Paraphernalia

Zaftig

1. (of a woman) having a pleasantly plump figure.
2. full-bodied; well-proportioned.

Mind the gap

It's been a couple of weeks, will my loyal 10 readers return after the interstice?

Word of the day :
in·ter·stice

1.an intervening space.
2.a small or narrow space or interval between things or parts, esp. when one of a series of alternating uniform spaces and parts: the interstices between the slats of a fence.
3.Roman Catholic Church. the interval of time that must elapse, as required by canon law, before promotion to a higher degree of orders.
4.an interval of time.

Thanks for coming back! Assuming you have. If you haven't, who needs you anyway. No really, I do need you, please come back.

I did what?!

I've come across the word "fugue" twice this week. Weird since I hadn't ever seen it before, at least I don't think I have. Is this sort of what happens to those people who take Ambien then drive or eat a jar of mayonnaise? It also sounds like what happens to me at the tail end of a night of boozing.

fugue (fyōōg)

- A pathological amnesiac condition during which one is apparently conscious of one's actions but has no recollection of them after returning to a normal state. This condition, usually resulting from severe mental stress, may persist for as long as several months.

That's whats called a "win-win" situation

Go to FreeRice.com
Pick the meaning of the word from the multiple choice.
For each correct answer, 20 grains of rice are donated to the United Nations Food Program.
The difficulty level adjusts automatically.
Increase your vocabulary and feed people who need food.
It's addictive.
Thanks Alison for the tip!

"We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail." G.W. Bush

I've noticed that my songs aren't playing anymore. I don't know why or when I'll be able to figure it out. So please accept this "word of the day" bonus post for the time being.

plat·i·tude

1. a flat, dull, or trite remark, esp. one uttered as if it were fresh or profound.
2. the quality or state of being flat, dull, or trite: the platitude of most political oratory.

As for the image : I googled "platitude", it showed up under images, and I found it apropos.

The older I get, the hoarier I get

While reading this inane article in the NY Times I came across the adjective hoary, and how can you not love that? Apparently hoar is Old English for grey, venerable or old.

Hoary
adj., -i·er, -i·est.

   1. Gray or white with or as if with age.
   2. Covered with grayish hair or pubescence: hoary leaves.
   3. So old as to inspire veneration; ancient.

hoarily hoar'i·ly adv.
hoariness hoar'i·ness n.

Slang 4 'tang

I'm completely addicted to The Hills. Michael swears it's scripted but I (choose to) believe that it's reality TV at it's best. I love Lauren and Whitney. I love to hate Spencer and I just plain feel sorry for Heidi. Lo makes me laugh but I get the feeling she would grate on my nerves if I had to hang out with her. I can't quite figure Audrina out but I also can't help but feel that she would be much better off if she dumped scraggly Justin-Bobby's self-centered, pouty, "i'm-the-bad-boy" ass.

Some things I ponder when I watch it are:

The girls are 20 years old in the 3rd season. They've been going out drinking for 3 years, in clubs, bars and restaurants and then driving home. Hmmm. I mean, it does represent reality, but why hasn't D.A.R.E. busted an artery?

Where does all the money come from? Lauren's ex Brody (there may be a Brody re-dux on the horizon) had a birthday party P-Diddy style in Vegas in some ridiculous suite. There's never been even a hint that any of the guys featured on the show have jobs other than throwing beach parties and being cads, and that costs money. They must be trust fund brats. The girls seem to have more money than they make but at least they all work and/or go to school.

Anyway, the reason I'm writing this post is because the other night the crew was out boozin at the club and at one point Lo, in a short skirt, accidentally flashed Lauren who commented, "Ew, I just saw Lo's Britney!"

And voila, a pop culture vortex births my new favorite euphemism.

Oh, it's one of those things.

Recently I've been running into the word "meme" alot online. I'm all, "what's a meme?" Defined on Wikipedia:

At its most basic, an Internet meme is simply the propagation of a digital file or hyperlink from one person to others using methods available through the Internet (for example, email, blogs, social networking sites, instant messaging, etc.). The content often consists of a saying or joke, a rumor, an altered or original image, a complete website, a video clip or animation, or an offbeat news story, among many other possibilities. An Internet meme may stay the same or may evolve over time, by chance or through commentary, imitations, and parody versions, or even by collecting news accounts about itself. It is spread organically and voluntarily on a peer-to-peer basis rather than by trickery, compulsion, predetermined path, or completely automated means.

The term may refer to the content that spreads from user to user, the idea behind the content, or the phenomenon of its spread. Internet memes have been seen as a form of art. There exist websites that collect and popularize Internet memes as well as sites devoted to the spread of specific Internet memes. The term is generally not applied to content or web services that are seen as legitimate, useful, and non-faddish, or that spread through organized publishing and distribution channels. Thus, serious news stories, videogames, web services, songs by established musical groups, or the like, are usually not called Internet memes.

I like it. I especially like it better than something "going viral". And in a way, the way it seems to be taking off, meme is the new meme.

Now, I'd like to know what the word is for when you've never heard of something, then once you've learned about it you start to see it more and more, but it was there all the time.

Witness : I had never heard of T. Rex until this woman Heather at work told me about him (something to do with the English Punk/Glam movement of the 70's) and now I've heard 3 references to him and his music since. Is there a word for that phenomena? Should we invent one?

The most civilised way to say it

Harridan - n  A woman regarded as scolding and vicious.

[Possibly from French haridelle -  gaunt woman, old horse, nag.]

Word for the Day

Milquetoast : n. One who has a meek, timid, unassertive nature.

George McFly: I know what you're gonna say, son. And you're right, you're right. But Biff just happens to be my supervisor, and I'm afraid I'm just no good at... confrontations.

Marty McFly: The car, Dad! I mean he wrecked it! He totaled it! I needed that car tomorrow night, Dad. Do you have any idea how important this is to me? Do you have any clue?

George McFly: I know, son. And all I can say is... I'm sorry.

Milton Waddams :And I said, I don't care if they lay me off either, because I told, I told Bill that if they move my desk one more time, then, then I'm, I'm quitting, I'm going to quit. And, and I told Don too, because they've moved my desk four times already this year, and I used to be over by the window, and I could see the squirrels, and they were married, but then, they switched from the Swingline to the Boston stapler, but I kept my Swingline stapler because it didn't bind up as much, and I kept the staples for the Swingline stapler and it's not okay because if they take my stapler then I'll set the building on fire...

Screech: Wow, my first Hollywood party. I wonder if the Simpsons are gonna be there?