Penchant for Penning

Wednesday, February 6, 2019

Hortatory – Wordplay Wednesday™ 02/06/2019

Advice to the Lovelorn ~ Love Yourself First

With St. Valentine’s Day coming up next week, smitten society is scrambling for the perfect declaration of lovvvvvvvve.

Although some religions (mainly Christian) try to attribute the loverly day to a venerable saint or other religious rite, historical accounts are ambiguous at best and multiple stories abound. Just one: Marriage was once illegal!

So we’ll stick with the modern love angle. If you’re currently living alone, but not lonely, show your love for life in general. This week, be especially …

HORTATORY (hôrʹtɘ tôrʹē) adj. – 1) serving to encourage or urge to good deeds; 2) exhorting, giving advice [also hortative]. [WW #202]

Good deeds and gentle encouragement are certainly expressions of love. Giving advice on love, however, is tricky at best and disastrous when gone awry. Late comedian, Lou Costello (of famed duo, Abbott & Costello), receives hardhearted hortatory guidance in a grea told movie clip from Wife Wanted. Appropriately, a Valentine’s month offering, February 1954. Agnes … do you think you could ever fall in love? he implores. Alas, he is chasing cupid for all the wrong reasons.

Love comes in many forms and declaring your undying affection to your heart’s desire can be tricky. But hope springs eternal! Thinking of adopting a pet? Do it on St. Valentine’s Day! Your hortatory gesture will certainly earn the unconditional love of an adorable canine, feline, or iguana, if you feel the love.

Grandkids, nieces, nephews and extended family of all ages may be in need of your particular style of hortatory attention that takes on special meaning when coupled with a Valentine. A visit, card in the mail, or phone call could warm hearts—theirs and yours.

Be creative … most of all … share your love. It’s worth it and often comes back to you tenfold.

Word Challenge: HORTATORY. St. Valentine’s Day isn’t all diamond rings and chocolates. Make it special for yourself too, as you fit hortatory into your week of sentimental writing.

Learning knows no prejudices or boundaries, and it isn’t fattening! Expanding your mind is a no-cost, simple joy. Do you feel that way too? What’s your inspiration? Share your creative genius and Wordplay Wednesday comments below.

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

Cheers to learning a new word on Wordplay Wednesday!

@PenchantForPen

@Irishwriter

LinDee Rochelle is a writer and editor by trade, and an author by way of Rock & Roll. She has published two books (of three) in her Blast from Your Past series about pioneering R&R Radio DJs. The true behind-the-mic tales make GREAT Holiday Gifts available on Amazon (eBook and print): Book 1 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The First Five Years 1954-1959; and Book 2 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The Swinging Sixties. Coming soon … The Psychedelic Seventies!

E-N-Dzzzzzzzz

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Earthshine – Wordplay Wednesday™ 01/30/2019

Earth, Moon and Stars, Glory Be!

2019 began with many interesting and phenomenal heavenly shows for us. We marveled at a better-than-average meteor shower, peered with glee at a spectacular partial solar eclipse, and howled with a rare “super” lunar eclipse—all in the first month!*

If you’re familiar with astronomy in its most basic forms, you likely know this week’s word. For others, your familiarity with “sunshine,” “moonshine” (in more than one form!), and starshine (though not a dictionary word), will enjoy a little …

EARTHSHINE (urthʹshīn’) n. – the faint illumination of the dark part of the moon by sunlight reflected from the earth. [WW #201]

While we’re speaking strictly astronomical, you know our music has reflected cosmic references since the inception of lyrics.

Popular tunes from “Blue Moon” (1934/1961 internationally, The Marcels) to “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” (1973 Stevie Wonder), often raise our eyes and hearts skyward.

Not romantically wistful or simply reflective in thought, the celebrated Pink Floyd album Dark Side of the Moon asked and answered a more provocative question:

What is “the dark side of the moon”? reply: There is no dark side in the moon, really. Matter of fact, it's all dark. The only thing that makes it look light is the sun.**

Going about our daily lives, it’s easy to take our Universe and all of its incredible bodies for granted. It isn’t necessary to be an astronomer to enjoy a few moments of earthshine or other amazing cosmic wonder. Make it this week’s adventure.

Cosmic notes:

*Meteor showers grace the skies in April, May, and a few other later months; and another total solar eclipse favors only the Southern Hemisphere (not US), July 2^nd. Seasky is one of several sites w/info.

**The third line above, ending Pink Floyd’s “Eclipse,”+ does not appear in posted lyrics sites. Apparently, this is the original version that Gerry O’Driscoll, the doorman at Abbey Road Studios, spoke. +However, this YouTube version with lyrics, does include it.

Earthshine image -- according to Wiki: Leonardo da Vinci's sketch of crescent Moon with earthshine as part of his Codex Leicester, written between 1506 and 1510.

Word Challenge: EARTHSHINE. Add it to your beautiful, spacy thoughts or even create your own musical heavenly tribute, as you work earthshine into your week of far out writings.