I love the English language. Or at least, I am much more fond of it than the Spanish language, because that I just cannot seem to get a grasp on. That being said, English is the language I was raised speaking... anyway.
While I do love the English language with its stupendous words (like perturb, postapocalyptic, existential, flippant, filiopietistic, sojourn, soporific, fetish, vehement. The list goes on) it is also filled with words that I just absolutely detest and should be obliterated from the language entirely. In my humble opinion.
Chartreuse- Like, really. Who came up with this word, and why were they allowed on the planet? Uck.
Fob- as in key fob? I just hate this word. Don't even ask me why. I just do.
Rubric- Again. I have no idea why I hate this word. But the first time I heart my English teacher say it I was like "please do not let this become a common occurrence." Because.... Who even knows. It's just awkward to say.
Mucus- Now, I'm sure I share this hatred with a lot of other people, but just.... ew. Ew ew ew.
Ointment- It just... no.
Moist- Do I have to explain why? Didn't think so.
Pad- Like, sometimes in books when a character has just woken up or something, and they're in their socks and the walk somewhere, the author uses the term "pad." As in, "He padded over to the window in his socked feet." and I just hate it. Hate hate hate hate.
Sidle- I really really hate this word. Probably because it gives me this mental picture of someone exaggeratedly sliding right up next to somebody. I don't know. I just don't like it.
Beguile- I don't absolutely detest this one, but I just don't like it. It's weird.
Chrysalis- Never liked this word, don't think I ever will.
Undulate- Doesn't that word just sound weird to you? I would never use that to describe, like, the ocean or something. It just sounds like it deserves a disgusting analogy. "The ocean undulated as if it were filled with demon spawn." Okay, I might be carrying that a bit too far, but you get the point.
Corpuscle- As in Meissner's Corpuscle? Ew. It just sounds nasty.
Chortle- Seriously, people. Sometimes I just wonder why anyone would use these words. Ever.
I'd also like to point out, I'm not opposed to words that a lot of people don't like. You know, ugly words. Like cacophony or grotesque or awkward or decrepit. Maybe because they're so vivid or maybe because I've never had too much of an aversion to, well, grotesque things.
Anyway, that's all for the today's glance inside my brain. Now that I've left you with that possibly ineffaceable (my new favorite word meaning "Unable to be erased or forgotten") list of unappealing words, I shall retreat to my piano and play Christmas music for a while. Yay!
Introspectively analyzing my vocabulary,
Lisa
P.S. I'm not entirely sure I used "introspectively" right. That would be awkward, now wouldn't it.
Thursday, November 29
Thursday, November 22
The Fire in the Flint
Well recently (recently as in since about June) I've been entertaining a new idea for a story. It's finally beginning to become a rounded story. I mean, kinda. But I've got most of a plot and about 5 characters (not much, I know, but I really haven't needed that many so far.)
But anyway, the big news is! (drum roll please. Or not. That's cool too.) I officially have a working title! It's kinda my favorite. I'm calling it The Fire in the Flint. Releasing soon in 2021. Hah.... anyway.
I feel good about having something to call it now, instead of "my Mo/Droid story." Which I'll explain later.
That's really all I have to report. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Have fun eating 'til you bust.
Lisa
But anyway, the big news is! (drum roll please. Or not. That's cool too.) I officially have a working title! It's kinda my favorite. I'm calling it The Fire in the Flint. Releasing soon in 2021. Hah.... anyway.
I feel good about having something to call it now, instead of "my Mo/Droid story." Which I'll explain later.
That's really all I have to report. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Have fun eating 'til you bust.
Lisa
Sunday, November 11
Life is like a Giant Swing
This past weekend, I went on a retreat at Butler Springs Christian Camp. It's a really cool camp and the retreat was run by an organization called One21. The camp itself has all sorts of fun stuff like a high ropes course, a zip-line, a playground,a really long slide, and a giant swing. Now, I don't know if you've ever been on a giant swing, but it's scary. I had the opportunity to go on it once before, but I didn't and I bitterly regret it. So this time, I was determined to go on it.
For those of you who don't know, a giant swing is basically what it sounds like, but a little bit different. It's either telephone poles or trees with ropes attached to them. They harness you in and pull you up to the top of the tree/pole and you have to let go of this little purple strip of fabric, and you swing through the air. It's basically the most terrifying thing I've ever done.
