More CRAZY Talk!

After the last post about the water bubbler (Click here to read) , I had to share one other term we use here in Wisconsin that just completely throws people for a loop.   TYME Machine.  Yes, pronounced like time machine. 

A tyme machine is an ATM.  TYME stands for Take Your Money Everywhere, and has been here in Wisconsin since the 1970’s. 



Tyme Machine's logo

I will never forget when my family and I went to Detroit, MI about 14 years ago.  We were checking into the hotel and my sister asked the receptionist, “Do you all have a tyme machine close by?” Obviously, the receptionist thought my sister had just asked her if there was a time machine (going back in time) nearby.   So of course the lady gave my sister the craziest look, with a frown on her face and shook her head no.  I was only 17 years old at the time, but I knew that most people didn’t know what the heck that was.  So after the receptionist looked at my sister like she was crazy, I just politely told her we’re looking for an ATM.  Immediately, her whole demeanor changed and she politely said, “Oh, there’s a bank right across the street”. 

I could just imagine her telling all of her coworkers that evening that some crazy lady asked where she could find a “time machine”.  LOL!

I just thought I’d share that with you.  Feel free to share any regional dialect that you use, as well.

What the Heck Is a Bubbler!

We Wisconsinites have some strange names for things.  We’ll often say things and think what we’re saying is completely normal until we visit another state (or someone from a different state visits us) and someone looks at us like we’re crazy, and asks us what the heck we’re talking about!

One of those strange names we have is “Bubbler”.  For those of you who don’t know, that’s what we Wisconsin folks call drinking fountains. 

I was speaking to a gentleman yesterday who is originally from the east coast.  He said that when he first moved here to Wisconsin, he was asking someone for directions and was told, “Just go right around the corner, past the bubbler”.  He said he immediately was confused and asked the person, “I’m sorry, what is that?”  I told him that I think Wisconsin is probably the only state in the USA that uses that term, and then he briefly educated me on why Wisconsinites call it that.  He informed me that it was right here in Wisconsin that the very first drinking fountain was made and since the water bubbled, they called it a bubbler.  I was shocked that I didn’t know this (and to think, a foreigner had to tell me, LOL!), so today I had to do some digging and I was amazed at what I found out.

The very first drinking fountain was made in 1889 in Kohler, WI.  I’m sure you’ve heard of the Kohler Company.  Yep…that’s them!  Kohler actually trademarked the name “Bubbler” for the fountain.  Once other people (in other states) started making fountains, they named them other things and then eventually they just became known around the country as drinking fountains.  That was a great history lesson for me (did I mention I LOVE history?).  Now I know the actual history behind us calling a fountain a “Bubbler”.  It’s nice to know it was actually a trademarked name and we don’t just call it that for the heck of it, LOL. There are still some of Kohler’s original bubblers today, in Madison, WI.

Here’s a picture of one:

 

Picture from Wikipedia



So, I would love to know if you or anyone else you know uses the term “Bubbler”.   If not, what do you call drinking fountains where you’re from?

Daily Gratitude

I am grateful for my skills and talents.