Gilda Radner Quote of the Day

"Never mind!"

Gilda Radner Quote of the Day

"Adopted kids are such a pain - you have to teach them how to look like you"

Latin or Greek Root of the Day

Echinodermata, a phylum name that means 'spiny-' (echino-) 'skin' (derm), or the 'spiny skinned' animals.

Word of the Day

indoctrinate • \in-DAHK-truh-nayt\ • verb
1 : to instruct especially in fundamentals or rudiments : teach
*2 : to imbue with a usually partisan or sectarian opinion, point of view, or principle

Example sentence:
New hires were indoctrinated with the company's philosophy during a two-day orientation.

Gilda Radner Quote of the Day

Comedy is very controlling - you are making people laugh. It is there in the phrase 'making people laugh.' You feel completely in control when you hear a wave of laughter coming back at you that you have caused.

Word of the Day

harbinger • \HAR-bin-jer\ • noun
1 : one that pioneers in or initiates a major change : precursor
*2 : one that presages or foreshadows what is to come

Example sentence:
"More often than not, robins are year-round residents…[L]et hummingbirds and orioles be your harbingers of spring." (Scott Shalaway, Charleston Gazette, January 30, 2005)

Monday Update

Soup Sunday was very good yesterday. The Cream of Asperagus was very good despite my dumping the stock Doug made down the drain. And there was only one bowl of the 15 Bean & Ham soup left. As always there was lots of food and deserts. I even kind of liked Deb's Tiramisu. Mary and Jordan came again, I think they will start to be regulars now that Amanda's wedding is all over. I can't believe we finished off three bottles of wine and the one Mark and Wanda brought was very large. Brian was not here because he went to see his friend in Baltimore this weekend.

Gilda Radner Quote of the Day

Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next.

Word of the Day

spontaneous • \spahn-TAY-nee-us\ • adjective
*1 : done, said, or produced freely and naturally
2 : acting or taking place without apparent external cause or influence

Example sentence:
Since childhood, Marie has been prone to spontaneous displays of affection.

Word of the Day

spontaneous • \spahn-TAY-nee-us\ • adjective
*1 : done, said, or produced freely and naturally
2 : acting or taking place without apparent external cause or influence

Example sentence:
Since childhood, Marie has been prone to spontaneous displays of affection.

This is the coolest dog!

Saturday Update

Not much to update about. Unfortunately, Thomas' Spring break is almost over. Since he has to work both Saturday and Sunday we really wont see much of him. Ashley has a school dance tonight and as usual she says she has nothing to wear and wants to go shopping for an outfit. It is a good thing that she has a job. Not sure what Chloe is up to this weekend as she is not here with us. We miss you BoBo.

Gilda Radner Quote of the Day

I base most of my fashion taste on what doesn't itch.

Word of the Day

extraneous • \ek-STRAY-nee-us\ • adjective
1 : existing on or coming from the outside
2 *a : not forming an essential or vital part b : having no relevance
3 : being a number obtained in solving an equation that is not a solution of the equation

Example sentence:
After he finished the first draft of his essay, Brad reread it and deleted the extraneous material, making it more concise and focused.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

I'm back! I got lips again and I'm gonna use 'em, baby!
Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)

Word of the Day

eclectic • \ih-KLEK-tik\ • adjective
1 : selecting what appears to be best in various doctrines, methods, or styles
*2 : composed of elements drawn from various sources; also : heterogeneous

Example sentence:
Old-school musicians joined with today's rising stars to showcase an eclectic mix of music for charity.

Thursday Update

Mao and Thumper helped me to win the Cutest Pet contest at work. I took in both of their pictures. I won a sparkly blue picture frame.

Ashley bought herself a Cannon digital camera last night. It has a better flash than our camera. She was very excited to take all kinds of pictures with it. However, she soon found out it is a battery hog.

Word of the Day

burgeon • \BER-jun\ • verb
1 a : to send forth new growth (as buds or branches) : sprout b : bloom
*2 : to grow and expand rapidly : flourish

Example sentence:
Laura's business started as a small corner diner and burgeoned into a successful restaurant chain.

