Robin Williams Quote of the Day

We have a president for whom English is a second language. He's like 'We have to get rid of dictators,' but he's pretty much one himself.

Word of the Day

promulgate • \PRAHM-ul-gayt\ • verb
*1 : to make (as a doctrine) known by open declaration : proclaim
2 a : to make known or public the terms of (a proposed law) b : to put (a law) into action or force

Example sentence:
In a recent speech, the governor promulgated his plans to revamp the state's educational system.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

Ah...so many pedestrians, so little time...

Tuesday Update

Yesterday was relatively quiet at work. Although, I did have one Sup Call from a woman that refused to take no for an answer. She had a program that was five years old and did not want to go to the web site for support. She wanted me to transfer her to someone she could talk to for support. When I transfered her call, the Supervisor said "I will be happy to tell her no as well".

Last night was very quiet around here. Ashely worked from 6-9 and Doug did not feel well and went to bed around 6:30 and didn't wake up until about 9:15. I washed the dishes from Sunday in between watching Extreme Home Makeover's "How'd They Do That". Bill Engvall was also on Comedy Central, although I didn't watch much of it.

It will be nice to see Thomas and Diedre this weekend. That's all for now, I have to get ready for work.

Word of the Day

rathskeller • \RAHT-skell-er\ • noun
: a usually basement tavern or restaurant

Example sentence:
Many workers from the town's mills and factories liked to gather after hours at the rathskeller located underneath the banquet hall.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

If it's the Psychic Network why do they need a phone number?

Monday Update

The Super Bowl party went very well yesterday. The game wasn't too exciting though. Thomas, you did not miss much, well except for the food. The commercials weren't that great either. I didn't see all of the commercials, but those who did said they weren't that good. A lot of the commercials were old ones that everyone had already seen. We all wondered why the companies would pay 2.4 million dollars to air an old commercial; or a commercial for tabasco sauce for that matter.

Chloe had two friends over for the party, Anna and Katie. Anna brought a wonderful Chocolate Mousse with whipped topping in the can. Yum,yum! Jeffey also came, his Mom made a Bean Dip that everyone raved about.

Mao was not at all happy with the whole evening. One minute he was resting nicely in the Day Kitchen and the next minute everyone was here. Needless to say he was even hissing at me. He spent most of the evening on the landing going down to the basement and hissing at anyone who came by.

Word of the Day

cadre • \KAD-ray\ • noun
1 : framework
2 : a central unit especially of trained personnel able to assume control and train others
*3 : a group of people with a unifying relationship

Example sentence:
NASA's cadre of courageous astronauts offered America the modern-day heroes it needed.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

After I quit drinking, I realized I am the same asshole I always was; I just have fewer dents in my car.

Sunday Update

Well it is Super Bowl Sunday. There is still lots to be done. I made the cheese ball yesterday. Ashley made the Mango Salsa and Doug made the Guacamole Dip. Everything else is being made today. Thomas and Diedre will be missed.

We also got our wedding gift shopping taken care of yesterday.

Anyone interested in writing should take a look at Zach Braff's Garden State Blog.

Word of the Day

placate • \PLAY-kayt\ • verb
: to soothe or mollify especially by concessions : appease

Example sentence:
After his baseball crashed through his neighbor's window, Jared tried to placate the angry man by offering to replace the window with his own money.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

If we were interested in making money, we wouldn't have become teachers.

Saturday Update

It is early Saturday morning and Ashley is on her way to the All-State Speech Competition. Go Basher!! At 7:00 AM someone from Hy-Vee called to ask Ashley to work.

Chloe says that Green Day is coming to C.R. in May. Thomas says that Bill Engvall is coming to Wartburg in March. It is true it's on the tour list on his web site.

Hope everyone has a good weekend, I know ours will be busy. Chloe has to baby sit four kids today from 6 P.M. til midnight, fun, fun. It's too bad Thomas is too busy working and studying to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday.

