Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Lois & Clark All I Need to Know, I Learned from Lois and Clark

Yes, I know... not everything, but I still have learned a great deal from the show, and by extension, from fanfic and chatting on IRC.

I know there was a satirical list of the same name quite a few years back... not sure where it is now, couldn't find it. But I had in mind a more serious list. Stuff that I really did learn. And, of course, I'd love to hear what everyone else learned too. I remember Erica telling me on IRC that she had learned a few things... so, without further ado, I'll list what I learned, then it's your turn!

Stradivarius - a well made violin, which I'm assuming means tightly strung... I never had understood what altClark was getting at until I was watching Tempus Anyone with my dad one day... asked him why he laughed at the "Sorry, I'm a little high-strung." "Lady, you're a stradivarius." Now that I know, I think it's a clever quip... not to mention it defines his intelligence and, IMO, seets him apart a bit from our Clark.

How do you spell those darned words... :rolleyes: Only two words come to mind right now, but I know there are more. "Definitely" was one word I'd consistently misspell, only because I was too lazy to look it up when spellcheck did it for me. I think it was discussed somewhere on IRC one day when I finally got it. And thanks to LabRat... I once and for all, know how to spell "epiphany" without looking it up.

Fanfic research has brought me to a new level of learning. I know loads about the Congo, pregnancy, comas, the newspaper business... the list goes on of things I'd never known and might not have ever known (well, except for that pregnancy thing... think I would have figured that out on my own eventually ).


That's all I can think to share right now. I can't wait to read everyone else's responses!

Sara

Actually the term 'Stradivarius' is most likely a derivation of Stradivari which was the original and still the best made violin. So it probably does have somthing to do with the taughtness (is that even a word?) of the strings.

It is a word, but only if you spell it right. Tautness is a word, and probably what you meant. Stradivarius is the Latinized form of Stradivari, the name of the famous violin-maker who set the proportions of the modern violin.

What I learned?

English!

I've said that before and I'll say it again: I may have had many wonderful teachers in my life etc. etc., but I doubt I would have ever learned to use the English language so fluently, if I didn't have the everyday practice I have here.

Jose is being very good for my Spanish too

Also, what Sara mentioned... fanfic is a great source of knowledge.

A big thank you to everyone!
See ya,
AnnaBtG.

quoting Anna:

It's the same for me! Ok, my Grammar is not very good, yet, but this is because I'm too lazy to go near my old English Grammar Book , but When I read my first fanfic two years ago ("When you needed me most" or "The darkest hour", however an Erin' story) I needed my vocabolary every nine-ten lines, now I can read a whole 500 kb fic without going near it!
I can read my Jane Austen' or Henry James' books without italian translation, and above all I can read poetry in English without problems! Poems are so much better in their original language! When I have read an english translation of my very much loved Dante or Leopardi I shuddered! (Probably the same reaction of English-speaking people to italian traslation of Shakespeare or Byron!

Simona

LOL, this is funny ... I was just talking with another FoLC about starting a topic just like this. GMTA.

Things I've learned from L&C/FoLCdom:

How to punctuate dialogue properly - when I started writing fanfic, I had no idea what I was doing. I used double punctuation (including a comma after a question mark, for example), used inconsistent and incorrect ellipses, and would even include more than one speaker in the same paragraph. Thanks to writers with more knowledge than myself, I not only learned how to do all these things properly (who knew you used four dots, without a space, when an ellipsis ended a sentence??) but went on to educate others in my role as a BR and EIC of the Archive.

That when you bring a group of people this diverse together, there is no end to what our collective knowledge base is -- I still can't believe Pam once asked the weight of a Siberian Tiger ... and three people knew. <bg>

Differences in UK and US English -- fascinating how different the language can be on each side of the pond.

My typing speed increased dramatically -- I thought I was a pretty decent typist before I got online. After all, I'd known touch typing since junior high and used a word processor at work every day. Then I started writing fanfic and communicating online every day, and my speed went through the freakin' roof. <g>

Countless things from fanfic and fanfic research -- I was talking with my horse trainer niece of Christmas and the subject turned to breeding ... and I was able to converse on the subject of "teaser stallions" thanks to one of Zoomway's fanfics. (I can't even remember which one it was; "It's About Time", maybe?) I was chuckling to myself about that one for a long time.

