How very odd...

I remember a skit on Saturday Night Live where a secretary was completely unimpressed with everyone who walked into the office or called.

"And you are....?"

"And you want....?"

"And you think you can see him because....?"

I always thought that was so funny. UNTIL it happened to me.

You see, I have always been able to endear myself to the office staff of the primary, elementary and junior high schools here. I chit-chat with them, bring them lunch, give them little treats throughout the year. There is always a very good rapport. The high school is different! The lady at the front desk has no time, desire or inclination to be my buddy. It is totally new ground for me! I am NOTHING to her and she has no idea who my child is!!

I would grudgingly consider myself a wee bit of a sycophant with these ladies. After all, if I have to buy their mind share for the betterment of my child, I am up to it. It's not always money, but the simple acknowledgement that theirs is many times a thankless job. That goes a long way. Well, except at the high school. She is all business.

"What can I do for you?"

"And your child's name is.....?"

And you are here why.....?"

It's enough to alarm a sycophant!

Thoughts on sychophant...

Okay, love this word. And YES, Carmen was living out the definition of sychophant this morning... vocabulary in action.

I also like the word "toady" you used in your definition...

Word of the Week: Sycophant

LOVE this word! This morning at church, I was breezing in and out of classrooms on the children's hall, doling out words of flattery to the other teachers like they were free toasters at a bank's grand opening. I'm sure I appeared to be a sycophant. As a matter of fact, I'm quite sure Mary Nell thought so: she called me a suck-up. HA! It is quite useful in place of calling someone a suck-up, booty-kisser, brown-noser, etc., and you will sound so impressive in your insult.

sycophant \SIK-uh-fuhnt\

noun:
1. A person who attempts to win favor by flattering people of wealth or influence; a parasite; a toady.

Origin:
Sycophant derives from Greek sukophantes, "an accuser (especially a false accuser) or rogue," from sukon, "fig" + phantes, "one who shows," from phainein, "to show."

From a fellow blogger:

Here’s my pick for favorite drool-inducing, sycophant quote for this week:

“From his quick recovery after misspeaking the presidential oath to graciously confessing fault over his Cabinet nominees, this President handles his mistakes with such impressive grace that one is left almost glad that he makes them.”— New York Times White House correspondent Sheryl Gay Stolberg, April 1, 2009.

As a matter of fact, here is the definition of "suck-up":

suck-up n. Informal A person who flatters or defers to others obsequiously; a sycophant.

Brilliant!!

Want to learn new words? READ!

While on vacation last week, I read the most beautiful book, "One Thousand White Women" by Jim Fergus. It's not that the writing of the story is lyrical. It's not that the characters are particularly memorable. It's not that it contained a great life lesson.

It was the feeling created through the author's use of the language. The words Fergus used are, at times, beautiful. Reading them made me pause, reread the text and smile. He used words that I have not uttered in a while, and have heard even less. Beautiful, descriptive and fully dimensional words.

I will add to our word list based on this book. I let my mother borrow it, and I long see it return, to go through its pages again. The very reason I read is alive in this book. To escape to another place, meet new people, try new things, gain new perspective, come away satisfied.

Jim Fergus has fed this weary traveler a hot, hearty stew on a cold winter evening.

Read, followers, READ!

I found a way to make it work!

HARK! I think I have to sneeze a loogie!

Don't you love how I type it in GREEN? haha

I always thought...

I always thought a person "harked a loogie". After some research, however, I find that it's not harking at all!

Hawk a Loogie

This is a slang phrase with many variants. The verb is usually either hawk or hock and the subject varies between loogie, louie, lungie, and lunger. It means to cough up phlegm and dates to the 1970s.

Hawk is an old verb meaning to clear the throat or cough up phlegm. It dates to the late 16th century and is probably echoic in origin. Hock is a corruption of the original hawk.

Regarding the second half, lunger is probably the original. That word has meant a gob of phlegm since 1946, and a tuberculosis patient since the 1890s. The other forms are probably corruptions and variants on this original.

