Zoetrope is one of those very cool things from times past. Â It was initially called a Daedelum (or wheel of the Devil) and was invented by William Horner in 1834. It uses motion to trick your eyes. Zoetrope (or wheel of life) is the precursor to our modern motion pictures …
Yonderly –Doesn’t that mean over that way–way over that way? I’ve read it means mental and/or emotional distance, which sort of makes sense. But I can only find that one place, so I’m not sure that is actually a word or the definition of it. I did find this website: …
the sex chromosome that is present in both sexes: singly in males and doubly in females; "human females normally have two X chromosomes" I think the biological definition of gender is obsolete. I think gender is more fluid than that. I think, I believe in my heart, that if there …
Honestly my first inclination is to say W is for Who, as in Doctor. As in wobbly wobbly timey wimey stuff. As in my other major obsession next to Star Trek and music. My favorite Doctor is still the 10th. I started with the 4th and 5th. Liked the 8th. …
Vociferous Vitriolic Vociferously Vitriolic=what current political discourse is. I have long been interested in politics. I worked on my first campaign when I was still in single digits–handing out flyers at the mall for Bill Clinton. I get unreasonably excited about the privilege of voting–so much so that our daughter …
I knew a girl named Tenebrae once. There’s an  Argento movie too. Well that’s what she called herself. Just as I called myself Pywacket and Mr. J called himself Jaded. Those spooky people names. It was fun. Sometimes I miss it. Pywacket was nice, then mean,then nice again. I threw …
Argh. I am having trouble with cutting and pasting (seems when you do this from the web it puts a white background around everything) or choosing fonts. It isn’t acting much like I expect it to, but that is from years of windows. I haven’t figured out how to switch …
 A number of years ago I studied medieval literature. I concentrated on women mystics of the 10th-12th centuries. I particularly enjoyed Hildegard von Bingen, Hroswitha of Gandersheim, Julien of Norwich and Margery Kemp. I spent several years listening to the music constantly–plainsongs, chants–anything to make the learning rounder, more complete. …
I dare you Rumfustian Drink Recipe recipe Ingredients 1 tsp. Sugar 2 oz. Sherry 1 cup Ale 2 Egg Yolk Lemon Peel Several cloves 2 oz.Gin cinnamon stick ground Nutmeg Instructions Beat egg yolks in a bowl with sugar. In a saucepan, bring ale, gin, sherry, cinnamon, cloves, and lemon …
Well, it’s kind of hard to title this one and I was getting tired of the Letter than word titles. Argh. So, what’s a quodlibet ? It’s a medley. Kind of. I’m writing a bit earlier tonight, which is good, to get more time to read and comment, and also …
Psychopomp is one of my favorite P words. Â A psychopomp is a guide for souls, a sort of escort for the newly deceased. If you saw The Crow (and as a former card carrying goth, of course I did, several times) then you know both the Brandon Lee character and …
Only one of the best songs ever. It sent me running for the dictionary. I can’t hear the word obsequious  without following it in my head, under my breath always, always with purple and clairvoyant. I was a kid when Let’s get Small  came out and I think I fell …
As someone who is fascinated with words and our ever changing language I not only adore the old (I’d rather use grucche for complain at certain times* it just seems better), but appreciate how the new sometimes gets its foot in the door. And after the foot, can force the …
 With the recent flap about just what a working mom is–Hillary Rosen and Ann Romney –or isn’t or what was actually said made me think about my own time working ‘in the home’ and ‘outside of the home.’ I’m not going to go over what did or didn’t happen …
Bean wrote a poem. She loves Nox Arcana (hmmm don’t ask me where she gets that) And this is the song that made her want to write Here’s the poem: Little ballerina dance your empty dance For you are a mere doll Your soul is captivated in a trance Words …
Kainotophobia~Fear of Change Kainolophobia~Fear of Novelty Kainophobia~ Fear of Anything New  Fear of Change. We like our habits. We like predictability. We like things the way they were, not the way they are now or how they could be. I get it. Change is hard. Personally, as someone who …
