Here on planet Earth, mug filling is a basic skill that you will use frequently. So, it is worth the effort to understand mug-filling basics and achieve mastery of this vital expertise.
1. Orientation
Before attempting to fill any mug, make sure the mug is oriented with the open side up. Mugs that are oriented with the open side down are extremely difficult to fill and the contents will seldom remain in the mug.
If you have difficulty remembering which direction is "up," it is always away from the source of gravitational pull...the center of the planet—what we call "down."
A correctly oriented mug should look like this.
The importance of this step is captured in the traditional rhyme...
You better stop.
Locate the top.
Or you'll need a mop.
2. Pre-pouring
There are two pre-pouring steps. First, make sure the mug is empty. Attempting to add content to a mug that is already full or partially full can result in a condition called "over fill." This term refers to the case when the contents of the mug exceeds the capacity of the mug to contain contents. Very messy.
Worse, attempting to fill a mug that is already full or partially full can result in the mixing of contents that should never be combined, such as coffee + tea, cocoa + beer, lint + margarita, hot toddy + pencils, etc. These obnoxious combinations can range from aesthetically revolting to explosive.
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The second pre-pouring step is to locate the substance that you intend to pour into the mug. A popular choice is coffee, but some prefer tea, milk, juice, brandy, water, or a kryptonite shake.
No pouring can begin until that filling substance is available. Caution: obtaining the substance you intend to pour can require "shopping," "cooking," and "mixing" steps. The scope of these activities is too complex to cover in these instructions. But be aware that some of these efforts can be extremely time consuming. So plan ahead.
3. Fill
Finally, you are ready to pour. Assuming the substance you are pouring is liquid or semi-liquid, you can let gravity do most of the work. Position the container with the filling content over the open end of the mug and gradually allow the substance to descend into the mug. In some situations a funnel can help.
Important! Stop pouring before the mug is fully full. In most situations, you can consider the mug to be nominally "full" when it is at 90 percent of the mug's capacity. This technique allows a precautionary margin that will help reduce inconvenient spills caused by jiggling, high winds, earthquakes, and so forth. A mug that is filled to its absolute capacity is vulnerable to irksome sloshing. Overfilling a mug is a sure sign of inexperience that differentiates novice fillers from seasoned veterans.
Tip: If you are working in conditions of zero gravity, it will be necessary to make adjustments to your mug-filling techniques. These will be covered in a future lesson (How to Fill Your Mug in Zero Gravity).
Please let me know if you found these instructions to be useful.
Frequent practice of your mug-filling skills will soon lead to mastery. You’ll undoubtedly find this capability useful every day.
Don—Pittsburgh, February 17, 2022
Imagine my surprise...I thought I was going to use the word "indubitably" in this blog, but things just didn't work out that way.
Anne McClary
September 05, 2022
Very funny post – definitely made me laugh – thank you!
It also made me think of some videos on this subject that have also made me laugh – google: “uncle helps niece pour things” should find it. You’re welcome!
Love all your things – artistic and writing!!