So, while it's not "harking" at all, and has nothing to do with the word of the week, it's still VERY educational!

Thanks to http://www.wordorigins.org

Word of the Week: hark

Pronunciation: \ˈhärk\
Function: intransitive verb
Date: 14th century

Definition 1: to listen carefully; to listen attentively; hearken, to listen to; hear; pay attention; give heed
Usually in the imperative, with the effect of an exclamation; now chiefly literary

Definition 2: hark back- to return to an earlier point so as to pick up the scent or trail again; to go back in thought or speech; revert or be reminiscent of

Origin:
At first the word meant simply to listen or to pay close attention. But by the 17th century, it had developed specific uses in the sport of hunting. Hunters used hark as a call of attention and incitement. When a dog had lost a scent, hark back was a command for the dog to return along the course taken till the animal found the scent again.

By the early 19th century, hark back had also become a figurative expression meaning to retrace one's course or steps, to revert, or to return to some earlier point in a narrative, discussion, or argument.

"The teacher kept harking back to the same quotation in the book over and over again."

Personally, I prefer the usage of the first definition- it’s just fun! However, I did find the second definition to be intriguing and think we should definitely make an effort to incorporate it into our everyday conversation.

Reconsidering "ambiance"

As you know, I took exception with "ambiance" because I felt the very use of it was haughty and "Babylonian"; much like someone trying to make their surroundings feel in a way that was not the normal or natural feel. After speaking with my friend Dana, I see another avenue of this word.

She is so positive and optimistic in her uses of this word!

"I like the ambiance of football games."

See? It fairly brings a smile to your face, and thanks to her, I have removed this from my "bad list".

Is this offensive?

At the youth leadership retreat a few weeks ago, I called one of the kids a panty waist. I was shocked to find that they thought I was using a bad word! I was completely nonplussed by the general reaction. For your edification, here is the definition:

–noun
1. Informal. a weak, effeminate man; sissy.
2. formerly, a child's undergarment consisting of short pants and a shirt that buttoned together at the waist.

–adjective
3. weak; fainthearted.
4. Informal. childish.

Synonyms:
1. weakling, milksop, namby-pamby.

So, you see, I was using the term correctly, and was in no way being unmannerly. I was simply calling a spade a spade.

New words in use...

I was nonplussed when I saw the garish clothing on the strumpet standing in the periphery of my vision.

Unfortunately, I feel that it would not be appropriate to include an image with this post...

A few new words

garish

• gar⋅ish
• crudely or tastelessly colorful, showy, or elaborate, as clothes or decoration.
• Origin: 1535–45; earlier gaurish, perh. equiv. to obs. gaure to stare (ME gauren)
• Synonyms:1. loud, tawdry.

nonplus

• non⋅plus
• to render utterly perplexed; puzzle completely
• ORIGIN from Latin non plus ‘not more’.
• Synonyms:1. perplex, confuse, confound, disconcert.

periphery

• pe⋅riph⋅er⋅y
• the edge or outskirts, as of a city or urban area.
• Origin: 1350–1400;peripherīa periphéreia circumference, lit., a bearing round, equiv. to peri- peri- + phér(ein) to bear 1 + -eia -y 3 ; r. ME periferie periferīa, var. sp. of LL peripherīa
• Synonyms:1. circumference, perimeter.

strumpet

• strum⋅pet
• a prostitute; harlot.
• Origin: c.1327, of uncertain origin. One theory connects it with L. stuprata, fem. pp. of stuprare "have illicit sexual relations with," or L.L. strupum "dishonor, violation." Others suggest M.Du. strompe "a stocking," or strompen "to stride, to stalk" (as a prostitute might a customer).

I attended the fun bowl for the scholars bowl at the junior high school this weekend, and a few other moms and I were talking. Each of these words, deliciously, came up in conversation. How very exciting!