Robin Williams Quote fo the Day

I'm talkin 'bout a fine white wine....like Mad Dog 20/20

Word of the Day

imbue • \im-BYOO\ • verb
*1 : to permeate or influence as if by dyeing
2 : to tinge or dye deeply
3 : to provide with something freely or naturally : endow

Example sentence:
The coach hoped that his pep talk would imbue the team with a sense of confidence before the final game.

This is why no one wants to grow up and work at McDonalds.

Be sure to click on the Simulator button.

Tuesday Update

For a Monday, yesterday was not bad. Thomas and Doug did some errands. They got the needed part for our Weber grill, so Thomas can have grilled burgers. Thomas also got his kick-ass stereo. What more can I say.

The guys sang on American Idol last night. After American Idol, I watched last weeks episode of Lost that Doug had taped. It was pretty good since it told about Hurley's past. He thinks he is cursed because of the numbers 4,8,15,16,23,42.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

"Everyone has these two visions when they hold their child for the first time. The first is your child as an adult saying 'I want to thank the Nobel Committee for this award.' The other is 'You want fries with that?'"

The Word of the Day for March 8 is:

sashay • \sash-AY\ • verb
1 : to make the sliding dance step called chassé
2 a : walk, glide, go *b : to strut or move about in an ostentatious or conspicuous manner c : to proceed or move in a diagonal or sideways manner

Example sentence:
Cameras flashed and fans screamed as the latest pop princess sashayed down the red carpet.

Word of the Day

ziggurat • \ZIG-uh-rat\ • noun
: an ancient Mesopotamian temple tower consisting of a lofty pyramidal structure built in successive stages with outside staircases and a shrine at the top; also : a structure or object of similar form

Example sentence:
"The [dietary] guidelines will be turned into something like the familiar food pyramid. The new pyramid could be a circle or a ziggurat." (Richard Knox, NPR News, January 12, 2005)

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

About Canada - "Canada is like a loft apartment over a really great party."

Word of the Day

avuncular • \uh-VUNK-yuh-ler\ • adjective
1 : of or relating to an uncle
*2 : suggestive of an uncle especially in kindliness or geniality

Example sentence:
Despite avuncular assurances that he remembered what it was like to be young, Katy's landlord still expected her to be a responsible tenant.

Sunday Update

I think Thomas and Diedre might like to see the pictures on Thomas' cousin Ben's web site. They are very nice night views of the Navy Pier in Chicago. There are also some very nice family photos as well.

Last night we watched I Heart Huckabees. I really recommend watching this one. We also watched Empire Records, always good fun.

I made two pies for Soup Sunday yesterday. Grasshopper and Choc-O-Magic. Today should be very yummy. We also get to see Thomas later, yeah!

Saturday Update

Last night Ashley had a little birthday party. Audry, Kalie, Keeley and Jeffey came over for pizza and a movie. They were very noisy. Chloe went to a friends house for pizza. Doug and I watched Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. Mao was a bad boy and hissed at me and then later hissed at Ashley. Needless to say he was not fed the rest of the night and he did not get to sleep in our bedroom.

Word of the Day

indigence • \IN-dih-junss\ • noun
: a level of poverty in which real hardship and deprivation are suffered and comforts of life are wholly lacking

Example sentence:
"It is a fine thing, reader, to be lifted in a moment from indigence to wealth." (Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre)

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it.

Word of the Day

tra·che·os·to·my
Pronunciation: "trA-kE-'äs-t&-mE
Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural -mies
: the surgical formation of an opening into the trachea through the neck especially to allow the passage of air

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

Carpe per diem - seize the check.

Word of the Day

adjudicate • \uh-JOO-dih-kayt\ • verb
1 : to settle judicially
*2 : to act as judge

Example sentence:
In his concurring opinion in Gillis v. City of Waycross, Judge Mikell said that judges are not replaceable at will—the judge voted into office should be the judge to adjudicate in all cases.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ASHLEY

Wednesday Update

So tomorrow is Ashley's 17th birthday and I still have no idea what to get her. I can't believe my baby is turning 17!

Scrubs was very funny as usual last night. I'm not sure that I have a favorite for American Idol yet. Most of the girls are not that good. For the guys Bo is pretty good and so is the Russian who had a tracheotomy when he was young.

