A photon checks into a hotel.
The bell hop asks, “Any luggage?”
“Nope,” says the photon, “I’m traveling light.”
New words to live by: “acopalypse”
Time for the monthly installment: New words to live by. This month’s word is an example of a portmanteau word in which two other words are combined to form a new, third word.
The two words used:
Cop, n. U.S. slang for police officer, starting in the 1840 – 50 time frame. Believed to be short for copper, which is also slang for police officer. Believed by some to refer to the copper buttons on police uniforms. More likely a formation of the verb cop (meaning to take or steal, and still in use in phrases such as “cop a plea”) and the suffix -er, turning a verb into a noun, and then later dropped.
Apocalypse, n. originally a prophetic revelation — particularly in Jewish or Christian writings — in which a cataclysm brings about the final clash of good and evil, in which good is supposed to win.
The new word:
Acopalypse, n. A condition in which the truth is never know and the facts are never revealed. This condition can apply to society, to politics, to religion, or to a general feeling is which the trappings of order are maintained, but the actions creating these trappings and even the results flowing from these trappings are absurd. Example: the recent federal government shutdown. Franz Kafka’s novel The Trial could be considered an example of an acopalyptic novel.
[Editor’s note: other new words to live by can be found by clicking on the tag “new word” or “new words.”]
Filed under new word, New words to live by
Overheard writing prompt
Elvira: a vixen for Halloween
What would you do with such a writing prompt?
Filed under Writing Prompt
Photo finish Friday: “In the wind”
It’s not a matter of when, but weather pigs fly.
Filed under Photo by author, Photo Finish Friday
20 BRITISH WORDS THAT MEAN SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT IN THE U.S. — Bigstock Blog
20 BRITISH WORDS THAT MEAN SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT IN THE U.S. — Bigstock Blog.
Cherri-o, ol’ chap.
Filed under words
GOP Congressman Makes Park Ranger Apologize for Shutdown
GOP Congressman Makes Park Ranger Apologize for Shutdown.
GOP = God’s Openly Pompous
Filed under GOP
Haiku to you Thursday: “tongues”
Uprooted words hurled /
Bitter and confused farewells /
Our tongues bloom with spikes.
Filed under Haiku to You Thursday, poetry by author
Writing tip Wednesday: “All the while”
Stop awhile
PenPal says:
A while or awhile? How do you know which to use?
I find that many writers often use these words incorrectly. There is an easy way to tell which you should use:
1. Awhile (one word) is an adverb; therefore, it modifies a verb.
Examples (corresponding verbs have been underlined):
-
a. I might stay here awhile and watch the sunset with you.
b. Let’s visit awhile with your grandchildren before we drive home.
2. A while (two words) contains both the article “a” and the noun “while.” The two-word version is a noun phrase, and it will be preceded by a preposition (for, after, in).
Examples (corresponding prepositions have been underlined):
-
a. If you would like to travel for a while, consider signing up for the cruise.
b. I will meet Steven at the theater in a while.
Check your understanding:
A. Mary rode the bus for (awhile / a while).
B. The birds hung around my feeder (awhile / a while) before flying away.
C. Please be aware that the office manager will speak to us in (awhile / a while).
D. Mark searched his memory, and after (awhile / a while) he recalled the correct solution to the math problem.
Simple as that! More PenPal tips will be coming your way in a while.
[Answers: A. a while / B. awhile / C. a while / D. a while]
________
Cathy Kodra a/k/a PenPal
Cathy Kodra works as an independent editor in Knoxville, TN. Her poetry and short stories have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies including Roanoke Review, New Millennium Writings, Common Ground Review, Now & Then, Cavalier Literary Couture, Slow Trains, Still Crazy, The Medulla Review, Prime Mincer, Yemassee, and others. She is a contributing editor for New Millennium Writings and past guest poetry editor for The Medulla Review. She was first runner up in Prime Mincer’s 2011 Poetry Contest, judged by Rodney Jones, and took first place in the 2012 Old Gray Cemetery Poetry Contest. Cathy’s first poetry chapbook, Thin Ice, was published in 2011 by Medulla Publishing.
Cathy is a member of the Knoxville Writers’ Guild and of two local writing groups. An avid reader and writer, she is currently working on two poetry collections and a collection of short stories. Her hobbies include gardening and vegan cooking, and she lives happily with her husband Ron, two dogs, and a cat. She can be reached at www.cathykodra.com.
Filed under Writing Tip Wednesday
cARtOONSDAY: “nOT a-mUSE(D)”
Looking for the next best thing.
Filed under cartoon by author, CarToonsday
Monday morning writing joke: “Rhetoric”
What do you get when you cross a joke with a rhetorical question?
Filed under Monday morning writing joke
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