I almost forgot, Chloe now has a working computer in her room and she is on the network. Yeah!!

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

Ah...so many pedestrians, so little time...

Word of the Day

gamut • \GAM-ut\ • noun
1 : the whole series of recognized musical notes
*2 : an entire range or series

Example sentence:
Jenny's musical tastes run the gamut from Bach to Janis Joplin to Usher.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

[Before opening an envelope for best supporting actress]
I feel like Adam when he said to Eve, `Back up, I don't know how big this gets`

-- (at the 71st Academy Awards)

Word of the Day

fusty • \FUSS-tee\ • adj
1 British : impaired by age or dampness : moldy
2 : saturated with dust and stale odors : musty
*3 : rigidly old-fashioned or reactionary

Example sentence:
Tweed jackets and horn-rimmed glasses give Professor Mitchell a fusty air, but he's actually much hipper than he looks.

Friday Update

I am glad it is Friday. Yesterday work was actually very good. I didn't have to answer one phone call all day. I was entering catalog orders for leads in the schools division. I won another prize at work on Wednesday, the books were all gone so I got Reader Rabbit addition flash cards instead.

It is suppose to get into the 50s today and tomorrow. I love this weather!

Ashley is so excited about her speech competition tomorrow. Everyone wish her luck. She is a very busy girl right now. Speech meetings, competitions and work, work, work. It is getting busier at work, because of Valentine's Day coming up.

Congrats to Diedre for being admitted into the teacher education program at UNI.

This weekend will be busy. Saturday we will shop for Super Bowl Sunday. We will also make the Sweet-n-Sour Meatballs and Cheese Ball. I also have to think about a wedding gift for Amanda's wedding next weekend.

Word of the Day

jingoism • \JING-goh-iz-um\ • noun
: extreme chauvinism or nationalism marked especially by a belligerent foreign policy

Example sentence:
Albert Einstein found German jingoism in the 1930s so objectionable that he left his homeland never to return.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

I can see it now: Osama bin Laden goes up to the pearly gates where George Washington comes out, starts beating him and is then joined by 70 other members of the Continental Congress. Osama will say, "Hey, wait! Where are my 71 virgins?" And George will reply "It's 71 Virginians, you asshole!"

Word of the Day

sinecure • \SYE-nih-kyoor\ • noun
: an office or position that requires little or no work and that usually provides an income

Example sentence:
The organization recently restructured its workforce, eliminating several positions that had become mere sinecures.

This pretty mush describes our HR manager's job where I work.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

We had gay burglars the other night. They broke in and rearranged the furniture.

Tuesday Update

I was on vacation yesterday and I really didn't do very much at all. I did watch Doug work on the slide show for Amanda Anderson's wedding. I also got bit on the face by Mao. He was laying in my spot on the couch as usual and I bent down to move him. He wasn't too happy with me moving him and jumped up before I knew it and bit me. My face looks like I have a little scratch. Needless to say Mao was in a bit of trouble after that.

I have to go back to work after four wonderful days of not doing much at all. I think doing nothing makes me very tired though. Oh, I did wash the van yesterday. It really needed it.

The house behind us was sold and the people were starting to move in yesterday. I am a little leary about what kind of people they might be.

Word of the Day

campestral • \kam-PESS-trul\ • adjective
: of or relating to fields or open country : rural

Example sentence:
The campestral scenery surrounding Reginald's new home inspired him to take up landscape painting.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

Having George W. Bush giving a lecture on business ethics is like having a leper give you a facial, it just doesn't work!

Word of the Day

encroach • \in-KROACH\ • verb
*1 : to enter by gradual steps or by stealth into the possessions or rights of another
2 : to advance beyond the usual or proper limits

Example sentence:
The police offered a compromise that kept the sidewalk clear without encroaching on the protesters' rights.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

[on Michael Jackson]
Honey, you gotta pick a race first. All of a sudden you're a black man, then you're Diana Ross, now you're Audrey Hepburn. Then he's got the little beard going on. He's like Lord Of The Rings, the entire cast. Michael's about to jump species.

