Sunday, October 11, 2009

Supremely Pathetic

I love a good word. Sometimes I just love the way they sound like, charlatan. It has a certain zing to it. It sounds like you want it to mean. Or rascal or illuminated or overzealous. "The sign on the marquee was illuminated and the overzealous fans began to chant (another good one) as the actor portraying the charlatan sauntered cat-like down the red carpet." The whole thing might not make such good sense but I love the words.

There are also words that I dislike (as oppose to like, not like posable or opposable thumbs, please follow along). Sometimes I don't even know why I don't like certain words, for instance I hate the word masseuse. You can't say that word without someone getting a goofy look on their face and asking about a happy ending (also a vile word grouping and really just gross on it's own volition). I hate the word crack, either when it pertains to the butt region or the drug.

I can't stand the word "platter," like when you are in a restaurant and someone says, "I'll have the such and such platter." It makes me crinkle up my nose and shake my head. But that's just me.

Turn of phrase. I love a good turn of phrase. I also love the term, turn of phrase.

I like when people make you laugh by speaking in newspaper headline terms about bizarre events. I used to live on this very busy road that my friend Jen was convinced I would meet my demise while fetching the days post. There wasn't a time she was there (lounging around smoking cigarettes) that I wouldn't come in the front door with the days correspondence that she wouldn't say, "West Chester woman-child dies while retrieving the mail. Story at Eleven."

Now just as my good friends, the people who love me, would never say, "Crack," (or probably do it for that matter). They will also try and delight me with the way they speak or write. I have a friend who teased me all week with a word he had on a tablet (not a notebook, Friends, tablet) and he also found this word on a card he was sending to me. He gave me hints. It starts with an "A" ends with a "T", three syllables. It stumped me all week, until I got the card. :)

So, is there a point to this whole bit of blathering about what entertains me?
YES!
Last night Saige and I were at Twist's house for a delicious home made dinner. As we were clearing stuff up Twist leans into me. The twinkle in her eyes let me know that I was going to enjoy what came next. She started to refer to something and said, "You know I found...(not to be named)... supremely pathetic." It honestly made me fall on the floor laughing. Supremely pathetic? Can you imagine what you deserve to get that title? I had tears streaming down my face because I knew it already. I could have called it from a million miles away but the fact that she said it, well, just took it to a whole new level.
Saige came down the stairs, "Are you guys okay?" my daughter asked. "Fine, why?" I said, confused. "It's just that you're screaming down here," she had a slight look of concern on her face. Kirsten kicked up in a handstand and said, "It's just your Mom Saige, she's... odd."

Some I Like:
chastise
clever
kindred
kismet
rhapsody
plethora (this can really go either way)
zingy, (Zongy and Bittera)
phantom
flighty
paws
poppy
pink
perhaps
illustrious
delightful
decadent
tricky
hither (as in come)


Dislike:
placate
when people say "pressed" instead of "ironed"
drapes
purse
puss
piss
smelt
buoyancy (I just don't like it)
lam
ball breaker
oodles (yuck)
ignorant


Okay, I'm going to read Postsecret now...

9 comments:

twist said...

exquisite words:

mellifluous
vapid
moxie
skank (if the shoe fits...)
shananagans
and the much under-used... drinky (adjective only, as in "She's a little drinky.")



miserable words:

rutabega
congeal
gelatinous


And as for that A word, I can think of a few...

Anti-cat
Asparagust (an asparagus inspired toot)
Assholest (biggest asshole, see skank)



No, seriously, arrogant? assistant? astronaut? argument? Absolut?







resonate

Amy said...

Don't you ever say resonate! You know better than that. It's almost as bad as blanket when used in yoga terms!

Moxie and vapid make my heart beat a little faster and I just can't believe I forgot to put congeal on my list of dislikes.
Congeal makes me want to vomit (another word I hate).

Guess again. It's not so much the word but the umbrella term way it is used on greeting cards.

Mark said...

This one tickled me. My boyfriend often tickles me. He implores me to just let him, just once, and then he tickles me under my armpit (a truly horrible word; see. I'm not completely off-theme yet), and not just once. I've gotten so used to it that I'm barely ticklish anymore, so I remain silent for a second or two until he increases his effort, and then I reward him by begging. That's what he's waiting for, the begging. For some strange reason, he likes to hear me beg, to stop the tickling. (Get your mind out of the gutter, for crying out loud.) It makes me happy to make him happy, so while I never liked being tickled, I do now. I like making him happy because he makes me happy, and that's one of the most incredible things in life, when someone else makes you happy. Particularly when they care enough to know what makes you happy, and then they do it just to make you happy. Isn't that what we all want and deserve in life, to be made happy and to make others happy in return? My sister does this for me all the time. She visits me in New York, she listens when I have a problem, she tells me all the time that she loves me, she swears like a trucker when no one else is listening just to make me smile. God, I love her back. She's a bright light in this world. I love to see her smile. I hate to see her unhappy. Fortunately, she sees the glass as half full regardless of the insanity that sometimes comes into her life. She knows one of the big secrets in life, that she, and only she, is responsible for her life. So, she does her best to keep things positive for herself, her family and her friends. She may bitch about the BS that comes her way, but nearly always in a way that makes you laugh, and she never sulks or looks to make others responsible for either the bad or the good that happens in her life. Not that she doesn't acknowledge the wonderful people in her life or what they bring to her, but she knows that only she can make herself open to the good or bad in life, and she chooses good. The example she sets is one reason she has such amazing children. From day one of becoming a mother, I remember Amy being intensely focused on how her words and actions would help form her children's outlook on life. And, it shows. Anyway, I guess I really am off topic here. Well, maybe not...

Words I dislike...
cheat
lie
steal
blame
anger
sadness
crack
drugs
irresponsible
tears
rejection
arrogant
narcissistic
ugly
duplicitous
hurt

Words I love...
kindness
happiness
generosity
caring
beauty
fun
bright
crack (can go either way :-)
sex
friendship
laughter
integrity
love

twist said...

From actual Hallmark cards:

"Congratulations on his new APARTMENT!"

"Our deepest sympathy regarding your nuptial ACCIDENT."

Gugi said...

More from Hallmark:

"Way to go on your recent ANNULMENT!"

And on the back of this one:

"Proceeds from your purchase of this card go to SATYA (Save the Tattooed Yogi ACROBATS)."

Kathy said...

"Asparagust (an asparagus inspired toot)"

Brilliant, Twist. (Although I feel the need to air out my house just reading the word.)

More later.

Amy said...

Mark, You are the sweetest person on the face of the earth. I love this little book (cause it is so complimentary!) and I love your words. :) LYTB
Twist, Your warped mind entertains me to no end. I wonder where you are when your brilliance is being cooked up? In handstand, or perhaps that new trick? Hmmmm...
And Kathy! Good for giving props about the asparagust! I meant to but there was so much good stuff! Asparagust is now one of my least favorite words that I will laugh at. Do NOT come hither if you are eating it!

Wep said...

I hate the words

moist
chunks
salmon

Particularly in terms of moist chunks of salmon.

Anonymous said...

U are crazy. WHY WHY WHY do I always get mentioned in your blog along with the smoking!??God I sound like Whatever Happened To Baby Jane, waltzin' around the house in my negligee..... Only funny. Not to be a ball breaker or anything. Jen in the HOw-YOUSE!!! don't purse your lips, little one, it is not cute. Not tryin' to placate you or anything, just sayin'. Okay. Peace and Pixies out. gotta go buy some drapes, 'cuz my cat (or, rather, my..ahem...okay, you know what I mean) felt that he needed to piss all over them.