Word of the Day

misanthrope • \MISS-un-throhp\ • noun
: a person who hates or distrusts humankind

Example sentence:
Molière's 1666 satiric comedy Le Misanthrope portrays the life of Alceste, a misanthrope who is completely intolerant of society and everyone in it.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

Cricket is baseball on valium.

Word of the Day

consternation • \kahn-ster-NAY-shun\ • noun
: amazement or dismay that hinders or throws into confusion

Example sentence:
The Bakers were relieved to find a motel in so remote a spot, but their relief turned to consternation when they learned the place didn't have any rooms available for the night.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

The only people flying to Europe will be terrorists, so it will be, "Will you be sitting in armed or unarmed?"

Tuesday Update

If at all possible, check out Scrubs tonight. Zach Braff directed tonights episode.

Last night was pretty uneventful. We watched American Idol and then there wasn't much else on after that. We watched a show about the building of the Hoover Dam.

Monday Update

Soup Sunday was very good yesterday. Brain was the birthday boy. He said he is not a boy anymore. We asked how old he was and he said "36", we said "You're still a boy." I had two bowls of Fish Chowder and a small bowl of Pork and Spatzle (German noodles). Deb brought baguettes from Panera and White Chocolate covered popcorn. Both were very yummy. We also had a bottle of Lockwood wine that Deb had brought last week. Sara and Ana brought strawberry jello. I had to mention Ana because she told me, "We had to come to bring you the jello." Unfortunately, Wanda and Mark could not come, becaue they were taking Amber back to school. Mary and Jordon were also here. Mary brought yummy Lemon Bars. Ashley's friend Keeley came with a hanful of Tootsie Roll Pops for her and Ashley, they did not share.

Carnivale was very good again last night. A lot has been happening in the last few episodes.

Word of the Day

infinitesimal • \in-fin-ih-TESS-uh-mul\ • adjective
1 : taking on values arbitrarily close to but greater than zero
*2 : immeasurably or incalculably small

Example sentence:
The days get longer in seemingly infinitesimal increments, but by the end of February we've gained two whole hours of sunlight since the winter solstice.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

In England, if you commit a crime, the police don't have a gun and you don't have a gun. If you commit a crime, the police will say "Stop, or I'll say stop again.

Word of the Day

evince • \ih-VINSS\ • verb
1 : to constitute outward evidence of
*2 : to display clearly : reveal

Example sentence:
Darby strode confidently to the end of the diving board, evincing not the slightest sign of fear or nervousness.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

Orange alert — What the hell does that mean? We're supposed to be afraid of Krishna? Of orange sorbet?

Saturday Update

This week was very quiet at work. Not many phone calls and lots of registration entries.

It turns out our children are cultured. Last night Ashley went to Zoey's for pizza with Jeff and then they went to the Marion High School production of 'The Wizard of Oz.' Ashley's friend Keeley was one of the flying monkeys, of course. Thomas went to a production of 'The Music Man' at Wartburg last night as well. We aren't sure what Chloe was doing last night.

Hopefully today Doug will have the wiring for the fuse box finished in the basement, so we can dry clothes at home again. He is almost finished, we just need to go back to Menards to find the correct fuses.

This Sunday we will be celebrating Brian's birthday with Fish Chowder. Next Sunday will be Ashley and Wanda's birthday celebration.

Word of the Day

despot • \DESS-putt\ • noun
1 a : a Byzantine emperor or prince b : a bishop or patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church c : an Italian hereditary prince or military leader during the Renaissance
2 a : a ruler with absolute power and authority *b : a person exercising power tyrannically

Example sentence:
"Her spoilt younger sister, Phoebe, is a lip-glossed despot, able to command . . . attention with a flick of her pretty head." (Lisa Allardice, The Daily Telegraph [London], March 22, 2003)

Robin Willaims Quote of the Day

When you look at Prince Charles, don't you think that someone in the Royal family knew someone in the Royal family?

Word of the Day

cabbage • \KAB-ij\ • verb
: steal, filch

Example sentence:
In the late 18th-century play The Reconciliation, Mrs. Grim confesses that she "now and then cabbaged a penny."

