Tuesday, September 02, 2008

This is a Projective Test

So what, exactly, does the term "lock down" mean to you?

From time to time, dear ClinkShrink tells me the prison or the hospital or her kitchen is on "lock down." She says this so matter-of-factly that I've never pressed for details. Hmmmm, did the garlic try to escape? Can you leave if you want? What if someone has to go to the bathroom? Where is your cell phone during this process? What if your meter runs out? How long is the longest a lock down can last? Is everyone locked down? To what?

I have visions. This doesn't sound good. If ClinkShrink weren't so matter of fact, I'd worry, but she never does.

What images does Lockdown conjure up for you?

12 comments:

Gerbil said...

The term "lock-down" makes me think of the jokes my dad used to make about the "lock-ins" that my grade-school friends' churches would sponsor for the youth groups. (Namely, he'd call them "lock-downs.")

Dinah said...

What's a lock in?
In, down, out.....

Gerbil said...

As I understand it--I've never been to one--a lock-in is basically a giant youth group slumber party, but with lots of responsible adult chaperones. I thought they actually locked the kids in the church, but Mrs. Gerbil (who used to work with a youth group) notes that the kids do get to go outside. She also notes that the term "slumber party" is not cool among youth group members, and the language of imprisonment is better.

Catherine said...

To me lock down simply means that everything is locked and you are locked in with whomever happens to be with you at the time (unfortunately).

Could be because I myself have experienced (but only at school).

Rach said...

Oh, man, this is not a good free association day.
But... Lock down... means you can't move. You're stuck, and it's external factors causing you to be stuck, like a giant man-eating monster outside the door, and if you walk out the door, you'll get eaten by the man-eating monster. So you're locked down.
If you're in the kitchen and locked down, at least you'll be able to eat cookies.

pemdas said...

As a teacher, I think the term "lockdown" came into its own after the shootings at Columbine.

When a lockdown is called, all teachers are to close and lock their doors. Keep the students away from any windows or doors. Keep the students quiet and calm (I think offering extra credit works -- smirk). No one is to use their cell phones. No texting.

Like the good ol' fire drill, we now have 'lockdown' drills.

I've been through 2 lockdowns -- both occurred when there was a student shooting in front of the school.

Anonymous said...

I was once part of a child labor awareness group that had "Lock-Ins" where we'd get together for the night and try and get a whole bunch of work done.

I also had "Lock-downs" at my high school, which pretty much the same as what Pemdas described- except we never practiced them, nor did we have any.

ClinkShrink said...

OK, a lockdown usually means that something bad has happened in prison. In my case it wasn't anything too gawdawful---the elevators were all broken and they couldn't move anyone anywhere.

So I left a little early to go camping. Seneca Rocks was gorgeous. I stood on the top of the left peak, so high up the vultures were circling below me.

Doc said...

Rapunzel?
:)

Anonymous said...

I'm a brand new teacher and experienced my 1st "lock-down" today during campus lunch. I did not have instructions, pemdas so did not know the rules. I knew that OUR lock-down was due to a large, gang, fist-fight involving both male and female high schoolers. Lots of kids - all punching each other- so they announced on the loud speaker that all students needed to report to their next class. My kids arrived 25 minutes early and I knew there was not shooting (because we have a code sentence for a gunman on campus) so I lift windows open, told kids they were still on their own time until the 12:05pm scheduled start of my class and that they had permission to eat, drink, chat, and use their cell phones. Then I moved about them asking them about their involvement, how they felt, and tended to the girl who was punched in the jaw. Seemed like a reasonable approach.

Roy said...

In Scotland, I think it means the lake is drying up.

Zoe Brain said...

Action Stations, NBCD State One, Condition Zulu.

"Material Condition Zulu is one of three different Material Conditions aboard a ship.

X-Ray is the most lax with most hatches open. Usually set in port.

Yankee is the middle one. Some hatches are dogged and others are opened. This is usually set at sea.

Zulu is the most serious one. All hatches are dogged. It is used in combat and during storms."