This doesn’t really have anything to do with anything…but have you ever noticed the quirky little ways we solve common problems, the little remedies we create to fix little annoyances?
Take ketchup bottles, for instance. Have you ever noticed how many different techniques people have for getting the ketchup out of the bottle?
Here’s another example. Have you noticed how Coca-Cola, above other soft drinks, has a tendency to fizz up in the cup when we use the soft drink dispensers at the convenience store or restaurant? The fizz just sits there at the top–lots of it–and takes its sweet time going down. If you leave the dispenser before the fizz goes down–you’ll have a half-full cup of Coke to drink. But if you keep trying to fill it–you’ll have a handful of fizz. And if you’ve got a line of people behind you waiting for their turn…the wait time gets uncomfortable.
I love to watch the different ways people try to solve this problem. Among a few things I’ve seen:
- Ignore the waiting people and wait for the fizz to go down (because dang-it, you PAID for that drink, and you’re leaving with a full cup!)
- Blow on the fizz to get it to dissipate (which can backsplash in your face if you blow too hard)
- Fan the fizz with the cup lid
- Shake the cup gently
- Be polite and leave with a half-cup of Coke
A few days ago, I saw something new and innovative: this guy took his finger and touched the top of the foam to get the bubbles to pop. Looked like it worked (a little).
What do I do? I’m just plain impatient. I tilt the cup at the dispenser, keep the Coke flowing, and let the fizz run over the side until I have enough Coke in the cup. (This usually amounts to an extra quarter of a cup worth of Coke going down the drain.
I know it’s wasteful. Deal with it.
So…you Coke drinkers out there…how do you deal with the fizz?
Wayward Son
Musician. Composer. Recovering perfectionist. Minister-in-transition. Lover of puns. Hijacker of rock song references. Questioner of the status quo.
I'm not really a rebel. Just a sincere Christ-follower with a thirst for significance that gets me into trouble. My quest has taken me over the fence of institutional Christianity. Here are some of my random thoughts along the way. Read along, join in the conversation. Just be nice.
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I kind of slurp up the foam so I can put more Coke in.
Actually, Jeff, the guys sticking his finger in the foam had the right idea. Depending on how oily your finger is, the oil on your finger acts as a surfactant and will cause the surface tension of the little bubbles in the foam to give way.
Don't believe me? Try it…if it doesn't work that effectively then just (as gross as it sounds) wipe your finger on your forehead and try it again.
This is one time that having clean hands doesn't work as well.
Science lesson over. 🙂
I am definitly a finger in the foam type. I do this to beer too. I am not a fan of the big head on any drink.