Gryphondear's Word of the Day

CHAMPION

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 14:50:57 GMT

Today it's all about the dog. Those who don't want to read about cute dog stuff are excused.

Lloyd's dog, Speedy is a natural menace to impertinent birds, piratical kitties, terrorist squirrels and obstreperous bunnies. He will yank my arm painfully if one of these critters happens to cross our path during our daily walk. He also kills flies, which he traps against the patio door—and snakes. Not that I've actually seen him kill one, but he does this victory dance that involves rolling around on the ground. When I go to see what he is doing, there is a dead snake, bitten nearly through in several places.

Speedy's Victory Dance
Yes, he actually has the snake in his mouth!

Speedy and I went to the first of eight training sessions at PetSmart on Friday. I need the course, because I never paid too much attention while my uncle Marion was training his dogs—who all became models of deportment, and most of whom were sold to people who wanted to own an AKC Champion quality dog.

My uncle was so famous for his training that a prominent family in our town asked him to train their dogs. He declined, saying, "I'll train your dogs when you train your children."

Anyroad, whether Speedy will attain AKC Championship behavior is not the point of the classes. I just want him to learn the usual good-dog repetoire—come, sit, down, stay, pick-it-up, bring-it-here, drop-it, walk-to-heel, on-your-bed, off-the-couch. I would also like him to learn that he is allowed a three-bark limit for strangers and wildlife. That will take some time, but I'm getting a squirt bottle to spray his rump with water when he barks. That will not hurt him, but will startle him into breaking the bark cycle. I understand that a Super-Soaker is better for outside, as it will carry further.

The word of the day for August 24, 2008 is "champion" — Pronunciation: \ˈcham-pē-ən\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin campion-, campio, of West Germanic origin; akin to Old English cempa warrior
Date: 13th century
1: warrior, fighter. 2: a militant advocate or defender [a champion of civil rights]. 3: one that does battle for another's rights or honor [God will raise me up a champion — Sir Walter Scott]. 4: a winner of first prize or first place in competition; also : one who shows marked superiority [a champion at selling].

Our quote for the day is from William Bolitho (1890–1930), British author. “Woodrow Wilson,” Twelve Against the Gods (1930):

Wilson adventured for the whole of the human race. Not as a servant, but as a champion. So pure was this motive, so unflecked with anything that his worst enemies could find, except the mildest and most excusable, a personal vanity, practically the minimum to be human, that in a sense his adventure is that of humanity itself. In Wilson, the whole of mankind breaks camp, sets out from home and wrestles with the universe and its gods.

;^) Jan

Tags: champion

DISAPPOINT

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 20:21:35 GMT

I've decided to put the word of the day at the bottom of the posting with the quote—no reason, just a whim.

Last Sunday Lloyd and I had planned to go to my sister's retirement party. I planned to be gone, at the most, for ten hours—my sister lives about 170 miles away: three hours one-way. Sister said we couldn't bring Speedy, because Sadie, her daughter's dog (a South African ridgeback cross) would already be . As the two dogs had never met, sister didn't want them (or the dogs and Lloyd) to be alone together while we were at the party. Not a problem, I thought. Speedy could stay at home out in his pen. To ease Lloyd's mind, I arranged for the neighbor lady to look occasionally out at Speedy.

As we left the house, Lloyd made a point to look out the patio door at the dog. Speedy was all settled in between the doghouse and his food and water bowls, cooling it. Lloyd got in the car; we drove off. He started this conversation about why the dog had not come with us. I had to repeat the conversation we had had several times over the past week. Maybe I got a little sharp. I don't think so, but Lloyd is very sensitive to being "yelled at." He was sulking by the time we got to Matfield Green Service Area, about 50 miles from home.

I meant to stop for gas before we got on the turnpike, but I got distracted. Theoretically, I had enough gas to get to Olathe, but making the car run on fumes is not a good idea. Anyway, as we were pulling into Matfield Green Service Area, Lloyd asked if I meant to get gas there. No, I said, we'd [I had] already decided that we would stop in Emporia. I just need to use the necessary. Well! Lloyd said he didn't want to get out of the car. So when I got back in, he was looking all pitiful. As I got back on the turnpike, I noticed a tear trickling down his cheek.