Sunday Update

Yesterday was a good day. The girls and I went to Target. Chloe picked up a few things she needed for the WPA dance and Ashley bought a new swimming suit. Her old one was too big, just like her older brother she is shrinking.

Thomas, Diedre and friends paid us a visit last night. It wasn't quite a surprise because Thomas let us know early in the evening that they would be in town for a hockey game. It was nice to see them and they got to have some really yummy, buttery popcorn that Doug made for them.

Last night Doug and I watched 'The Usual Suspects.' It was a very good movie with an unusual ending.

No Soup Sunday today. We decided to relax this week because of Super Bowl next week.

Word of the Day

per contra • \per-KAHN-truh\ • adverb
1 a : on the contrary *b : by way of contrast
2 : as an offset

Example sentence:
The male peafowl is distinguished by a large fan-shaped tail that shimmers with brilliant iridescent color; per contra, the female is drab and pallid.

Robin Williams Quote

Reality is just a crutch for people who can't cope with drugs.

Saturday Update

It was nice having Friday off. I didn't do a lot. I went to the bank, Fareway and tried to go to the new Menards. I had thought it had been opened for about a week. Come to find out it was just the workers cars out front of the building, not shoppers. So, I went to Home Depot instead.

Ashley and Jeff went to see 'Oceans Twelve' last night. She said it was a good movie, but I have a feeling she did more necking with Jeffey than watching of the movie. Her comment when she got home was, "The seats are so big."

Tonight Chloe is going to WPA at Xavier. She was go excited last night about the heals she bought to wear to the dance.

Last night we watched 'Seven.' I recommend this movie. However, it is not for the squeamish.

Word of the Day

proclivity • \proh-KLIV-uh-tee\ • noun
: an inclination or predisposition toward something; especially : a strong inherent inclination toward something objectionable

Example sentence:
Our proclivity to remember things selectively often means that memory simply cannot be relied on.

No More Zappa Quotes

Unfortunately, I will not be posting a Zappa quote today. It seems I am running out of quotes and would have to repeat myself. Instead I have decided to start up a Robin Williams quote of the day. If anyone has a better suggestion please let me know.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

Never pick a fight with an ugly person, they've got nothing to lose.

How Well Can You Spell?

This is a test for those bloggers who have spelling problems.

Word of the Day

hotdog • \HAHT-dog\ • verb
: to perform in a conspicuous or often ostentatious manner; especially : to perform fancy stunts and maneuvers

Example sentence:
"He stripped the ball . . ., flew downcourt and slammed it into the basket, hotdogging all the way." (Diane Shah, ESPN, December 2000)

Zappa Quote of the Day

The sad thing about the Sixties was the weak-mindedness of the so-called radicals and the way that they managed to get co-opted. I think one of the things that helped that happen was LSD. It's the only chemical known to mankind that will covert a hippy to a yuppie.

Thursday Update

I cannot wait for work to be over today. I have the next four days off. I plan to have Doug help with the taxes and go over the menu for Super Bowl XXXIX Sunday. (I put the Super Bowl number here, because Doug was thinking it was as old as me. Just as I thought, I'm way older.)

I am glad that Ashley got a one in her speech competition. However, I think she got a one just so she wouldn't have to be here the Saturday before Super Bowl. We will be doing a lot of preperation that day. The weekend after Super Bowl we will be going to Amanda Anderson's wedding. February will be a busy month for all of us. There is also Valentines Day and Diedre's 20th birthday. Hey, this year is Thomas' 20th and golden birthday all in one!

Thomas, I remember 'The Lorax' by Dr Seuss. I think it would be a good one for Diedre to get for her collection. That is all.

Word of the Day

egregious • \ih-GREE-juss\ • adjective
: conspicuous; especially : conspicuously bad

Example sentence:
The armchair commentators at the office spent their coffee break grousing about the egregious errors of judgment they felt had been made by the coach of the losing team.