I don't know this is at Merriam-Webster online.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

"Orange alert — What the hell does that mean? We're supposed to be afraid of Krishna? Of orange sorbet?"

This Cool!

Check out this site.

Word of the Day

eristic • \ih-RISS-tik\ • adjective
: characterized by disputatious and often subtle and specious reasoning

Example sentence:
Scott grew tired of the eristic arguments his friend put forth and refused to discuss the issue further.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

ROBIN ON THE COST OF WAR: "America is broke basically, but Bush wants to wage a war that costs pretty much a billion dollars a month."

Word of the Day

placid • \PLASS-id\ • adjective
: serenely free of interruption or disturbance; also : complacent

Example sentence:
It was fortunate that the horse Becky was riding had a placid disposition and didn't try to bolt when the car backfired.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

God gave men both a penis and a brain, but unfortunately not enough blood supply to run both at the same time.

Amanda and Russ's wedding. 

It's too bad you can't see the slide show better here, Doug did a very nice job. 

Having fun at the reception. 

What a beautiful wedding cake! 

Monday Update

I guess the President is at least good for a paid day off. I don't have to work today! Yeah!!

So Thomas wants a Pika (rock rabbit). I'm sure Mao would be very afraid when it made its "EEEK!" noise.

I think Doug and I are going to try the new KFC $0.99 Snacker for lunch today.

The Baked Potato Soup was excellent yesterday. We had a small group, which is very nice once in a while. It was Deb, Jacob, Wanda, John, Ashley, Doug and myself. Deb brought her famous lemon cake, apple saled and a very nice red wine. Wanda brought her famous bagel dip. Yum, yum!

Everyone left rather early last night, so we watched the last 15 minutes of Extreme Home Makeover and then we watched The First Five Years of SNL.

Word of the Day

vicissitude • \vuh-SISS-uh-tood\ • noun
1 a : the quality or state of being changeable : mutability b : natural change or mutation visible in nature or in human affairs
2 *a : a favorable or unfavorable event or situation that occurs by chance : a fluctuation of state or condition b : a difficulty or hardship attendant on a way of life, a career, or a course of action and usually beyond one's control c : alternating change : succession

Example sentence:
You have to be able to withstand financial losses to weather the vicissitudes of the stock market.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

Cricket is baseball on valium.

Sunday Update

Doug is getting better so we will be having Soup Sunday today. I love potato soup. I guess Diedre does too. I'm sorry that she can't be here today.

Not much to say today. Tonight we are going to watch the Saturday Night Live special instead of Carnivale. You can never pass up a chance to watch Gilda.

Word of the Day

aleatory • \AY-lee-uh-tor-ee\ • adjective
1 : depending on an uncertain event or contingency
2 : relating to luck and especially to bad luck
*3 : characterized by chance or random elements

Example sentence:
The aleatory nature of a lottery drawing makes it impossible to predict who is going to be the winner.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

Carpe per diem - seize the check.

Word of the Day

motley • \MAHT-lee\ • adjective
*1 : variegated in color
2 : composed of diverse often incongruous elements

Example sentence:
Lenny went to the medieval festival dressed in the bright motley garb of a court jester.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

If I could light my own farts I could fly to the moon or at least Uranus.

Friday Update

Quick update. I woke up late today. Guess I was tired. Yeah it's Friday and I have a three day weekend. We weren't originally supposed to have Presidents Day off and then two weeks ago they told us we would have it off.

PS: I won the Doritos Get Digital contest! Click here to see what I won. It is supposed to be mailed in 6-10 weeks, I can't wait.

Word of the Day

billingsgate • \BIL-ingz-gayt\ Audio icon • noun
: coarsely abusive language

Example sentence:
A steady stream of billingsgate could be heard coming from the basement after my father hit his thumb with his hammer.

RObin Williams Quote of the Day

"Do you think God gets stoned? I think so . . . look at the platypus."

