting a warning.
 
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  • #51
DaveC426913 said:
You guys do realize the joke here, right?

Let's just say I can't link to the Pen Island website without getting a warning.
Yes, it's well known. But they reallly do sell pens.
 
  • #52
DaveC426913 said:
You know... perhaps your legendary accident-proneness is due to your left foot and your right foot chasing each other...

I thought Evo had two left feet. :rolleyes:
 
  • #53
Evo said:
Yes, it's well known. But they reallly do sell pens.

If only the pens were shaped like the island... it might make a more natural grip!
 
  • #54
DaveC426913 said:
You guys do realize the joke here, right?

Let's just say I can't link to the Pen Island website without getting a warning.

I'll bite: what kind of warning?

I live alone too, but my measuring cups don't make off on me. I don't have the mechanical pencil issue either, but I definitely have the sock problem. And I live alone. And my appliances are new and in my apartment and are for my exclusive use. I recently threw out a blob of single socks (not that I have anything against being single because, hey, that can be a very nice way to conduct one's life but not if you're a sock) and obtained a collection of matching ones. Now. All of my new matched socks are white, so I shouldn't be difficult to keep track of them, because any two socks can mate and be a pair. I'll still have at least one stray sock soon. I swear it.
 
  • #55
GeorginaS said:
I'll bite: what kind of warning?

Look at the url for a while.
 
  • #56
TheStatutoryApe said:
Look at the url for a while.

Yeah, okay, I'm an idiot. Thank you SA.
 
  • #57
I bought a new set of measuring cups and spoons. This set does not have a 2/3 cup measure, which is fine since none of the 2/3 cups ran away, I have 4 of them. I don't know if the 2/3rds are more loyal or not as motivated as the other cups.
 
  • #58
Evo said:
I bought a new set of measuring cups and spoons. This set does not have a 2/3 cup measure, which is fine since none of the 2/3 cups ran away, I have 4 of them. I don't know if the 2/3rds are more loyal or not as motivated as the other cups.

Less motivated. They're useless and they know it.

Tsp - tbsp - 1/4 cup, 1/2 cup, 1 cup - 1 pint - 1 quart - 1/2 gal, 1 gal, etc all work very well.

The thirds (both 1/3 and 2/3) tend to be rather odd.

2/3 cup doesn't convert to ounces very well (5.33 oz). It doesn't convert to tbsp very well (10.667 tbsp). It does convert to tsp, but who wants to measure out 32 tsp. (48 tsp per cup is a good measure, being divisible by both 4 and 3, but it's just too darn small. You really need one more measure, such as a counterspoon {4 tsp}, to make spoons work.)

160 ml does come very close to converting to 2/3 cup.

2/3 cup could come in handy if you wanted to make a smaller batch of a large recipe.

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
After cutting its purity in two
He sold 3072 teaspoons of pickled peppers.
 
  • #59
GeorginaS said:
Yeah, okay, I'm an idiot. Thank you SA.

yeah, me too---I saw it along time ago and put it in 'low priority to remember' file
 
  • #60
lisab said:
So we have a plan, Evo: let's get the Sisterhood together, go to Bora Bora, and buy you some mechanical pencils. Oh sure, the PF Brotherhood (is there such a thing?) can join us, too!
The PF Brotherhood is a secr--er, I mean no, there is no Brotherhood at PF. Uh, that I'm aware of. :blushing:
 

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