Category: Nonfiction

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Wacky Wednesday: November 25

Here we are with the final Wacky Wednesday of November. Can you believe it’s already Thanksgiving? It’s moving fast but I’m not complaining about 2020 being almost over. This New Year’s Eve will be quite the party – with everyone 6 feet apart and in facemasks. We have a couple more old English insults. Fopdoodle is an insignificant or foolish man. I’ve met many a fopdoodle. And Fustylugs is a woman of gross or corpulent habit. Fusty was a word for something that’s gone off or gone stale. Today I think we use the word musty.

We have a number of holidays today. Some are specific to the day before Thanksgiving such as National Jukebox Dayand Tie One on Day. The night before Thanksgiving is the busiest night of the year for bars especially in smaller towns as family has come to visit. People will listen to tunes on the jukebox and we hope they will have a designated driver. Tie One on Day is related to an earlier post of mine about Tie One on for Safety Month to prevent people from drinking and driving. Stay safe tonight when visiting family.

Our other holidays include National Play Day with Dad which began in 2019 to encourage fathers to spend time with and get to know their children. Shopping Reminder Day is self-explanatory if you know what Black Friday is. I’m excited to celebrate Blasé Day. Blasé is of French origin meaning to be indifferent or bored with life, unimpressed, as or as if from an excess of worldly pleasures. Yes, I said I’m excited to be bored and indifferent. Finally, our token food holiday is National Parfait Day. Parfait is a French word that literally means “perfect” and was originally used to describe a kind of frozen dessert beginning in 1894. 

There are many things to celebrate today and you’ve gained a couple new words to help insult family members you don’t like. I am having a one-person Thanksgiving this year. I have a 6.5 lb. chicken I’ll be roasting and preparing green bean casserole and mash potatoes. I’m gonna get my fatty on! Stay safe and have a Merry Thanksgiving.

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Coffee and Contemplation: I’m Tired

I had a different post planned for this weekend, but I’ve fallen behind on things. Mostly I’m tired. I’ve been getting extra work, which is good during the ongoing pandemic, but it leaves me exhausted by the end of the day. I’ve finished a few more chapters for my novel and hope to have the first draft finished by the end of the year. But I want a break. I need some time away from my blog and away from work. I don’t want to stop the momentum, but I need to relax too. Maybe I’ll feel better if I just sleep for two whole days.

This is only a rant about my exhaustion. There’s nothing exciting happening with the blog today. I’m drinking coffee and wishing I had fewer things to do. I’m working Thanksgiving. I’m getting paid time and a half which is the only reason I’m doing it. But a little time off to rest is needed. Perhaps I need a massage. I’ve never had one of those before. We’ll see where the week takes me.

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Wacky Wednesday: November 18

Wacky Wednesday is upon us again and today is a most interesting day. First, we have a couple interesting nouns. We continue our look at some old English insults with Drate-Poke. It refers to someone who drawls or speaks indistinctly. Driggle-Draggle, is a name for an untidy woman. These don’t roll of the tongue too well and it might be difficult to throw these into casual conversation. They’re still fun to say. Though this isn’t really a holiday, it should be known that today is Mickey Mouse’s Birthday. He first appeared in 1928. 

For our holidays today, we first have National Educational Support Professionals Day which falls on the Wednesday of American Education Week. These folks include secretaries, classroom aides, cafeteria workers, maintenance workers, bus drivers, etc. For our token food holiday, we have National Vichyssoise Day. Vichyssoise is made thick with pureed leeks, onions, potatoes, cream and chicken stock. Its traditionally served cold though sometimes is eaten hot. In the United States, Vichyssoise is pronounced: “vish – e – swaz.” Finally, we have National Princess Day. Celebrate with the Princess in your life.