solipsism redux online
Word #199 — May 23, 2013
Avidity — (n.) Extreme enthusiasm or keen eagerness; excited dedication; zestful appetite or greediness or rapacity in wants and desires in a consuming manner.
In a sentence — The switch to a different book—intermittently only, of course—when Jules Verne became a bit droning and tiresome led to a renewed avidity for the young readers during their nightly sessions, accompanied happily by the voice of Bradbury.
You are all a lost generation
— Stein
swim
Source: smithsonianmag.com
Word #198 — May 22, 2013
Adventitious — (adj.) Not occurring naturally, but rather being extrinsically added, not native; associated with chance, or happening or carrying on via chance rather than by design or by something’s nature inherent; occurring sporadically in unusual places.
In a sentence — He yearned for the adventitious life he dreamed so often of, governed only by the direction of the wind and the placement of the sun along the mountain ridge instead of the almighty clock.
Word #197 — May 21, 2013
Vitreous — (adj.) Resembling glass in color or translucence; made of or consisting of glass.
In a sentence — Her birthday breakfast, served on vitreous wares of no actual worth, was more about the love in each bite than the flavor of any of the components.
and then, everything was right again
Word #196 — May 20, 2013
Assemblage — (n.) A collection or gathering of certain persons; a collection of things; the act of assembling; an artistic medium formed from a composition of differing materials.
In a sentence — The smallest of assemblages happened in private on that Monday afternoon in a city that so often stresses its own anonymity and facelessness, gathering together two souls separated for far too long.
OK, so, I agreed to do this crazy thing called an Ultra-Hike with my mom in October. It’s for children’s oncology research charities (namely, CureSearch, which I adore because they do research on Ewing’s, which is what my brother has now twice struggled with—and will likely eventually take his life when it comes back a third time, which sadly is all but unavoidable).
But, here’s the thing: I’m in ehh-shape. I’ve gotten by on my metabolism (and good looks) my whole life. I work out very modestly (maybe 10 minutes a night, when I’m really on my shit).
Here’s the kicker: It’s a 30-f’ing-mile, one-day hike!! Let me repeat that: 30-god-damn-fucking miles in one day… Right now, I can’t do that on flat ground. When I did three days in the backcountry of Shenandoah, we did 7.5 miles the first day (though, it was with ~40-pound packs through mountain terrain and talus slopes), and my legs became Jello by noon the next day.
So, then, I have this summer to get into the best shape of my life. I also have to quit smoking. Look, I’ve been looking for a reason to do all of this. And, cancer can suck my dick—particularly children’s cancers. Further, who knows, maybe the extra few bucks I can churn up by doing this hike with my mom (who will undoubtedly kick my ass on the trail…she’s near 50 and does triathlons in her sleep) will be the money needed to find a cure for Ewing’s. If we can find a cure in the next five years, maybe my brother’s grave needn’t be dug yet.
If getting in shape and quitting smoking can accomplish any of that, hell, I’m down to make another trail my bitch.
Excuse the lack of eloquence—it’s a Monday morning.
Oh yeah fucking right….you’re not fooling anyone. Cool updates huh? Go home, Yahoo!, you are drunk.
because my love is comin’ I can barely hardly waaiitt…..around: But, really, she moves to Chicago tomorrow and will be with me for the next few weeks while she finds her own apartment. Two things, 1) if you see her around Chicago, say hi and be friendly; she’s a super-bomber but is also nice and sweet. 2) Quis separabit — (Latin) Who could separate us?
Alright, time to scrub the floors—how’s that for romance?
Word #195 — May 19, 2013
Commodious — (adj.) Roomy and spacious, particularly regarding living quarters or furniture; ample for a specific purpose.
In a sentence — The apartment would never be confused as commodious accommodations; yet, the little space was grand enough to two young lovers, who needed little more than a bed and wooden floors and books.
Term #28 — May 19, 2013
Polymath — A person of great and varied learning.
Phrase #28 — May 19, 2013
Quos deus vult perdere prius dementat — (Latin) Those whom God wants to destroy, he first drives mad.
Look, if Tumblr changes an appreciable amount in a way I don’t care for—or if it stops being a source of goodness or an outlet for me—then I’ll walk away.
If Yahoo! wrecks a very nice platform, well…that’s capitalism. And that’s business. It’s an unfortunate part of this whole experience.
I got on Tumblr in November of 2010, so I could e-stalk the girl who’d just walked out on me with no notice and literally drove thousands of miles away without warning. It’s seen me living at my parents’ house, delivering pizzas all the way through today. It’s been witness to more relationships than I’d care to admit and all the highs and lows of the odyssey of lo these last few years.
But, I walked away from Facebook a few months ago. And, it was surprisingly painless. I was on that site from its first days in 2004.
The takeaway, for me, is that you don’t end up missing these things that happen on the little box on your lap. You just don’t. And, you so quickly forget they ever existed. Were you going to Tumbl til you died? It was going to end someday—and someday you’d end up forgetting it ever existed.
That’s just how we’re wired. Look, I met the love of my life on here. My life—my actually day-to-day walking and breathing and blinking life—has been unequivocally changed by Tumblr. And still, I’m telling you, if we have to leave, we will leave.
And we will be fine.
Word #194 — May 18, 2013
Bedizen — (v.) To decorate tastelessly; to dress gaudily or garishly.
In a sentence — Though he wasn’t prone to bedizen his living space, a second (and trusted) opinion would prove helpful to avoid such pitfalls.