Oh, and this was one that came up during a conversation with a friend:

Moral Lessons one can take from L&C: Don't jump into bed with someone before you really know them, or you run the risk of getting your heart broken. Similarly, if you want to get to know a love interest better, but are worried you'll end up in bed together too soon, suggest a no sex clause for the duration of the date. If they refuse, it might be your clue that they're more interested in the sex than having a long-term relationship. (OK, that one was based on one of my own stories, but I still think it's a good lesson. <g>)

Kathy

I found the original! It's definitely worth saving, does anyone remember who wrote it?

Everything I Need to Know in Life I Learned From Lois & Clark

Mother-in-laws are not so bad; sometimes they just want someone to talk with about their boy....You can't save everyone, but doing what you can makes a difference....Don't treat women like hood ornaments....Putting tin foil on your head prevents psychics from reading your mind....Don't break up with someone for their own good....If your words come back at you sounding dumb, they probably are....When your sister's boyfriend is a creep, she probably won't appreciate seeing his mug shot over breakfast....Before you ask someone to marry you, tell them your biggest secret or they'll be mad----really, really mad....Some people like being on top....When someone really loves you, it doesn't matter if you have coffee breath; it doesn't matter how you look; it doesn't matter whether you wear burgundy, violet, or black....The M word doesn't make things forever; the L word does....People see what they want to see....Don't trust anyone that call you by an animal's name....Time together is more important than the perfect pearl from Japan, chocolate from Switzerland, snow from the Andes, and Camembert from France....Leave your windows open; you never know what'll come flying in....When you can fall asleep in someone's arms even when you're being hunted by a lunatic, that should tell your something....If someone makes you want to barf, they're probably a suspect....Answering the door in a towel at 9 o'clock in the morning is a sure-fire way of getting your partner's attention....Some ties work better than bullet-proof vests....Not talking about something is often scarier than talking about it....Explain things to the person you love....Avoid noxious chemical elements, especially when they're green and glowing....Don't be scared off by bright, young, career women---they just want someone to respect them, to love them, and to fly them to the moon....There will always be another headless corpse, but true loves comes around maybe once....You can slam a door in a person's face once, but after that, don't do it again....Saving someone's life does not give you the right to live their life....When dismantling a bomb, always disconnect the green wire first....There's a lot to be said for family....Every cloud has a silver lining....Sometimes the truth is just staring you right in the face....Being with the one you love is stronger than being alone even if you are a Superhero....Big, fat pastrami is OK for breakfast when it'll save the Daily Planet....Trust is important; not even flowers, jewelry, or a Leer jet can take its place....You can't cheat justice twice....Lighting makes everything look bigger....Almost dying heightens your senses---kind of like putting on a pair of glasses....You don't have to have a reason to give a rose to the one you love....Never set up 2 trees with lights in an apartment when you don't have a robot around....DUH! Clark Kent is Superman!....Be careful pouring champagne while ogling; you may end up cleaning it up with your shoe....Don't ask a Superhero how long he can hold his breath....Stay away from green, glowing cabinets....Don't order Chinese food from a place called "Ralph's"....Please, call him Daniel....Even Superheros and world-famous reporters need to belong to someone....When someone turns down your marriage proposal, just plow some snow and keep the ring; they just may need some time....Don't ignore a mild-mannered reporter; you never know what lurks beneath the surface....Nothing on earth should make you think you can fool your mother....Anyone who pays $10,000 for a date with you and loved "Indecent Proposal" is bad news....It's hard to cry with a mask on....Remember, always consider your options....A disguise is not necessary at all times....Each person is abnormal in their own way....2 primary colors CAN work....Sometimes cyborg girlfriends can be useful, like in relaying messages received when stuck in a closet....The one, and sometimes only, person you can trust is your best friend....When someone makes sense to you, go with it....There's no time like the right time....In the never-ending battle for truth and justice, take time to fall in love....Take a chance....Never trust an old guy....Glasses can be deceiving....Don't call a girl by her last name...Make sure your head and heart are in the same place....Make sure you know what kind of bed your fiance expects....Your true love is just a small star in a big sky, not a big star in a small sky....If it goes on a salad, it doesn't go on a pizza....Before expecting a marriage proposal, make sure your intended is not a deranged psychopath....If your man can fly, you can stay mad....Without love in your life, it wouldn't be a life....If you can fly, you can get away with wearing your underwear outside your pants....If you have x-ray vision, it's OK to use it---sometimes....Don't hold in your fears; you'll have nightmares....Look beyond the exterior...Be careful in telling someone you had a crush on them in a death situation; you might be rescued by a man in blue and then have a lot of explaining to do....You never truly understand someone until you fly a mile in his cape....Blot, don't rub....Your one true love could be standing right next to you...

