pulchritudinous

pulchritudinous - adj - physically beautiful; comely

I had in mind to add a link to a picture of something I consider extremely beautiful, but then thought perhaps it (the picture) wouldn't be well received. So I'll leave you with some ideas of things I consider beautiful, ranked in order of most to least. However keep in mind, the 'least' on this list is still extremely beautiful.

the unclad feminine form
vibrant Sunsets
the Ocean
flora in full bloom

macabre

macabre – adj - Gruesome and horrifying; ghastly; horrible; of, pertaining to, dealing with, or representing death, esp. its grimmer or uglier aspect; of or suggestive of the allegorical dance of death.

One of my earlier movie memories is of the brouhaha surrounding the 1955 movie Macabre. The gimmick was that every ticket purchased came with a $1000 Lloyds of London insurance policy covering the purchaser if he died of fright watching the movie. As far as I know, nobody collected.

absentminded

absentminded - adj - lost in thought and unaware of one's surroundings or actions.

I guess this applies to me on this list recently. I have had time to put words in the list, but just haven't thought about it. I've been preoccupied with getting my software written and ready for testing and being responsive to the bugtracker to get defects fixed and closed as quickly as possible. I'll try to be less absentminded and be more attentive to getting my words on the list.

bien pensant

Bien pensant - n - A French phrase literally translated as "good thinking" or "right thinking", commonly used as a mild pejorative to describe the acceptance of a fashionable idea after it has been established in the mainstream without a sufficient amount of critical thought. The term has been used by both the political left and right, to critique, respectively, views seen as reactionary, or excessively politically correct, amongst other things.

My son Michael was married yesterday, and will be heading for Fort Riley as soon as the honeyman is over. For once, I have an answer to "What's new?" other than "I ate dinner, read a book, and hit the sack."

favonian

favonian - adj - pertaining to the west wind; soft; mild; gentle

I can't believe I haven't used this word before. I was going through some of my word lists from back in high school and thought about this one. I used to try to find ways to use this one in a sentence because of how neat it sounds. Anyway, probably doesn't apply to what just happened to Hz employees a couple of days ago.

unequivocal

unequivocal –adj - Not equivocal; unambiguous; clear; having only one possible meaning or interpretation: absolute; unqualified; not subject to conditions or exceptions

I've actually seen three good movies lately, and I recommend them all: World Trade Center (PG-13), Apocalypto (rated R for some intense violence), and (much to my surprise) The Black Dahlia (rated a hard R; strictly for adults).

ineluctable

ineluctable – adj - Incapable of being evaded; inescapable.

Jeff, you may have heard that we had a couple of hundred layoffs Friday. The rewrite group didn't lose any heads but legacy and GDD did. Another thing: I think we may have lost Natalie, co-founder of our peculiar institution. Do you have any ideas why?

sunder

sunder - verb - to break apart; to separate; to divide; to sever

I ran across this word in reading more of my Andre Norton books, in this case "The Beast Master" and "The Beast Master's Ark". Both real page-turners. I have a hard time putting them down and going to sleep. Highly recommended, as are all the Andre Norton books, which are typically short, quick reading, but very addictive.

bildungsroman

Bildungsroman – n - a type of novel concerned with the education, development, and maturing of a young protagonist.

As just one example, try Robert Lewis Taylor's Pulitzer Prize winner The Travels of Jamie McPheeters.

cortege

cortege - noun - a train of attendants; a procession, especially a funeral procession


It is interesting this word can mean the folks following a king or those following a hearse.

ex nihilo

ex nihilo - adv & adj - Out of nothing.

Sorry about my recent absences, but I seldom get a chance to come up for air these days. Implementaion of the rewrite is less than a year away.

impart

impart - verb - to make known, tell, relate or disclose; to give, bestow or communicate; to grant a part or share of

Slightly related to yesterday's word. It was used in the same sentence which I recall even less now.

impute

impute - verb - to attribute or ascribe (something discreditable) as to a person; to attribute (righteousness, guilt, etc) to a person or persons vicariously; ascribe as derived from another.

What an interesting word. This was used in a sentence Sunday which I can't recall completely (and now _really_ wish I could) but was in the gist of something God does to us. Something like 'God imputes us with grace'. I find the concept of ascribing someone with righteousness vicariously a bit odd.

hoi polloi

hoi polloi – n - The common people; the masses.

This is another word dating back to my earliest youth. The Kavanaghs, I was told, were members of the hoi polloi.

closure

closure – n - The act of closing; the state of being closed; a bringing to an end; conclusion.

Much modern commentary is just so much white noise. The use and misuse of words like today's is a prime attribute of this meaningless chatter. For example, Harper Collins recently fired Judith Regan. The reason given was that she had made anti-Semitic remarks; the real reason was that she had brokered a deal for O. J. Simpson's speculative memoir If I Did It (cute title). They were all set to publish the book until public outrage changed their corporate minds. Clearly, someone's head had to roll, and Judith drew the short straw. She claimed that she had only been trying to bring about closure! Hauling in big bucks had been the furthest thing from her mind.

When I lived in Colorado Springs, a hiker was lost in the mountains. After a long search his body was found, prompting some Journalism major to state that closure had been reached and the family could now begin the mourning process. The mourning process! Words fail me.

Maybe we could market a more general version of Dilbert's Buzzword Bingo. I'll get it started: caring, compassionate, tolerant, diversity, misspoke (meaning I accidentally said what I was really thinking or I inadvertantly told the truth), and celebrate (applied to anything but Christmas or birthdays).

(Speaking of anti-Semitism[TM], Joseph Sobran wittily and correctly pointed out that an anti-semite used to be someone who didn't like Jews, but now it's someone Jews don't like.)

mufti

mufti – n - Civilian clothes, in contrast with military or other uniforms, or as worn by a person who usually wears a uniform.

I'm surprised this one didn't occur to me sooner.

wassail

wassail - noun - An expression of good wishes on a festive occasion, especially in drinking to someone; the liquor used for a wassail, especially a beverage formerly much used in England at Christmas and other festivals, made of ale (or wine) flavored spices, sugar, toast, roasted apples, etc.


Or, in my case, hot apple cider with red hot candies melted therein. Although, I've been led to believe the addition of rum to such a concoction really 'spices' it up nicely. I've never tried it that way, so I guess I've never had a true wassail.

purblind

purblind - –adj - Nearly or partially blind; dim-sighted; slow or deficient in understanding, imagination, or vision.

sub rosa

sub rosa – n - Confidentially; secretly; privately.

flibbertigibbet

flibbertigibbet - n - A silly, flighty, or scatterbrained person, especially a pert young woman with such qualities.

For once I'm going to use Dictionary.com's word of the day. My mother often described my sister as a flibbertigibbet, and, until today, I thought it was a word she'd invented! Live and learn.

Let me wish my WoD colleagues a Joyous Kwanzaa, a Happy Hannukah, and a very Merry Holiday. (Just kidding. Merry Christmas to the Van Zandts and Bowmans and a very Happy New Year!)

(The Nativity scene at the top was painted by Carravaggio sometime around 1600. The angel is holding a streamer labeled "Gloria in Excelsis Deo (Glory to God in the Highest).")