Zappa Quote of the Day

The ONLY thing that seems to band all nations together, is that their governments are universally bad....

F.Z. in German television interview

Wednesday Update

I am glad that I only have to work today and tomorrow before my four day weekend. I need the time off. Today we have a company meeting with one of the hot shots from California. He will probably just talk about future plans for expanding the schools division and how many millions they are bringing in for the company.

Thomas went back to Waverly last night. His head is much lighter with less hair. It was very nice to see him.

I am very upset with channel 9, tonight will be the third time this season that they have preempted Lost. At least this week is a rerun of episode 9. There have been 14 episodes so far.

Zappa Quote

Movin' to Montana soon Gonna be a dental floss tycoon.

Word of the Day

su·per·er·o·ga·tion
Pronunciation: "sü-p&-"rer-&-'gA-sh&n
Function: noun

Etymology: Medieval Latin supererogation-, supererogatio, from supererogare to perform beyond the call of duty, from Late Latin, to expend in addition, from Latin super- + erogare to expend public funds after asking the consent of the people, from e- + rogare to ask : the act of performing more than is required by duty, obligation, or need

Zappa Quote of the Day

It isn't necessary to imagine the world ending in fire or ice; there are two other possibilities: one is paperwork, and the other is nostalgia.

Word of the Day

lucid • \LOO-sid\ • adjective
1 a : suffused with light : luminous b : translucent
*2 : having full use of one's faculties : sane
3 : clear to the understanding : intelligible

Example sentence:
Susan seemed quite lucid despite the head injury.

Monday Update

Yesterday was a sad day with the news of Johnny Carson's death. Thomas and Doug have the full story and obituary on their blogs.

The Garden State blog was finally updated. He says to check back in a few days and he will do a bigger update.

The soups were very yummy yesterday. Although I do have a bit of a fussy tummy this morning. Oh well... Wanda brought the good bean dip, Brian and Deb brought Corona beer for those who indulge, Deb also brought mint chocolate chip ice cream to go with my brownies and Sarah brought a bowl of mixed fruit. All in all it was a good evening. The kids did get a bit hyper at the end. It's always nice to enjoy a few moments of silence after they are gone. Ashley also decided to come out and play a few notes on her bass. After a bit of drama with the amp not being plugged in correctly, she didn't sound too bad, despite the bass being out of tune.

Thomas will be coming home later today for his short visit. It will be great to see him. Don't worry, we saved some Pesole and brownies.

Word of the Day

hie • \HYE\ • verb
*1 : to go quickly : hasten
2 : to cause (oneself) to go quickly

Example sentence:
"In the summer, Nick, his wife, Arabella, and their three-year-old daughter, Lily, hie off to the country—yes, to a little stone cottage in Wales." (Charles Gandee, Vogue, February 1996)

Zappa Quote

If there's ever an obscene noise to be made on an instrument, it's gonna come out of a guitar! On a sax you can play sleze, on a bass you can play balls.but on a guitar you can be truely obscene! Lets be realistic about this, the guitar can be the single most blastomphous device on the earth! the guitar makes a stink noise. thats why I like it!!

Sunday Update

It is cold again, 6 degrees this morning. The sidewalk will need to be shoveled today, we never got to it yesterday because of the wind.

Ashley was not too happy about her speech competition postponement. Now she will have a very long day on Monday instead. Ashley works today from 10 until 3. That is good because she can still participate in Soup Sunday. Although she will get out of some of the work.

Today we will be making Posole and Black Bean Soup. Doug was coerced into making Posole this week. Oh well, it is very good. Well that is all for now.

Word of the Day

habiliment • \huh-BILL-uh-munt\ • noun
1 plural : characteristic apparatus : trappings
2 a : the dress characteristic of an occupation or occasion -- usually used in plural *b : clothes -- usually used in plural

Example sentence:
"His own figure, in spite of his mean habiliments, assumed an air of state and grandeur." (Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Blithedale Romance)

Zappa Quote of the Day

Seeing a psychotherapist is not a crazy idea, it just wanting a second opinion of ones life.