"Do you want to turn around and go home," I asked? "It would be best," he said. So he had to wait until I could turn around at the Cattle Pens, because there isn't a closer turn-around. Plus, I had to stop and gas up at Matfield Green, even though gas was fifteen cents more expensive there than it would have been at Emporia. When we got home Speedy was lying in his doghouse, asleep. After getting Lloyd settled, I got take-out barbeque and just as I started back home it started pouring. Ah, well, I drove into the garage, so I didn't get wet.

The word of the day for August 23, 2008 is "disappoint" — dis·ap·point
Pronunciation: \ˌdis-ə-ˈpȯint\
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English disapointen to dispossess, from Middle French desapointer, from des- dis- + appointer to arrange — more at appoint
Date: 15th century
transitive verb : to fail to meet the expectation or hope of : frustrate <the team disappointed its fans> intransitive verb : to cause disappointment <where the show disappoints most is in the work of the younger generation — John Ashbery>.

Our quote for the day is from Alan Beck, “What Is a Husband?” Good Housekeeping Jul 57:

What is a husband? He is the one who, with a touch, can bring back the starlight and glow of years long ago. At least he hopes he can—don’t disappoint him.

;^) Jan

Tags: disappoint

August 2, 2008

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 16:14:48 GMT

The word of the day for August 2, 2008 is "maturity" — noun — 1: the quality or state of being MATURE; especially : full development. 2: termination of the period that an obligation has to run.

Laundry day today. I've been putting it off far too long. People will stop in the street and stare. Speedy (aka Bubbles) will hang his head in shame to be seen with me.

Now that Lloyd's dog is a year old, I have decided that "Bubbles" is not a good name. As Lloyd can't remember the dog's name anyhow, and I find it hard to call, "Here, Bubbles," without snickering, I've decided to call him what Lloyd does—Speedy—a more macho name, even if it does derive from Speed Bump.

Speedy checking for desperate kitties.

Speedy in typical pose atop Lloyd's knees—note one ear up, the other lopping over.

Speedy checking out the aftermath of the Independence Day Celebration

I'm thinking of this name change in line with those cultures in which people have "call names." One does not ask, "What's your name?" One asks, "What may I call you?" When the child goes through the tribe's adulthood ceremony (like the Bar/Bat Mizvah or Confirmation) he receives a new name that means something to him or the tribe. A name change is a good marker for the division between childhood and adulthood. Of course, new expressive names for life changes could get out of hand. "Good morning, Kicks-Tires." "Howdy, Watches-from-the-Corner-Window. How's your hubby doing?" "Oh, Dances-with-Prozac is thinking of cleaning out the garage this weekend."

Our quote for the day is from St. Paul, Bible: New Testament, 1 Corinthians 13:11:

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, Ithought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways.

;^) Jan

GWOTD, August 1, 2008

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 00:38:07 GMT

The word of the day for August 1, 2008 is "palpitation" — noun — : the act or state of beating rapidly and strongly : throb.

Happy Lughnasadh to all you practicing Pagans. Happy Lammas to those who are taking their lambs to be blessed. I suppose you could call this Happy Retirement Day for my sister, Drgns4ever. This is her last day of work at the library, and she has PLANS.

One of my friends and co-workers, Vicki, came over this morning to talk to Jim, who sits next to me. She was hyperventilating and complained of chest pains. He and I talked her into going down to Central Medical, our nearest First Aid Station. The nurses there sent Vicki to the nearest hospital emergency room. Her supervisor's office assistant (that's newspeak for secretary) Teresa, went along for moral support. The emergency room personnel finally gave Vicki a pain killer, which lessened her anxiety level, as well as lessening the pain. Although they are not classing her illness as a heart attack, they are keeping her overnight for observation and further tests. Anyone who wants to add a prayer for Vicki's recovery is welcome. I'm also praying blessings on Jim and Teresa for being there in the time of need.

