Fish Food for Thought

Story Cubes 8: Waning

It was four o'clock and already dark on that wintry day. My eye was nearly touching the telescope lens as I squinted at the moon. Then my cell phone bleeped. Was it her? She'd vanished months ago without saying good-bye. Was it her? That was the constant question mark that hooked me like a fish every time the phone rang. When I answered, it was a female voice saying "hello?" I smiled, and a little shock of surprise and momentary hope traveled up my spine like an electric insect. "Nadia?" I said. But it wasn't her. Just a woman reminding me about an upcoming dental appointment. "Thanks," I said and hung up. I stamped my foot, because my feet were getting cold, but also out of frustration. The moon was waning, and so was my patience.

Free Ebook and Audiobook: Your Move

LINK: The Iron Box

Word of the Day: gelastic

What's the word I'm thinking of? Today, it's...

gelastic [jel-ASS-tic] (adjective) [TWITO, page 60]

Provoking laughter

"Only Desmond's gelastic comments made the tedious seminar bearable."

(See "Photo of the Week" below.)

Photo of the Week: Empty Waders

I don't know why I snapped this picture at the local flea market. And maybe you don't know why you want to click it for a better view. But you do.

Link Mania: Is it "beer o'clock" yet?

From bants to manspreading: what's new in the oxforddictionaries.com
When it's "beer o'clock" is it also "wine o'clock"?

~~~

23 emotions people feel but can’t explain
Such as "chrysalism": The amniotic tranquility of being indoors during a thunderstorm.

~~~

12 pronunciations to help you avoid embarrassment in literature class
If you live in Schenectady you won't have too much trouble pronouncing "synecdoche".

~~~

7 Deep and Darkening Words Only Those Who Love the Night Will Understand
Writing a story about vampires? This list might help. But they forgot "mesonoxian" [mez-oh-NOX-ee-an] (adjective) [TWITO, page 88]: pertaining to midnight.

Random Sequence: hugger-mugger

"First, her father slain:
Next, your son gone; and he most violent author
Of his own just remove: the people muddied,
Thick and unwholesome in their thoughts and whispers,
For good Polonius' death; and we have done but greenly,
In hugger-mugger to inter him...."
--William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Act IV
Scene V

hugger-mugger (adjective) = secretly

Or...someone who mugs people but then gives them a hug? "Sorry, sweetie, but I need the money!"

Fish Food for Thought

Story Cubes 7: Fish Tale

"I suppose dreams are the key to unlocking our repressed thoughts," Jacob said. "But why do I keep dreaming about a fish?" he wondered. "I took a nap earlier today, and it happened again. It seems so real. It's disturbing. I'd rather just keep snoring away and not have any dreams."

"What happens in the dream?" the psychiatrist asked. "Are you in it?"

"Yes, my hand reaches out for a stick, some kind of magic stick -- a wand. I wave it and a beautiful fish appears, swimming in midair. It makes me happy at first, but then, after a while, I feel sad."

"Why?"

"The fish is dying. Maybe because it's not in the water. It suddenly starts sinking toward the floor, heading right down, straight as an arrow. Plop! I pick up the fish, and it feels all slimy. It's dead."

"Hmmm," the psychiatrist said. "What does that suggest to you?"

"That I'm a fish out of water?" Jacob mused.

"I think you may have something there. But our time's up for this session."

"Here's my credit card," Jacob said. As the psychiatrist took the card, he could not help noticing a slight fishy smell emanating from Jacob's fingers.

Word of the Day: ostrobogulous

What's the word I'm thinking of? Today, it's...

ostrobogulous [os-tro-BOG-yoo-luss] (adjective) [TWITO, page 105]

Something weird, bizarre, unusual or pornographic

"Mother doesn't want to go to the movies, She calls them agglomerations of ostrobogulous fantasies."


The furry tea cup ("Object", 1936) is by artist/surrealist Meret Oppenhieim. I saw it at the Museum of Modern Art a couple of days ago. Photo by me.