Word of the Day

saturnine • \SAT-er-nyne\ • adjective
1 : born under or influenced astrologically by the planet Saturn
2 a : cold and steady in mood : slow to act or change *b : of a gloomy or surly disposition c : having a sardonic aspect

Example sentence:
He only knew his mother from photos, which showed her to be a saturnine woman with a permanent frown.

Zappa Quote of the Day

Why do you necessarily have to be wrong just because a few million people think you are?

Friday Update

Once again I am happy that it is Friday. It is really nice to get a break away from work. If all goes well, Thomas will be home for a short visit on Tuesday to get his hair cut. I won't see him shaggy after all. I like your blog updates Thomas.

Congrats to Diedre and friends on signing the lease for thier apartment.

I probably shouldn't do this, but, if Uulargh Of The Prairie is reading this. Please update your blog...

Last night we had soft tacos and Spanish rice. The rice was very yummy! It is sad when the only thing worth watching on television the whole night is Joey and the Barrett-Jackson Auction.

Word of the Day

vaporware • \VAY-per-wair\ • noun
: a computer-related product that has been widely advertised but has not and may never become available

Example sentence:
Experts in the computer industry suspected that the vaporware being pushed by the software company was still full of bugs and would never hit the market.

Zappa Quote of the Day

When we talk about artistic freedom in this country We sometime lose sight of the fact that freedom is often dependent on adequate financing.

Word of the Day

obviate • \AHB-vee-ayt\ • verb
: to anticipate and prevent (as a situation) or make unnecessary (as an action)

Example sentence:
Rob checks every ledger entry twice to obviate any problems when it comes time for an audit.

Zappa Quote of the Day

Politics is the entertainment branch of industry.

Wednesday Update

The Soup Sunday Blog says the temperature is 35 degrees and feels like 21. Cloudy and windy. The thermometer in our entry says 30 degrees. This is way better than it has been.

Yesterday Doug found out he was a third place winner from BP. He received a $25 gas card in the mail. Just in time, he needed to fill his gas tank.

We watched the first episode of American Idol. The bloppers were hilarious as usual. I think the last girl they showed was crazy. Tonight we are not going to be able to watch American Idol, it is on at the same time as Lost.

Word of the Day

incidence • \IN-suh-dunss\ • noun
: rate of occurrence or effect

Example sentence:
"When . . . water flows through a system with a lot of lead in its plumbing, you'd expect to find a high incidence of lead contamination. That's exactly what our tests showed." (Consumer Reports, February 1993)

Zappa Quote

The crux of the biscuit is: If it entertains you, fine. Enjoy it. If it doesn't, then blow it out your ass. I do it to amuse myself. If I like it, I release it. If somebody else likes it, that's a bonus.

He said this in an interview with Playboy magazine on May 2, 1993.

Tuesday Update

Today the Soup Sunday Blog says it is 2 degrees and feels like -12. The thermometer in our entry says it is 10 degrees. I hope this means today will be a little warmer.

Ashley went to Independence yesterday for her speech competition. She got home after I went to bed. When I last talked to her, they had not yet been told how well they had done.

We had salmon patties for supper last night. Doug makes the best salmon patties, not all dry like mine. After supper we watched 'How Did They Do That', the show about 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.' TV was not too good last night, we ended up watching the Speed Channel. Mao was in hiding most of the evening.

Word Of The Day

fiduciary • \fih-DOO-shee-air-ee\ • adjective
: of, relating to, or involving a confidence or trust: as a : held or founded in trust or confidence b : holding in trust c : depending on public confidence for value or currency

Example sentence:
"Real estate brokers . . . act in a fiduciary capacity and must place the interests of their clients above their own and be fair to all parties." (Barron's Real Estate Handbook)

Zappa Quote of the Day

...I think (Abbey Road is) the best engineered, best mastered rock and roll album ever produced.

