Gorgonize – Wordplay Wednesday™ 10/23/2019

Her Stare would Freeze Jello 

‘Tis the Season of the Witch, ya-all. What’s your vision of a witch? Wicked Witch of the West or sparkly Glinda, Good Witch of the North?* Of course, there are male witches too—but Season of the Warlock just doesn’t have the same spooky ring (and wasn’t a cool song by Donovan). (*From Wizard of Oz, the best witchy movie to watch this time of year.)

For some of us, our witchy woman character with the petrifying scowl didn’t come from a movie or Halloween costume. She influenced our childhood as a family or friend alter-ego …

GORGONIZE (gôrʹgɘn īz’) vt. – to petrify or stupefy, as with a look. [WW #239]

1895 by Carlos Schwabe

Any of three Greek mythology sisters with snakes for hair, known as the Gorgons is likely responsible for this mind-freezing word. Did you know Medusa had two sisters? One look from Stheno (sthee-noh), Euryale (yoo-rye-uh-lee) or the famed Medusa, caused such horror that the beholder instantly turned to stone. Gorgonize at its worst.

While the Greeks feared the Gorgon, my pillar of stone happened when my angered mother turned her flashing black eyes on us … trust me, we froze! Of course, never able to stay irritated with us long, she softened quickly. Nevertheless, we felt the gorgonizing tingle of her glare.

Throughout the centuries, witches, warlocks, and sorcerers have shared a reputation for a gorgonizing stare that can stop you in your tracks. Or turn you into a stone pillar. Or fixate on your mind with an image of horror.

Oooooohhhh, lighten up! Are we spooked yet? If gorgonizing doesn’t do it for your inner horror being this week, perhaps next week’s final spooky word will make you quake in your boots—or sandals, or slippers, or—but I digress.

Word Challenge: GORGONIZE. A horrifyingly fun word to slip into your casual Halloween conversation, or gorgonizing week of malevolent writings.

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!

Wicked Witch of the West       

@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. 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!]

Note: Dictionary definitions are quoted from Webster’s New World College Dictionary.

Endnote: FYI – All links in the PFP site are personally visited, verified, and vetted. Most are linked to commonly accessed sites of reputable note. However, as with everything cyber-security, use at your own discretion.

E-N-Dzzzzzzzz  

Sortilege – Wordplay Wednesday™ 10/16/2019

There is No Magic when you Cease to Believe 

There is more magic in the air—white and black—on Halloween than any other day of the year. And it has been that way since before we carved cute pumpkins and bobbed for apples …

SORTILEGE (sôrtʹɘ lij) n. – 1) divination or prophecy by casting lots; 2) sorcery, black magic. [WW #238]

What the dictionary doesn’t mention is how ancient sortilege is, and how once, the casting of lots* served as a way to make many political and religious decisions, from the selection of land plots, to choosing a pope.

Leaning toward the sorcery side of things, ancient Romans foretold fortunes through the *casting of lots—items which have varied over the centuries. The East Asian divination of I Ching often involves the use of carved coins or sticks of the yarrow plant. Primal traditions in many civilizations granted tribes fortunes of land, decided by sortilege.

Moving on to more modern times, in 1606 Shakespeare gave his Macbeth plot a witchy element foretelling the ambitious Macbeth’s tragic future by a trio of witches, “Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble!” Sorcery at its playhouse best.

What do we still do that is a form of sortilege? Flipping a coin at every NFL game to see who first receives control of the ball. And you thought it was an outdated form of determining “the Gods’ will”!

But for Wordplay Wednesday, we’re declaring sortilege for Halloween, with a twist. Since we prefer white magic to black, we think sortilege should forecast a wickedly fun time for all.

Add a little Irish to it and cast your Ogham staves for family and friends entertainment.

Word Challenge: SORTILEGE. Whatever you’re writing, book, blog, or autobiography, give it some magic as you slip sortilege into your week of divine writings.

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!

Wicked Witch of the West       

@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. 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!]

Note: Dictionary definitions are quoted from Webster’s New World College Dictionary.

Endnote: FYI – All links in the PFP site are personally visited, verified, and vetted. Most are linked to commonly accessed sites of reputable note. However, as with everything cyber-security, use at your own discretion.

E-N-Dzzzzzzzz