Oooh! Thanks, SuperGem! I have tons of old printouts and I was meaning to scan this one in for people to read, but never did get around to it.

Anyway, I have the introductory paragraph sitting here...

I found this on Lara-Elaine Koch's homepage, which has since disappeared.

Happy reading folcs! And thanks again SuperGem!

Sara

Thank *you* Sara for posting that intro! I hope you don't mind I cross-posted it to Zoom's boards since I had also posted "Everything I Need To Know ....." over there as well. I wanted to make sure it had the proper credit and now thanks to you it does!

BTW, you don't happen to have the FoLC Bill of Rights in one of those printouts do you? I've been trying to find that one forever and it's the one that keeps eluding me!

Yes, ma'am, I do! I'll get that typed up... or scanned in a day or two.

Oh, and np about the cross posting.

Sara

YAY!!! OMG Sara you are *awesome*!!! THANKS SO MUCH! I know there are others here who would probably love to see it as well! I'm just so happy that someone has it, I thought it was lost forever LOL! I really can't find it anywhere online, guess it vanished in cyberspace. No worries now though, it's Sara to the rescue!!!!!

hi all, i'm new on this board..
i've been a fan since 2001
i'm 23 years old girl from province de quebec

here's a link where you can find symptoms of a folc, or you might be a folc if...

http://ultragirl009.tripod.com/folctest.html
http://digital.net/~klane/Symptoms.html

there was a lot of different versions in the past, but now a lot of websites are dead, i think i have another version of everything i need to know in life... on a cd somewhere, i'll try to find it....

nice to meet you guys!!!!

I too had the misfortunate of learning this one by experience but it's nice to see a show reinforce it.

I learned the meaning of rhetorical from LnC when I was probably about 12 years old. I went around using it in every sentence it could possibily fit in (and probably some where it didn't).

Welcome CK!

thx,
unfortunetly i don't have other versions on a cd, but maybe in my old computer...
it's very funny when you remember all this stuff

this one was cool too....