From "Frank Zappa talks about Faves, Raves, and Composers in Their Graves".

Take the densa quiz, to see just how dumb you are!

Word of the Day

importune • \im-per-TOON\ Audio icon • verb
1 : to press or urge with troublesome persistence
*2 : annoy, trouble
3 : to beg, urge, or solicit persistently or troublesomely

Example sentence:
"At times the whole world seems to be in conspiracy to importune you with emphatic trifles." (Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essays)

Zappa Quote

Always get a second opinion.

His personal physician did not diagnose prostate cancer before it was too advanced to treat with any success.

Sunday Update

We decided to have chili today. That sounds really good because of the cold weather. The Soup Sunday Blog says it is -6 and feels like -20. The thermometer in our entry way says 7. Definitely, chili weather.

Ashley went to the Hy-Vee party last night and she won a chenille throw. She said the food was OK, but the chicken cordon bleu was sort of strange. It was a chicken breast with swiss cheese melted on top and a piece of ham on top of that. Doug and I had the real kind. That first bite was oh so good!!! Actually, so was the second, third, fourth, etc.

Well, that is all I can think of for now. I am going to make a Devil's Food Cake for tonight.

Word of the Day

emprise • \em-PRYZE\ Audio icon • noun
: an adventurous, daring, or chivalric enterprise

Example sentence:
As a boy, Will spent hours in the library reading adventure stories featuring brave heroes who embarked on dangerous and exciting emprises.

Zappa Quote of the Day

There is no such thing as a dirty word. Nor is there a word so powerful, that it's going to send the listener to the lake of fire upon hearing it.

Saturday Update

The tempurature on the Soup Sunday Blog says -3, the thermometer in our entrance way says 3. Either way it is very cold.

Ashley is going to the Hy-Vee holiday party tonight with Jeffey. I hope they have a good time. They will be serving Chicken Cordon Bleu. So guess what Doug and I will be eating as well. I know Doug's will be better. Yeah!!!

We talked to Thomas and Diedre last night. Diedre is very excited about getting an apartment next school year. She will have a dishwasher, I am jealous. Thomas isn't here to help me with the dishes and make me laugh while doing so. Ashley is not real consistant with helping, although she is getting much better.

I guess I am the only one that has no life. I am the only one who has updated my blog since last weekend.

It looks like Super Bowl Sunday is Feb. 6. I think we should make the next three Sundays a little lighter so we can all be ready for the Super Bowl feast. Last Sunday Deb stayed a little later to watch Carnivale with us and now Doug thinks she might be hooked. Even though she really did not know what was going on.

Word of the Day

efficacious • \ef-uh-KAY-shus\ Audio icon • adjective
: having the power to produce a desired effect

Example sentence:
Doctor Copeland prescribed a new medicine that proved most efficacious in relieving Jonathan's nagging cough.

Zappa Quote of the Day

Reporter:
This is a personal thing, I think that if you wanted to make top ten hits and sell millions of records, you could.

Frank Zappa:
Yeah, but who wants to go through life with a tiny nose and one glove on?

Word of the Day

Typhoid Mary • \TYE-foid-MAIR-ee\ • noun
: one that is by force of circumstances a center from which something undesirable spreads

Example sentence:
"We don't want any Typhoid Marys here," the supervisor told employees, "so if you have a bad cold, do your coworkers a favor and stay home."

Zappa Quote of the Day

The computer can't tell you the emotional story. It can give you the exact mathematical design, but what's missing is the eyebrows.

Thursday Update

Thank goodness, so far there are no school delays for Marion this morning. I almost think they could have had school yesterday. I am glad Thomas is settling back in at school. At least he didn't have to drive to work in very bad conditions this week.

I knew we had been very busy at work lately. Yesterday in a meeting, we were told that from November through December we were putting out 147% of our expected work. No rewards though, we will probably just be expected to put out 150% of our work from now on. No extra employees needed. Ha Ha!!

