Thursday, May 4, 2017

Wordplay Wednesday™ May 3, 2017 – Indurate



(Day late and a dollar short … traveling does that to you.)
Avoid this Like the Plague … 

In the 1960s and ‘70s, we were idealistic in our rose-colored glasses with heart. Forty years later, there is still hope and idealism, but it is encased in a superficial crust. We have become …

INDURATE (inʹdōo rātʹ) vt. – 1) to make hard; harden; 2) to make callous, unfeeling, or stubborn; 3) to cause to be firmly established; vi. – to become indurated; adj. – hardened. [WW #110]

We have become a society of indurated people, who continue to indurate our offspring, perpetuating intolerance, violence, and debauchery.

Cynical attitude? As much as I am a perpetual optimist, I’m indurated in my own way—hardened against the people of the world who find it necessary or pleasurable to prey on others.

As long as the majority rules with indurated, heavy-handed insolence, atrocities will continue and we will proceed on a path to self-destruction.

Ready for Mars? (NASA / JPL / USGS)
Stephen Hawking is likely right—we should leave Earth within the next 100 years, to survive. Not just due to overpopulation and destruction of Earth, but as the Roman Empire demonstrated, “Following the death of Theodosius I, the last emperor to rule a united Roman Empire, the dominion of the empire was gradually eroded by abuses of power, civil wars, barbarian migrations and invasions, military reforms and economic depression.” Sound familiar?

Our current actions reveal, if the attitudes of leaders don’t transform to a STRONG regard for basic moral and political right and wrong, without hobbling our individual rights, we will continue to create debased, indurated societies.

Word Challenge: INDURATE. Consider how we might reverse our unfeeling, callous and corrupt society, as you fit indurate into your week of hopeful writings.

Write first for yourself … only then can you write for others. (L.Rochelle)  

 
                

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Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Wordplay Wednesday™ April 26, 2017 – Bosk



Update your clichés! And your life path 

Are you stumped on which way to turn in life, and “can’t see the forest for the trees”?
 
Try making just one little clearing … and then another … and then another … until your forest is a series paths, each leading to a peaceful …

BOSK (bäsk) n. – a small wooded place; grove; thicket; also boscage (bäsʹkij) [WW #109]

A motivational friend, JV Crum III of Conscious Millionaire would say, “chunk it down”! He taught me that most goals in life are manageable if you look at the big picture in scope, then break that down to the individual steps you need to make it happen.
 
I know, I know—so many details—so little time! Creating a pathway of bosks means you don’t have to deal with all the details all the time.

Each step creates a bosk in which you can rest, regenerate, and resume your quest. Before you know it, your big, beautiful forest will become a landscape of meaningful bosks.

Go forth—enjoy your Hump Day and the rest of your week with renewed vigor.

If you can’t see the forest for the trees, clear a path toward your first oasis/bosk that will lead you through the forest of your dreams.
 
Word Challenge: BOSK. Chunk down your dream goal to a series of attainable bosks and share them with your network, as you fit bosk into your week of visionary writings.

Write first for yourself … only then can you write for others. (L.Rochelle)

 
                       

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Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Wordplay Wednesday™ April 19, 2017 – Brio



Feeling Spunky? 
 
OK, we know it’s Hump Day—everyone gets the blahs in their week about now. Time to liven things up a bit! Put some …

BRIO (brēʹō; Italian) n. – animation; vivacity; zest. [WW #108]

… in your day! Pop a pop open and enjoy the fizzy bubbles!

While researching this seemingly unassuming word, I found more definitions than the brio words of action, above.

Wiki’s disambiguation page enlightened us with Brio in a list of musical terminology, calling it “brio or brioso [meaning] Vigour; usually in con brio: with spirit or vigour.” Play on maestro!  

For us unenlightened Americans (moi!), Brio is also related to Chinotto, a bittersweet Italian soft drink rising to fame in the 1950s. A sweeter Brio brand is popularly peddled in Canada, and especially fizzy in the Italian Stallion cocktail.

Those seeking to infuse brio into their dullish products include a typeface font: Brio MN. The flowing, cursive letters don’t inspire animation for me … but I’m difficult to please. A similar, more standard font is the Bradley Hand ITC: Ex ea commodo consequat.

BTW, according to Google Translate, the Latin “Ex ea commodo consequat” equates to English as “Advantage from it.” Again, rather passive for such a zesty word.

If you think Brio would be a great name for a zippy compact car, you’re right. But you can’t have the cute little Honda Brio hatchback unless you live in India, Thailand, South Africa, Indonesia or the Philippines.

My favorite definition of the bouncy brio is a rather different Wiki notation: “Brio is another word for 'life force'.”
 
That makes brio a comprehensive word for that indefinable, invisible, esoteric energy that fills our souls with effervescent life.

Viva la Brio!

Word Challenge: BRIO. Consider what or who instills brio in your life every day, week, month, year, decade, as you fit brio into your week of perky writings.

Write first for yourself … only then can you write for others. (L.Rochelle)


                       

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