How To Act Out “Thermodynamics” In A Game of Charades

By Dave Semeniuk, January 20, 2008

Thermodynamics

Ok – one word, five syllables, first two syllables…

[crudely embodying the second law? source]

Dr. Ng jokingly challenged last week’s class to attempt “thermodynamics” in charades while covering it in lecture. After he said that, a version of the following went through my head: a set of instructions for any charades player who receives thermodynamics in a future game. Here goes:

• Calmly hold up pointer finger on right hand
• ONE WORD!
• Hold up five fingers, place on forearm.
• FIVE SYLLABLES!! WOW THIS IS TOUGH
• Grab thumb and pointer finger
• FIRST TWO SYLLABLES
• Point to teammate in excitement, thus indicating their correctness and charades prowess
• OK OK FIRST TWO SYLLABLES
• Light imaginary fire with two sticks. Pretend to warm hands
• FIRE? FIRE! FIRE? HOT? HEAT? WARMTH? MATCHES? LIGHTER! LANTERN? STREETLIGHT?
• Pontificate, and turn imaginary water into wine.
• UHM MAGICAL? MAGICALLY? MAGICAL STREETLIGHT? DIVINATION?
• Hoist imaginary cross on shoulder, feign crucifixion.
• JESUS? CHRISTIANITY? SPIRITUALITY? JESUS? LANTERN!
• Outline shape of box above head, pretend to write on it, point to mouth – mouth words as if speaking the language you’ve written down. Repeatedly point to box-shape and mouth words.
• TONGUE? LANGUAGE? WRITING? LATIN?
• Jump up and down, thereby letting your teammate know how excited you are for getting someone to guess” Latin” in charades; nod head furiously.
• LATIN? LATIN!
• Quickly switch between “warming hands” action and pointing to your mouth.
• HOT? HEAT! UHMMM THERMOPHILIC? IRRADIATION!
• Point to teamate to stop guessing, gesture “go one word back” with right hand.
• THERMOPHILIC?
• Nod and make hand gestures accentuating the whole word, then the two roots of thermophilic. Proceed to make either karate chop cutting hand gesture, finger scissors, or a fake miter saw cut – which ever you are more comfortable faking – then point to beginning of word by gesturing the fact that thermophilic has four syllables; point to first two.
• THERMO? PHILIC?
• Point to teammate to stop guessing, gesture “go one word back” with right hand.
• THERMO!
• Nod head, then make one finger to denote “one word”, and place middle, ring, and pinky fingers on your opposing forearm to denote the last three syllables
• YES! THERMO, SCORE! OK NEXT THREE SYLLABLES
• Knowing that your teammate has an extensive scientific vocabulary (i.e. thermophilic and irradiation), and assuming thermodynamics is part of their daily vernacular, begin”Running Man”.
• RACE? RUN? JOG! SWEATPANTS? THERMAL UNDERWEAR?
• Give up “Running Man”, produce a face of disappointment, and let out an audible sigh. Indicate first of last three syllables. Clutch chest, collapse to ground, and go limp.
• ICE? ANGINA? DEATH?
• Point to teammate to stop guessing, make “elaborate” gesture with right hand.
• DEATH? DECOMPOSITION! NO? DIEING?
• Point to teammate to stop guessing, make “elaborate” gesture with right hand.
• DIEING? DIE! THERMO-DIE…
• Nod head. Indicate last three syllables on forearm, and grab second syllable with opposite hand. Retrieve mental note – you and your teammate recently spent an entire weekend watching Vietnam war movies. Pretend to tie a bandanna around your forehead and make a “don’t even think about fucking with this, dude” facial gesture. Shift weight to one foot, while slinging imaginary gun over the opposite shoulder. Pull an imaginary cigarette out of its case, and light it with your imaginary army-issued zippo.  Take a deep drag of that shit, and throw it to ground. Stomp it out with your imaginary military boot, while smiling and staring out into the nearby imaginary jungle.
• STALLONE? FRENCH? COMBAT? SMOKE? VIETNAM? SEAN PENN?
• Point to teammate to stop guessing, gesture “go one word back” with right hand.
• SMOKE?
• Shake head and sigh, gesture “go one word forward” with right hand.
• VIETNAM!
• Nod head, and proceed to use favored “cut word” gesture as outlined above. Point to second syllable.
• NAM! THERMO-DIE-NAM? THERMODYNAMICS?
• Let out an emphatic, “YEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!”
• WHAT? OH WOW! HOW’D YOU KNOW HOW TO DO THAT?
• Provide proper citation.