Yesterday when I was leaving the parkade downtown, I saw a police car with his lights on go by. Then down the street I saw 7 more cops go by in different directions within a 3 block area. Later when I got home, I found out that a bank robbery had occured on 4th Ave. One block over from where I had been driving. Honest, I did not rob the bank.

Word of the Day

tendentious • \ten-DEN-shus\ Audio icon • adjective
: marked by a tendency in favor of a particular point of view : biased

Example sentence:
I always suspected I was getting a highly tendentious version of the town's notorious family feud from my mother, who worked for one of the families for many years.

Zappa Quote

Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid.

Wednesday Update

I have to make this a quick update because I just could not get out of bed this morning. I should actually be getting ready for work right now.

Yesterday was a pretty good day. At work I got to do returns for awhile. That is always good because it keeps me off of the phones. While I was on the phones, I won a contest we were having. I had to have a sale over $60 with a cross sell of over $14. My sale was $131, the cross sell item was $49. I won a book that I will give to Diedre next time she is home. The book is "Counting On Frank."

Word of the Day

absinthe • \AB-sinth\ • noun
1 : wormwood; especially : a common European wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)
*2 : a green liqueur which is flavored with wormwood, anise, and other aromatic herbs and commercial production of which is banned in many countries for health concerns

Example sentence:
"I draw the line at absinthe, a bottle of which is still sitting in my liquor cabinet five years after it was received, gleaming ominously." (Alexandra Jacobs, The New York Times, November 7, 2004)

Zappa Quote of the Day

In the fight between you and the world, back the world.

Word of the Day

earwig • \EER-wig\ Audio icon • verb
: to annoy or attempt to influence by private talk

Example sentence:
"[He] earwigged the big man at the Labour conference, asking him to take the lead in banning tobacco advertising from newspapers." (Stephen Cook, The Guardian [London], October 1986)

Zappa Quote of the Day

You can't always write a chord ugly enough to say what you want to say, so sometimes you have to rely on a giraffe filled with whipped cream.

Monday Update

Today is my birthday and I don't want to work, but I have to because they wouldn't let anyone take time off for the first two weeks in January. Thomas goes back to school today, I hope he drives carefully.

The soup was very good yesterday. I got a nice pair of earrings for my birthday from Deb. She made them herself. We watched the first episode of the new season of Carnivale last night. Deb stayed to watch and she was very confused. Heck, I watched all of the first season and I was confused as well.

I suppose I had better get ready for work, even though I don't want to...

Word of the Day

injunction • \in-JUNK-shun\ Audio icon • noun
1 : the act or an instance of enjoining : order, admonition
*2 : a court order requiring a party to do or refrain from doing a specified act

Example sentence:
The judge granted a temporary injunction against the planned construction.

Zappa Quote of the Day

The first hyphen in MAH-JUH-REEN could be used for erotic gratification by a very desparate stenographer.

Sydney australia, 1974, second night. on Mystery box III

Celebrities Who Share My Birthday

Pat Benatar - 10 January, 1953

George Foreman - 10 January, 1949

Linda Lovelace - 10 January, 1949

Donald Fagen - 10 January, 1948

Rod Stewart - 10 January, 1945

Frank Sinatra Jr. - 10 January, 1944

Jim Croce - 10 January, 1943

Ray Bolger - 10 January, 1904
He was an actor who was most famous for his role as the Scarecrow in the movie "The Wizard Of Oz".

Frank James - 10 January, 1843
He was a train and bank robber. His brother was fellow outlaw Jesse James.

Sunday Update

Tomorrow Thomas goes back to school and it is my birthday. I probably won't even see him before I go to work. Thomas never got his hair cut while he was here, so I'm sure he will be nice and shaggy next time we see him.

Last night Ashley survived her first date with Jeffey without getting into trouble. And Chloe survived watching The Exorcist, however, I see she slept with her light on all night.

