you know you’re a catholic nerd when…

… tonight in my chemistry lab we were oxidizing magnesium; I won’t bore you only to note that when you burn magnesium it creates white smoke when the chemical process is nearing completion. It takes about 10 minutes, so we all sat around watching the Bunsen burner heat our sample waiting in anticipation for the white smoke.

After the others kept repeatedly asking “did you see white smoke yet?”, “any white smoke?”, or “Wait, I think I saw something! Is that the white smoke?!” …

… I blurted out “gee, I feel like we waiting for the results of a papal conclave.”

No one got it and I was left to chuckle at my own joke. I’m no comedian, but I am pretty sure if no one else is laughing at the joke but you it’s not funny.