So, aside from me making the mistake of telling the guy it was my first time doing this, and having him mess with me mercilessly, I was seriously nervous. So, I got up maybe 3/4 of the way, and I had them stop me because that was plenty high for me. They called me a wuss, but I stuck with it. And I sat there with my hand on the purple fabric going, "Why did I do this again?" So they made me count down from three, and then go. So I did, and I screamed bloody murder, but it was so insanely worth it. I kind of regretted not going all the way to the top, though. So I did it again and went all the way up. Which was so much more terrifying, but in a good way.
Anyway, I was thinking about this later while I was listening to the preacher talk in a session. The giant swing is a perfect analogy for life.
Here's the deal: When you want to do something with your life, it's hard. It's scary. And it's easy to only go halfway, but you'll regret it. And when you're up at the top by the tree- aka, when you're about to do something scary or potentially life changing- It's so easy to want to quit. But you have to do it yourself. You have to make the choice to let go of that purple fabric. Because clutching it for dear life gets you nowhere and you can't just sit on your butt and wait for someone else to do it. You have to have faith in yourself and in God that you will be okay. And when you let go, and you do that thing you were scared to do, it's terrifying. Things come at you like the rushing wind on a swing and you may not know how to handle it, but once you get past the initial part, the rest is exhilarating. And you realize how glad you are that you took the chance.
But also, if you only do something halfway, you're going to regret it, just like when I didn't go all the way to the top. It's not the same feeling only doing something as well as you think you can handle. Because, see, God says he won't give us anything we can't handle. And if we go to the top of the swing and just let go, we won't regret it.
Another thing it makes me think of is how we need other people in our lives. When you're on the giant swing, you need a team of people to pull a rope down a hill so that you can get up to the top of that tree. And not just one person. One person isn't strong enough. You need a team. Otherwise you get nowhere. And that's how it is with life. You can't go through life alone and expect to help anybody. You need people to help you along and that's why God created community.
Anyway, I think I'm out of giant swing analogies. But that was something I thought about and I wanted to share it, because it definitely stuck out to me as something significant.
Dude, I think I totally just upstaged whoever called life a roller coaster. Just saying.
Lisa
P.S. And yes, this is me saying, if you ever have the opportunity to ride a giant swing, TAKE IT.
For those of you who don't know, a giant swing is basically what it sounds like, but a little bit different. It's either telephone poles or trees with ropes attached to them. They harness you in and pull you up to the top of the tree/pole and you have to let go of this little purple strip of fabric, and you swing through the air. It's basically the most terrifying thing I've ever done.
So, aside from me making the mistake of telling the guy it was my first time doing this, and having him mess with me mercilessly, I was seriously nervous. So, I got up maybe 3/4 of the way, and I had them stop me because that was plenty high for me. They called me a wuss, but I stuck with it. And I sat there with my hand on the purple fabric going, "Why did I do this again?" So they made me count down from three, and then go. So I did, and I screamed bloody murder, but it was so insanely worth it. I kind of regretted not going all the way to the top, though. So I did it again and went all the way up. Which was so much more terrifying, but in a good way.
Anyway, I was thinking about this later while I was listening to the preacher talk in a session. The giant swing is a perfect analogy for life.
Here's the deal: When you want to do something with your life, it's hard. It's scary. And it's easy to only go halfway, but you'll regret it. And when you're up at the top by the tree- aka, when you're about to do something scary or potentially life changing- It's so easy to want to quit. But you have to do it yourself. You have to make the choice to let go of that purple fabric. Because clutching it for dear life gets you nowhere and you can't just sit on your butt and wait for someone else to do it. You have to have faith in yourself and in God that you will be okay. And when you let go, and you do that thing you were scared to do, it's terrifying. Things come at you like the rushing wind on a swing and you may not know how to handle it, but once you get past the initial part, the rest is exhilarating. And you realize how glad you are that you took the chance.
But also, if you only do something halfway, you're going to regret it, just like when I didn't go all the way to the top. It's not the same feeling only doing something as well as you think you can handle. Because, see, God says he won't give us anything we can't handle. And if we go to the top of the swing and just let go, we won't regret it.
Another thing it makes me think of is how we need other people in our lives. When you're on the giant swing, you need a team of people to pull a rope down a hill so that you can get up to the top of that tree. And not just one person. One person isn't strong enough. You need a team. Otherwise you get nowhere. And that's how it is with life. You can't go through life alone and expect to help anybody. You need people to help you along and that's why God created community.
Anyway, I think I'm out of giant swing analogies. But that was something I thought about and I wanted to share it, because it definitely stuck out to me as something significant.
Dude, I think I totally just upstaged whoever called life a roller coaster. Just saying.
Lisa
P.S. And yes, this is me saying, if you ever have the opportunity to ride a giant swing, TAKE IT.
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