Today is my birthday Soup Sunday. I think my choice of soup will be very yummy.

Word of the Day

trenchant • \TREN-chunt\ Audio icon • adjective
1 : keen, sharp
2 : vigorously effective and articulate; also : caustic
3 *a : sharply perceptive : penetrating b : clear-cut, distinct

Example sentence:
The great detective solved his cases by means of trenchant observation and reasoning, and every once in a while by means of plain old luck.

Zappa Quote of the Day

Speed: It will turn you into your parents.

1970 public service announcement regarding drug (namely, speed) use

Saturday Update

Two days until my birthday. Darn, I'm getting old. Thomas has to return to school on Monday. Mao will miss chasing him through the house.

Chloe is here this weekend. She has to babysit today from 9:30 to 1. I didn't even see her this morning, because I slept in until 10. It has been a long time since I slept in that late! Darn I'm getting old.

Today I hope to get over to Bed, Bath & Beyond to spend my Christmas gift certificate. I am looking forward to soup tomorrow. We are having my choice of German Sausage Chowder. The second soup will be Chicken Egg Drop (I think). Darn I'm getting old.

Ashley is going on her first date with Jeffy tonight. They will be going to Zio Johno's for supper. And then over to Keely's to watch some movies. They decided to do this instead of going to WPA at school. Ashley does not like the crap for crap music that is played at the dances.

Word of the Day

doughty • \DOW-tee "OW" as in "cow"\ Audio icon • adjective
: marked by fearless resolution : valiant

Example sentence:
"Guy . . . is a doughty Swiss immigrant who insists the only cure for illness is fifteen minutes of violent gymnastics followed by a freezing shower." (Tad Friend, Vogue, January 1991)

Zappa Quote of the Day

My music makes the mind think.

Time magazine Dec.20/93, page 73

Friday Update

It is finally Friday. I am glad the weekend is almost here. Except, it is the last weekend before Thomas and Diedre go back to classes. I will miss them. It looks like Ashley will have school today. I'm sure the snow days will have to be made up later in the year.

Yesterday on the way to work, I saw one woman up over the curb on 1st Ave. facing in the wrong direction and another car stuck in a pile of snow at an intersection. Other than that the ride to work was very smooth.

That is all for now. I have to get ready for work.

Word of the Day

claque • \KLAK\ Audio icon • noun
1 : a group hired to applaud at a performance
*2 : a group of sycophants

Example sentence:
The most popular girl in school was routinely accompanied by a claque of hangers-on.

Zappa Quote of the Day

In every language, the first word after "Mama!" that every kid learns to say is "Mine!" A system that doesn't allow ownership, that doesn't allow you to say "Mine!" when you grow up, has -- to put it mildly -- a fatal design flaw.

From the time Mr. Developing Nation was forced to read _The Little Red Book_ in exchange for a blob of rice, till the time he figured out that waiting in line for a loaf of pumpernickel was boring as fuck, took about three generations. ...

Decades of indoctrination, manipulation, censorship and KGB excursions haven't altered this fact: People want a piece of their own little Something-or-Other, and, if they don't get it, have a tendency to initiate counterrevolution.

Word of the Day

couloir • \kool-WAHR\ Audio icon • noun
: a steep mountainside gorge

Example sentence:
During our helicopter tour of the mountain range, we saw several snowboarders taking on the steep terrain of the couloir.

Zappa Quote of the Day

It's fucking great to be alive, ladies and gentlemen, and if you do not believe it is fucking great to be alive, you better go now, because this show will bring you down so much.

From Just Another Band From L.A.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....

Word of the Day

redoubtable • \rih-DOW-tuh-bul\ Audio icon • adjective
1 : causing fear or alarm : formidable
*2 : illustrious, eminent; broadly : worthy of respect

Example sentence:
For many years the redoubtable Helen Hayes reigned as the first lady of American theater, with brilliant performances in a wide range of shows.