Our quote for the day is from Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862), U.S. philosopher, author, naturalist. “Civil Disobedience,” originally published as “Resistance to Civil Government” (1849), in The Writings of Henry David Thoreau, vol. 4, p. 358, Houghton Mifflin (1906):

A common and natural result of an undue respect for law is, that you may see a file of soldiers, colonel, captain, corporal, privates, powder-monkeys, and all, marching in admirable order over hill and dale to the wars, against their wills, ay, against their common sense and consciences, which makes it very steep marching indeed, and produces a palpitation of the heart.

;^) Jan

Tags: palpitation

GWOTD, February 30, 2008

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:34:04 GMT

The word of the day for February 30, 2008 is "omnipotent" — adjective 1 often capitalized : almighty 1. 2: having virtually unlimited authority or influence [an omnipotent ruler]. 3 obsolete : arrant.

The date in the header would be correct if Big Julie had kept his hands off the calendar. Of course the calendar was in such bad shape by the time Julius Caesar put his thumbs on it that stealing a day from February to make the month named after him was a very small offense.

The French tried to reorganise the calendar when they had their revolution. They renamed all the months—did away with the names of gods and goddesses—and straightened out the numbering system so the days were more evenly divided between months. For some reason this new system did not stick, whereas, the new Gregorian system which helped remove the precession of the equinox, eventually caught on everywhere European colonialism did. Ah, people—we rejected the new calendar, and the metric system (which my dad always insisted was a Communist plot) has yet to be fully adopted. We don't have a tyrant like Big Julie to enforce a single universal system. C'mon StarDate.

Our quote for the day is from George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950), Anglo-Irish playwright, critic. speech, Jan. 20, 1935, on BBC radio. “Mr. G.B. Shaw on Film Censorship,” The Drama Observed, ed. Bernard F. Dukore, Penn State Press (1993):

The censorship method ... is that of handing the job over to some frail and erring mortal man, and making him omnipotent on the assumption that his official status will make him infallible and omniscient.

;^) Jan

Tags: omnipotent

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:19:06 GMT

The word of the day for July 26, 2008 is "protection" — noun — 1: the act of protecting : the state of being protected. 2 a: one that protects. b: supervision or support of one that is smaller and weaker. c: a contraceptive device (as a condom). 3: the freeing of the producers of a country from foreign competition in their home market by restrictions (as high duties) on foreign competitive goods. 4 a: immunity from prosecution purchased by criminals through bribery. b: money extorted by racketeers posing as a protective association. 5: coverage 1a. 6: anchoring equipment placed in cracks for safety while rock climbing.

Bubbles took on one of the desperate kitties that roam the neighborhood as you can see in the video. I think the people that live behind us feed it. I see it on their patio more than anyplace. It's a male long-hair that occasionally comes over and marks territory on our patio near Bubbles's pen more for a show of force than actual threat. After I went out with the camera, the cat went over the fence between the utility pole and the rose-of-Sharon bush in the neighbor's yard and off toward the street. His attitude made it clear he saw no reason for hurry. The dog is just a minor annoyance. The cat will be back on his own time table.

I'm glad I didn't put the no-bark collar on the dog before letting him out for the confrontation. It depresses Bubbles to have to wear it. If I put him in the pen with it on, he goes and sulks in the dog house. If he has to wear it in the house, he huddles up to Lloyd as if that will keep him from harm. The connection has been made between collar, bark and ouch, but the connection hasn't yet been made between no-bark and no-collar.

Our quote for the day is from Crystal Eastman (1881–1928), U.S. social/political activist and author. “Equality or Protection,” Equal Rights (March 15, 1924). On Women and Revolution, part 1 (1978):

A good deal of tyranny goes by the name of protection.

;^) Jan

Tags: protection

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 20:23:20 GMT

The word of the day for July 20, 2008 is "insect" — noun — 1 a: any of numerous small invertebrate animals (as spiders or centipedes) that are more or less obviously segmented —not used technically. b: any of a class (Insecta) of arthropods (as bugs or bees) with well-defined head, thorax, and abdomen, only three pairs of legs, and typically one or two pairs of wings. 2: a trivial or contemptible person.

