The JackB

"When you're in jail, a good friend will be trying to bail you out. A best friend will be in the cell next to you saying, 'Damn, that was fun'." Groucho Marx

Writing

Vocabulary Wednesday

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It is vocabulary time again. Here is part one, part two, part three, part four and part five.

faineantise

[F.] do-nothing-ness; indisposition to do anything; indifference, inactivity

fa·vo·ni·an (fÉ™-vō‘nÄ“-É™n)
adj.

  1. Of or relating to the west wind.
  2. Mild; benign.

klazomania

compulsive shouting; thus klazomaniac, one who shouts compulsively.

zenzizenzizenzic

the eighth power of a number

zwischenzug

[G.] in chess, a temporizing move (i.e., a delay in capturing, usually via a check)

oblivionize

[fr. L. oblivion-, forgetfulness + -ize]
now rare to consign to oblivion

Pain Is Good For Writing

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I have another confession. The posts that I like the best are often those that have been written when I was most upset. I don’t particularly like that. It sounds overly dramatic and I don’t need nor want anymore drama in my life than I have. In fact I’d like to eliminate some of it.

But the rules of the blog are the same as they have always been and honesty is of paramount importance. If this is going to serve as my Fortress of Solitude than I need to treat it that way and that requires sharing my thoughts in an honest and forthright manner.

So some of my best posts are written when I am most upset. So what. I suspect that this is not all that different from many others. Call me an artiste.

It is also fair to say that some of my favorites have been written when I have been in an exceptionally good mood. Great, now I just made myself sound manic. Maybe this should be called Neurotic Thoughts & Crap No One Really Cares About.

Perhaps I’ll end this before I really make myself sound ridiculous.

Vocabulary Time Part 5

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It is vocabulary time again. Here is part one, part two, part three and part four.

mancinism

the condition of being left-handed

macroverbumsciolist

nonce word 1) a person who is ignorant of large words
2) a person who pretends to know a word, then secretly refers to a dictionary.

mastigophorer

obs. a fellow worthy to be whipped.

matutolypea

getting up on the wrong side of the bed.

Awful Words

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CNN has the link to a Mental Floss story about the etymology of some common words. I found it quite interesting. Here is an excerpt and a link:

1. Dunce

Dictionaries don’t play fair, and John Duns Scotus is proof.

The 13th/14th-century thinker, whose writings synthesized Christian theology and Aristotle’s philosophy, was considerably less dumb than a brick. Unfortunately for Scotus, subsequent theologians took a dim view of all those who championed his viewpoint.

These “Scotists,” “Dunsmen,” or “Dunses” were considered hairsplitting meatheads and, eventually, just “dunces.”

2.(slipping a) Mickey

When you have to drug somebody against their will (hey, you gotta do what you gotta do), it just wouldn’t sound right to slip ’em a Ricardo, a Bjorn, or an Evelyn. It’s gotta be a Mickey.

At the turn of the 20th century, Mickey Finn was a Chicago saloon owner in one of the seediest parts of town — and he fit right in.

Finn was known for serving “Mickey Finn Specials,” which probably included chloral hydrate, a heavy sedative. After targeted customers passed out, Finn would haul them into his “operating room” and liberate them of all valuables (including shoes).

Never a Host of the Year candidate, this Mickey seems to have thoroughly earned his legacy, so don’t hesitate to use it the next time you drug and rob your own customers.

Vocabulary Time Part IV

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It is vocabulary time again. Here is part one, part two and part three.

tem·er·ar·i·ous (tÄ•m‘É™-râr‘Ä“-É™s)

adj. Presumptuously or recklessly daring

Ten·tig·i·nous
a.

[L. tentigo, -inis, a tension, lecherousness, fr. tendere, tentum, to stretch.]

1. Stiff; stretched; strained. [Obs.] Johnson.

2. Lustful, or pertaining to lust. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

U·ri·na·tor

n.[L., from urinari to plunge under water, to dive.]
One who dives under water in search of something, as for pearls; a diver.

u·su·fruct (yÅ«‘zÉ™-frÅ­kt‘, -sÉ™-)
n.

The right to use and enjoy the profits and advantages of something belonging to another as long as the property is not damaged or altered in any way.

Vocabulary Time Part 3

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It is vocabulary time again. Here is part one and part two.

Jack·pud·ding
n.A merry-andrew; a buffoon.

Job·ber·nowl
n.[OE. jobbernoule, fr. jobarde a stupid fellow; cf. E. noll.]
A blockhead.

nikhedonia

[fr. Nike, the Greek goddess of victory + hedoné, pleasure] the pleasure derived from anticipating success

quidnunckery

[fr. L. quid nunc, what now] nonce-word curiosity, love of news or gossip (also quid-nunc-ism)