How to be an Explorer of the World: Exploration 1 (sort of)

So my awesomesauce suitemates got me this book How to be an Explorer of the World before I left for Scotland. I've been kind of stressed out with summer job applications / writing concentration / senior thesis / the fact that my professor who is currently grading a paper of mine didn't smile at me when I passed him in the library (but then, he's also British, so that could just be his face? I really don't know) so I decided to take a break today and do the first exploration. (And hopefully I'll be able to keep it up! If I start to slack off, you know, harass me).

So Exploration #1 is called "right where you are sitting." These are the instructions: Write ten things about where you are sitting right now that you hadn't noticed when you sat down. Use your senses. Do it quickly. Do not censor. Okay, begin.

But if you know me, you know I'm not so great at following instructions. My mother calls it Oppositional Defiant Disorder, I call it creativity. (It's amazing we get along so well, isn't it?) Anywho, I decided to do it with a little twist. Here's what happened:

I bought this can of soda at the grocery store.

I decided to walk around St Andrews drinking this can of soda, and when I finished it, stop and enter the building closest to me at that particular moment. (This ended up being a kind of long walk--I drink soda really slowly).

I ended up at the Economics department. There were a lot of doors (offices, mostly), but not many open spaces so, in the interest of not ending up in a place where someone would frown at me, I chose an empty hallway. Here's what I found:

The button for the fire alarm says "GENT." I thought:

-Is this button only for high society men?

-Is that the word for "push" in another language?

-If so, why is it in another language when we are in an English speaking country? Or maybe this is Scotishized English?

-A typo? Perhaps it meant to say "GENTLY"?

Alas, all my imaginings were nothing more than that. Upon a quick Google search, I leaned that GENT is the name of the alarm company.

Every door on the hallway has this sticker.

They are very concerned about fires here.

Massive and pressurized. Forget the Super Soaker 5000--this is what to bring to a water fight.

And again with the fire safety...

All of the windows on the hall open with this rope-pull.

There was a cactus plant in one of the windowsills. It was in growing a ceramic boot. This is the mouse that was in the toe of the boot.

Question: Do real mice have eyelashes?

Dehnert I've got your number

I'm gonna make you mine

Dehnert I've got your number--

Oh wait, maybe I don't.

(I found this in the corner near the radiator)

Someone scuffed the wall. Twice.

After a careful investigation of all the names on the office doors, I discovered that Mr. Sutherland was the only person on the hall with an anglo name. This makes me think of this.

But of course, I could be wrong. It happens more often that you'd think.

THE CEILING IS FALLING! [cried Chicken Little]

A large bag full of documents that have been shredded. I thought about pulling some out and trying to reassemble them, but I was worried that it might be illegal here too. And if I'm going to go to jail or what have you, it's going to be for something awesome.

Those were the 10 things I noticed.

And then I left.