Dang, you're definitely right about that. I think I grew up knowing the 5/mile thing, too! Somehow that little bit of super important knowledge fled from my brain, hopefully making space for something interesting or useful... but probably more like a really bad dad joke.
Lightning flash - 1 one thousand, 2 one thousand, 3 one thousand. Anything over 3 one thousand was safe. Anything less meant get your ass inside quick.
Interesting. Thunder tends to be a low rumble in Tennessee, but when we went to Cancun some years ago, there were storms most days, and the thunder was always a sharp crack. I think the lightning was mostly cloud—to-ground instead of cloud-to-cloud, so that might have been part of the reason.
Nice. I'll visit some friends in Bristol later in the month. I've been to Nashville, Knoxville, and Memphis. I wouldn't say I know the state well other than Bristol, way on the border.
I can’t remember if we counted one one thousand or one Mississippi… I grew up in (and now live back in) Iowa along the Mississippi River, so it was probably Mississippi lol
I really think that affects how it sounds... and like how far the sound will travel. I bet it can go pretty far in TX under the right circumstances... I remember driving through the state and kind of starting to understand why everyone joked so much about this or that being a "six beer drive." I was horrified until I kinda realized: you might not see another human for like half an hour on even some highways!
I witnessed the most awesome lightning storm I’ve ever experienced a few weeks ago, here in North Texas. It lasted all night, and some of the thunder sounded like a bomb going off.
Indra, one of the deities in Hindu mythology, is associated with thunder, rain, and storms and his role in maintaining cosmic order and ensuring the prosperity of humanity.
For once, the very first association I've had was the one you opened the article with!
My son's hockey team, Copenhagen Falcons, use "Thunderstruck" as their getting-pumped-up-before-the-game song and they replace "THUNDER!" with "FALCONS!"
Also, I was told a more precise version of the counting when I was a kid: If you measure the number of seconds between hearing the thunder and seeing the lightning then divide by three, you'll get the amount of kilometers between you and the lightning.
I grew up hearing that it was one Mississippi per mile.... but it's really 5 Mississippis per mile.
Dang, you're definitely right about that. I think I grew up knowing the 5/mile thing, too! Somehow that little bit of super important knowledge fled from my brain, hopefully making space for something interesting or useful... but probably more like a really bad dad joke.
Lightning flash - 1 one thousand, 2 one thousand, 3 one thousand. Anything over 3 one thousand was safe. Anything less meant get your ass inside quick.
Some kids did say "one - one thousand" where I was from, too!
Interesting. Thunder tends to be a low rumble in Tennessee, but when we went to Cancun some years ago, there were storms most days, and the thunder was always a sharp crack. I think the lightning was mostly cloud—to-ground instead of cloud-to-cloud, so that might have been part of the reason.
What part of TN?
I grew up in the northeast corner of the state, but I live in Nashville now.
Nice. I'll visit some friends in Bristol later in the month. I've been to Nashville, Knoxville, and Memphis. I wouldn't say I know the state well other than Bristol, way on the border.
I’m originally from Greeneville, which is not far from Bristol. It’s a nice area.
Appalachia is just stunningly beautiful in some areas. I'm actually looking forward to (part of) the drive!
Middle Tennessee here. Murfreesboro, about 20 minutes from Nashville.
Also a very pretty area. I enjoyed Nashville 21 years ago or so, at least from the parts I can remember!
I can’t remember if we counted one one thousand or one Mississippi… I grew up in (and now live back in) Iowa along the Mississippi River, so it was probably Mississippi lol
This immediately made me think of the scene in Poltergeist where they count the lightning to the thunder https://youtu.be/_lHN2kN-Mbo?si=phP6frDAuaOJMFxe
Yes! Classic scene, and I bet that's where half the kids in my neighborhood learned how to measure how far away a storm was.
Texas drivers are crazy so I wouldn’t mind that at all!
Very humid!
I really think that affects how it sounds... and like how far the sound will travel. I bet it can go pretty far in TX under the right circumstances... I remember driving through the state and kind of starting to understand why everyone joked so much about this or that being a "six beer drive." I was horrified until I kinda realized: you might not see another human for like half an hour on even some highways!
I witnessed the most awesome lightning storm I’ve ever experienced a few weeks ago, here in North Texas. It lasted all night, and some of the thunder sounded like a bomb going off.
Amazing! Was the air dry or humid? Any idea?
Oh yes, I've counted Mississipis. Still do to a degree. Can be quite dramatic here in Tennessee.
Sango, one of the most colourful kings of the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria, is associated with thunder, war, and bloodshed
This fellow, right?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shango
Yeah, the fellow. A great legend in Nigeria.
Yeah, the fellow. A great legend in Nigeria.
This 73 year old grandma LOVES AC/DC's Thunderstruck and cranks it up loud when I'm alone in the car.
Linda, you rock! But also: check out the very first comment I see on the YouTube video, echoing your sentiment:
"I’m a71 year old woman and I love this version of this song. Brilliant."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2AC41dglnM
From India again:
Indra, one of the deities in Hindu mythology, is associated with thunder, rain, and storms and his role in maintaining cosmic order and ensuring the prosperity of humanity.
More here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indra
For once, the very first association I've had was the one you opened the article with!
My son's hockey team, Copenhagen Falcons, use "Thunderstruck" as their getting-pumped-up-before-the-game song and they replace "THUNDER!" with "FALCONS!"
Also, I was told a more precise version of the counting when I was a kid: If you measure the number of seconds between hearing the thunder and seeing the lightning then divide by three, you'll get the amount of kilometers between you and the lightning.
I remember that each Mississippi roughly corresponded to a mile, so I guess: same same, fam.
My wrestling team in high school would come out to AC/DC's "Back in Black."
Our colors were green and gold.
Later, your team switched to the more appropriate "Colorblind" by Counting Crows.
Back in Black was the first album I purchased and played over and over.
It wasn't the first one for me, but I certainly also did this, especially once my team adopted that song!