Word of the Day

pastiche • \pass-TEESH\ • noun
*1 : a literary, artistic, musical, or architectural work that imitates the style of previous work; also : such stylistic imitation
2 a : a musical, literary, or artistic composition made up of selections from different works : potpourri b : hodgepodge

Example sentence:
When Alfred Tennyson was only 14, he wrote a clever pastiche of Elizabethan drama.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

I'm a very tolerant man, except when it comes to holding a grudge.

Word of the Day

ululate • \ULL-yuh-layt\ • verb
: howl, wail

Example sentence:
"People waved, ululated and punched the air with their fists, not bothered if those inside the motorcade were responding or even paying attention to the excitement outside." (Africa News, November 2004)

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

You're still young. Being a true loser takes years of inaptitude.

Tuesday Update

Happy 20th Diedre!!

Yesterday was a very busy day for Basher. She had a half day at school, so Jeff took her to Panera for lunch. AFter I got off work we went to the school for conferences. All is well except for the math grade. She also had to work from 6-9, although she didn't get out of work until 9:45. Then she had to finish the dreaded Alegbra II homework.

On Sunday we thought Doug might be getting a bit better. But it all came back on Monday. Doug was not feeling very well at all last night.

Tonight we will get to see Thomas and Diedre for a little bit. Thomas is taking Diedre to Vino's for her birthday.

Word of the Day

fey • \FAY\ • adjective
1 a chiefly Scottish : fated to die : doomed b : marked by a foreboding of death or calamity
2 a : able to see into the future : visionary b : marked by an otherworldly air or attitude c : crazy, touched
3 a : excessively refined : precious *b : quaintly unconventional : campy

Example sentence:
"Smocked silver jersey skirts came with frills and had a fey allure, as did the silver tennis dress and ruffled black chiffon dress trimmed with satin." (WWD, October 8, 2004)

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"

Happy Valentine's Day

Word of the Day

Ruritanian • \rur-ih-TAY-nee-un\ • adjective
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of an imaginary place of high romance

Example sentence:
Tolkien fans were elated when the Ruritanian world of Middle Earth was finally depicted on the big screen.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

She is not perfect. You are not perfect. The question is whether or not you are perfect for each other.

Good Will Hunting

Word of the Day

desultory • \DEH-sul-tor-ee\ • adjective
*1 : marked by lack of definite plan, regularity, or purpose
2 : not connected with the main subject
3 : disappointing in progress, performance, or quality

Example sentence:
"His studies are very desultory and eccentric, but he has amassed a lot of out-of-the-way knowledge which would astonish his professors." (Arthur Conan Doyle, "A Study in Scarlet")

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

"We Americans, we're a simple people . . . but piss us off, and we'll bomb your cities."

Friday Update

Yeah, another Friday. Unfortunately, Doug is still not feeling well. He has been up off and on all night for the last two nights. He just now went back to bed. I'm afraid that he may not make it to Amanda's wedding and we may have to call off Soup Sunday this weekend.

Thomas and Diedre will be home this evening. It will be nice to have Thomas home for a few days.

Today should be pretty good at work. Yesterday we weren't busy at all. We have been entering product registrations when we run out of other work. The only down side is that it is hard to sell if there are no calls coming in.

Word of the Day

brummagem • \BRUM-ih-jum\ • adjective
: not genuine : spurious; also : cheaply showy : tawdry

Example sentence:
The jewelry box in Penelope's grandmother's closet was filled with brummagem costume jewelry.

Robin Williams Quote of the Day

I'm talkin 'bout a fine white wine....like Mad Dog 20/20.

Thursday Update

Not much to say today. Last night we had French Toast for supper. We watched a new episode of Lost. The pregnant girl is back and doesn't remember anything except that she was on a plane from Australia and an expendable person who no one ever saw was killed. We also watched American Idol. Very entertaining as usual.

Doug is still not feeling well, that makes me sad.

My supervisor at work had to take her vacation early because her sheep started having thier lambs this week. She was scheduled to start her vacation on Monday of next week.

That is all for now. Bye, bye.

Word of the Day

tutelage • \TOO-tuh-lij\ • noun
1 : an act of guarding or protecting
2 : the state of being under a guardian or tutor
*3 : instruction especially of an individual

Example sentence:
Under the tutelage of her high school swim coach, Lynn has greatly improved her times.

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.