Hermes, Hermes, where for art thou?

[hermes2015]

Hermes I've got another one for ya:

My dim brain understood that less subtle one  immediately. I used to get funny responses when I told people I was a free radical chemist, which was partially true.

Dim. Come on...someone who understands organic chemistry can't be dim 

Heh, 'free radical chemist' certainly sounds like it would get some raised eyebrows! Especially, perhaps, from captive conservative non-chemists... 

Actually, organic chemistry is very simple. The secret is that there are just a few basic rules to remember, just like playing chess. The rules govern the movement of an electron in a system of atoms and molecules, so one can usually work out or predict what is likely to happen in any situation. No need to memorize reactions, which is what attracted me to the subject. A bonus is that organic chemistry is a like architecture or sculpture at the molecular scale, which also appealed to me, the frustrated architect.

[xSilverPhinx]

Actually, organic chemistry is very simple. The secret is that there are just a few basic rules to remember, just like playing chess. The rules govern the movement of an electron in a system of atoms and molecules, so one can usually work out or predict what is likely to happen in any situation. No need to memorize reactions, which is what attracted me to the subject. A bonus is that organic chemistry is a like architecture or sculpture at the molecular scale, which also appealed to me, the frustrated architect.

If you don't mind me asking, do you ever regret choosing to become a chemist over an architect?

[hermes2015]

Actually, organic chemistry is very simple. The secret is that there are just a few basic rules to remember, just like playing chess. The rules govern the movement of an electron in a system of atoms and molecules, so one can usually work out or predict what is likely to happen in any situation. No need to memorize reactions, which is what attracted me to the subject. A bonus is that organic chemistry is a like architecture or sculpture at the molecular scale, which also appealed to me, the frustrated architect.

If you don't mind me asking, do you ever regret choosing to become a chemist over an architect?

Yes, from time to time. My problem was that I had too many interests as a young lad — most of them unfortunately mutually exclusive. There aren't enough hours in a day to be a professional chemist and architect at the same time.

[xSilverPhinx]

Actually, organic chemistry is very simple. The secret is that there are just a few basic rules to remember, just like playing chess. The rules govern the movement of an electron in a system of atoms and molecules, so one can usually work out or predict what is likely to happen in any situation. No need to memorize reactions, which is what attracted me to the subject. A bonus is that organic chemistry is a like architecture or sculpture at the molecular scale, which also appealed to me, the frustrated architect.

If you don't mind me asking, do you ever regret choosing to become a chemist over an architect?

Yes, from time to time. My problem was that I had too many interests as a young lad — most of them unfortunately mutually exclusive. There aren't enough hours in a day to be a professional chemist and architect at the same time.

That is indeed unfortunate, but at least there are all sorts of content on architecture available online, right? IMO, hobbies are just as important as professional pursuits.

[hermes2015]

Actually, organic chemistry is very simple. The secret is that there are just a few basic rules to remember, just like playing chess. The rules govern the movement of an electron in a system of atoms and molecules, so one can usually work out or predict what is likely to happen in any situation. No need to memorize reactions, which is what attracted me to the subject. A bonus is that organic chemistry is a like architecture or sculpture at the molecular scale, which also appealed to me, the frustrated architect.

If you don't mind me asking, do you ever regret choosing to become a chemist over an architect?

Yes, from time to time. My problem was that I had too many interests as a young lad — most of them unfortunately mutually exclusive. There aren't enough hours in a day to be a professional chemist and architect at the same time.

That is indeed unfortunate, but at least there are all sorts of content on architecture available online, right? IMO, hobbies are just as important as professional pursuits.

I have always taken more than a passing interest in architectural design topics. I've even been asked to give lectures at a local design school as guest lecturer. The Institute of Architects have also invited me to give some talks. The funny thing is, they were all under the impression that I was a qualified architect. I felt a bit like Matt Damon's character in The Talented Mr Ripley, although I didn't kill anyone.

[No one]

hermes2015:
I felt a bit like Matt Damon's character in The Talented Mr. Ripley, although I didn't kill anyone.

That is exactly what a talented killer would say. The wool can't be pulled over my eyes.

[hermes2015]

hermes2015:
I felt a bit like Matt Damon's character in The Talented Mr. Ripley, although I didn't kill anyone.

That is exactly what a talented killer would say. The wool can't be pulled over my eyes.

I fear you've seen through me. Let it be our little secret.

[No one]

Mums the word.

I'm no stool pigeon.

[hermes2015]

Mums the word.

I'm no stool pigeon.

[xSilverPhinx]

hermes2015:
I felt a bit like Matt Damon's character in The Talented Mr. Ripley, although I didn't kill anyone.

That is exactly what a talented killer would say. The wool can't be pulled over my eyes.

I fear you've seen through me. Let it be our little secret.

[billy rubin]

why do tbey call them stool pigeons anyway?

[No one]

A stool pigeon is someone who is an informer for the police. The term first appeared in the early 1800s to mean a decoy pigeon. The word stool in the term stool pigeon comes from the sixteenth-century word stoale, which means tree stump. Presumably, the term stoale pigeon referred to a decoy pigeon that was affixed to a tree stump. By the 1800s the word stool pigeon referred to a person who was used in a sting operation to trap a criminal, a sort of human decoy.

[billy rubin]

you made that up

[No one]

See for yourself.
https://grammarist.com/usage/stool-pigeon/

[Recusant]

See for yourself.
https://grammarist.com/usage/stool-pigeon/

Well done and thank you for citing your source, however belatedly.