Word Appetizer…


This is a rough estimate, but I’ve written approximately 1.237 million words since I’ve actively been writing. Wait, now it’s 1,237,019 words, but you get the gist. Probably a million were “the” and “said.” Some were used for alliteration, sort of a wise witty word weaving wizard. More than a few had to be worked over to be spelled correctly. If I were in front of a firing squad and had to spell “sheriff” or “rhythm” on the first try to live, I’d be riddled with bullets.

Some words were used that didn’t mean what I thought, like “nonplussed”, for instance. I thought it meant someone was bad at math, as in “he couldn’t add to save his life. He’s “nonplussed.” It actually means “unconcerned.”“Peruse” is another. I’ve always thought it mean to “skim,” as in, “let me peruse these cliff notes so I can pretend I read the book.” It’s the opposite. It means to “read or examine thoroughly.”

But I’ve always liked words, some more than others. Words can open up a whole new world. I’ll never forget reading the “Ox-Bow Incident” in high school which had been suggested by my English teacher. I came upon a word I’d heard a few times, but not in a printed format. That word was “Whore” and I honestly had no idea that it was spelled that way, never realizing that the “w” was silent. It actually looked a lot more impressive spelled out than it was hearing it spoken. I had a fair idea of what it meant and will say one thing, it definitely piqued my interest with reading the rest of the book.

As far as favorite words go, I do have some favorites and enjoy tossing them out now and then for public consumption. I like the meanings behind the particular ones I share here, but, mostly, I enjoy how they sound. Allow me to share my “word salad”, (did I just type that?), actually, let’s just call it my “Word Appetizer!”

extrapolate – The markets are often myopic and tend to extrapolate short-term trends for the long run. (Kind of fitting given the recent stock market brouhaha.)
vitriol – Politicial commentators spew angry vitriol.
superfluous – He cleared off all the superfluous stuff on his desk to make room for the new computer.
perspicacious – They had an unusual power to perspicaciously see through and understand what was puzzling or hidden.
loquacious – She talked about these topics in a manner that managed to be tight-lipped and loquacious at the same time.
juxtaposition – Dark floors ground the space, a welcome juxtaposition to the white walls.

All of these impressive-sounding words aside, I’m currently on a mission that involves researching proper verbiage for updating organizational bylaws. It’s a challenge. The task at hand is to strictly follow the rigid wordage of Robert’s Rules of Order or draft a basic, club member-friendly, constitution that requires no in-depth interpretation, more like “Just the Facts, Jack!” My goal is to put forth only pertinent, factual, information involving the rules of a private club without evoking speculation, confused responses or assumptions. Sound like a plan?

Wish me luck. Please.

From the Writer’s Workshop: List your five, favorite, current words.

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A ship of dreams…

Third class passengers were several notches down the social scale as far as the staff was concerned. After all, they were the ships peasants and it did not matter that they were seeking a better life in the United States. In a world that worshipped wealth, they were poor, but their numbers were the bread and butter of the Cunard line. Given that, they were treated with an abject amount of tolerance by the cabin staff.

Precious objects were crammed into what little luggage they were able to bring aboard the ship; the traditions they left behind were deeply ingrained in their minds, along with their dreams, never to be forgotten as so much else was. Instead, they focused on new beginnings in a distant world that promised so many opportunities.

They looked forward to what awaited them at horizon’s end with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. The challenges of the unknown would soon unfold as the ship sailed closer to the new world with the setting of the sun.

In a matter of days, they would be sitting under a shady grape arbor, surrounded by family they were just introduced to as they prepared to live wholly in another country. A huge table with cold salads, Risotto with Red Chard, fruit, and wine swirling in glasses all raised in a welcoming toast. They were home.

From the Writer’s Workshop: Write a post in exactly 11 lines. Take two books. Open each one to a random page and point at a random sentence. Use one sentence to start your story and the other to end your story. Write the story in the middle. This was a fun challenge which I combined with another, writing my post in eleven lines as well. I reached for two nearby books from the library in my home office, Exploring the Lusitania and Under the Tuscan Sun, chose a sentence (or a bit more) from each and enjoyed my results.

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After the storm…

Long ago, and far away, in the small town of Kent Cliffs, a cryptic prophecy, passed down through generations, foretold of a cataclysmic event, a storm of such intensity and unprecedented power, which would reshape the landscape and test the resilience of town residents. It was a somewhat vague prediction, labeled the “Great Divide”, which many people chose to ignore. For others, it was initially regarded with doom, bringing a mixture of both fear and fascination.

As people waited, a sense of foreboding unfolded. The prophecy came closer with howling winds, battering rain and frightening erratic weather, all which brought widespread damage everywhere. Skeptical residents quickly confronted the reality of the prediction as they took shelter from the devastation that roared through the countryside.

Eventually, the storm subsided but the town was forever changed. The prophecy of the “Great Divide” came as predicted. The resilience of the combined human spirit, along with the power of belief and faith, would contribute to the rebuilding of the town. Important traditions and history would be restored as the result of the ability of the townspeople to adapt and move forward after the devastating crisis.

From The Writer’s Workshop: Write a post based on the word predictions. Write a post in exactly 10 lines (sentences).

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