Everything I Need To Know In Life I Learned From Lois & Clark

Mothers-in-law are not so bad. Sometimes they just want someone to talk with about their boy....You can't save everyone, but doing what you can makes a difference... Don't treat women like hood ornaments... Putting tin foil on your head prevents psychics from reading your mind... Don't break up with someone for their own good... If your words come back at you sounding dumb, they probably are... When your sister's boyfriend is a creep, she probably won't appreciate seeing his mug shot over breakfast... Before you ask someone to marry you, tell them your biggest secret or they'll be mad -- really, really mad... You never know if your friend's dad is a spy or not... Some people like being on top... When someone really loves you, it doesn't matter if you have coffee breath, it doesn't matter how you look, and it doesn't matter whether you wear burgundy, violet or black... The M word doesn't make things forever, the L word does... People see what they want to see... Don't trust anyone that calls you by an animal's name... Time together is more important than the perfect pearl from Japan, chocolate from Switzerland, snow from the Andes, and Camembert from France... Leave your windows open, you never know what'll come flying in... When you can fall asleep in someone's arms even when you're being hunted by a lunatic, that should tell you something... If someone makes you want to barf, they're probably a suspect... Answering the door in a towel at nine o'clock in the morning is a sure-fire way of getting your partners attention... Some ties work better than bullet-proof vests... Not talking about something is often scarier than talking about it... 'Splain things to the person you love... Avoid noxious chemical elements, especially when they're green and glowing... Don't be scared off by bright, young career women -- they just want someone to respect them, to love them, and to fly them to the moon... There will always be another headless corpse, but true love, comes around maybe once... You can slam a door in someone's face once, but after that, don't do it again... Saving someone's life does not give you the right to live their life... When dismantling a bomb, always disconnect the green wire first... There's a lot to be said for family... Every cloud has a silver lining... Sometimes the truth is just staring you right in the face... Being with the one you love is stronger then being alone, even if you are a Superhero... Big, fat pastrami is ok for breakfast when it will save The Daily Planet... Trust is important. Not even flowers, jewelry, or a Leer jet can take its place... You can't cheat justice twice... Lighting makes everything look bigger... Almost dying heightens your senses, kind of like putting on a pair of glasses... you don't have to have a reason to give a rose to the one you love... Never set up two trees with lights in an apartment when you don't have a robot around... DUH! Clark Kent is Superman!... Be careful pouring champagne while ogling, you may end up cleaning it up with your shoe... Don't ask a Superhero how long he can hold his breath... Stay away from green, glowing cabinets... Don't order Chinese food from a place called "Ralph's."... Please, call him Daniel... Even Superheroes and world-famous reporters need to belong to someone... When someone turns down your marriage proposal, just plow some snow and keep the ring -- they just may need some time... Don't ignore a mild-mannered reporter -- you never know what lurks beneath the surface... Nothing on earth should make you think you can fool your mother... Anyone who pays $10,000 for a date with you and loved "Indecent Proposal" is bad news... It's hard to cry with a mask on... Remember, always consider your options... A disguise is not necessary at all times... Each person is abnormal in their own way... Two primary colors CAN work... Sometimes cyborg girlfriends can be useful, like in relaying messages recieved when stuck in a closet... The one, and sometimes only person you can trust is your best friend... When someone makes sense to you, go with it... There's no time like the right time... In the never ending battle for truth and justice, take time to fall in love...Take a chance... Never trust an old guy... Glasses can be deceiving... Don't call a girl by her last name...Make sure your head and heart are in the same place... Make sure you know what kind of bed your fiancé expects... Your true love is just a small star in a big sky, not a big star in a small sky... If it goes on a salad, it doesn't go on a pizza... Before excepting a marriage proposal, make sure your intended is not a deranged psychopath... If your man can fly, you can stay mad... Without your love in your life, it wouldn't be a life... If you can fly, you can get away with wearing your underwear outside your pants... If you have x-ray vision, its okay to use it. sometimes... Don't hold in your fears. You'll have nightmares... Look beyond the exterior... Be careful in telling someone you had a crush on them in a death situation. You might be rescued by a man in blue and then have a lot of 'splainin to do.... Never trust a man who is serving two life sentences... If you are in love, you can take things, like Lunkhead, in the best sense of the word... If you care enough to obesses over an imortant matter, that probably means you are ready to accept it.. Some people just don't like being told their father is suspected of being a secret agent for the NIA... If you think you're highstrung, you just may be a Stradivarius... The "S" always shows up in the nick of time... There's a perfect mate for everyone, but you may have to go to a parallel dimension to find him/her... Love isn't stupid, but it is often blind... When you don't have time to curl your hair, use Solo cups.. Too many jumping jacks are bad for your health, but stopping can be worse... Being a Super hero isn't always good on your $80 shoes...When a guy tells you he's going for cappucino, don't always expect him to be walking to the curb... If you find yourself in virtal world, try to get comfortable... People's watches may not always tell time... When faced by an enemy, sometimes it's better to find an escape window than trying to stand your ground.... Just because a guy wears tights, doesn't mean he's a wimp... Momma's boys are always the best... If your momma makes it for you, wear it....If you find yourself in a runaway Mustang simply remove the key from the ignition... Not all women understand sports analogies... If a man suddenly picks up a red phone and says "Yep, it's Him", break out your umbrella... Never enter a dart game with a Super hero... Dating a woman with a squeeky voice just to make your fiance' jealous is not a good idea... Elvis does exist in a parallel universe....If you think you may "sleep float", stay away from your roommate's bed...Good guys often wear black... Just because a kid can lift a couch doesn't mean he's Superman's... Exoneration isn't always front page news... Being a Vvv..Vvv...Vvery patient man isn't so bad... Pre-marital sex could be a federal disaster... Disappearing for 10 seconds can make a man love you even more... Just because a man runs away doesn't mean he's scared of committment... Don't overlook small town farmboys... If your boyfriend keeps running off in the middle of conversations, he better be saving the world... After eating a bomb, be sure to say "Excuse me."... People don't notice your face when you're wearing tights.... Tights are aerodynamic... Men in blue spandex can be very sexy... Never underestimate the relevance of a good Elvis story... If your car goes out of control, turn off the ignition... Some guys like it when you play hard to get... Nice guys don't always finish last... If it's red and it glows, stay away from it... Stay away from glowing rocks of any color... It's o.k. to take a vacation every now and then...You never truly understand someone until you fly a mile in his cape... Blot, don't rub... Your one true love could be standing right next to you...

thx to paul and the wayback machine