Bubbles is laying on the sofa, looking back at me with sad eyes. He has been chasing a fly that got into the house, but having no luck, for the past ten minutes. He jumped up on the loveseat to bat at the fly in the window; then chased the critter across to the sofa and nearly got it when it lighted just below the mirror. He lost it when it flew out into the kitchen area. So he came back in and plopped down on the sofa with his backside to me. I snickered at him, which is why he has turned his reproachful eyes on me. He has chased flies often enough by now that he should know that he cannot catch them. He isn't even good at trapping them behind the patio door vertical blinds. I'm usually able to shoo them out the door before they come to serious harm.

He also likes to chase garter snakes, of which we have an abundance. Fortunately, they don't often get into the house. Bubbles especially likes snakes when they are dead. He rubs his cheeks against them [euwww!!] for some unknown reason. I have been able to get him away from the dead snakes and dispose of the carcases so far. I hope he isn't planning to eat them or bring them into the house. There's only so much I can handle when it comes to snakes.

Our quote for the day is from Samuel Johnson (1709–1784), British author, lexicographer. Quoted in James Boswell, Life of Samuel Johnson, vol. 1 (1934):

A fly, Sir, may sting a stately horse and make him wince; but one is but an insect, and the other is a horse still.

;^) Jan

Tags: insect

GWOTD, JULY 19, 2008

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:15:39 GMT

The word of the day for July 19, 2008 is "shelter" — noun — 1 a: something that covers or affords protection [a bomb shelter]. b: an establishment providing food and shelter (as to the homeless). c: an establishment that houses and feeds stray animals. 2: a position or the state of being covered and protected [took shelter].

Dogs are expensive critters. Not more expensive than children, of course—no college or trade school tuition, just obedience school; no i-pods or Gameboys, just squeeky toys and balls. Still, they do have to be fed, watered, and taken to the vet. They have to have shelter from sun, rain and snow. Even without buying the designer doggy wear available, or even the entirely sensible snow boots, one has to provide collars and leads.

Last weekend, I put together a chainlink pen for Bubbles. The temporary pen, half-covered with a tarp, that I had provided for him was too flimsy to bear the weight of rain or the force of the Kansas wind. Now the pupster has a 5X5X4 pen with a gable roof. This Lucky Dog brand kit, or I should say kits as the roof comes separate, came to us from Jewett-Cameron Lumber Corp through Northland Pet Supply, Inc. The Fed-Ex person put the boxes at the side of the garage, and I easily loaded them onto our little hand truck for the short stretch into the backyard. It took me 2 day to put the thing together as it rained Saturday so that I would no sooner get started than I would have to temporarily abandon the project for the elements. Sunday evening I put the tie-downs around the top of the chainlink, put the wind bracing in place and got the top on properly. It really does keep the dog dry and shaded most of the day. He rather enjoys having a more comfortable place from which to bark at the kitty desperados across the back fence.

Our quote for the day is from Adele Faber (20th century), U.S. parent educator, and Elaine Mazlish, parent educator. How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk, ch. 4 (1980):

Let us be different in our homes. Let us realize that along with food, shelter, and clothing, we have another obligation to our children, and that is to affirm their “rightness.” The whole world will tell them what’s wrong with them—out loud and often. Our job is to let our children know what’s right about them.

;^) Jan

Tags: shelter

GWOTD, July 12, 2008

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:16:41 GMT

The word of the day for July 12, 2008 is "thunder" — noun — 1 : the sound that follows a flash of lightning and is caused by sudden expansion of the air in the path of the electrical discharge. 2 : a loud utterance or threat. 3 : bang, rumble [the thunder of big guns].

So much for getting up early to assemble the new do-it-yourself kennel for the dog. Thunder woke us around 6:00. I put Bubbles out to do the necessary under a pyrotechnic display worthy of the Independence Day celebration just past. He quickly completed his business, came back in and huddled up to Lloyd.

As far as I can tell, the lightning was all cloud-to-cloud, but I still worried a bit because lightning is not predictable. A couple of weeks ago, a Bradford pear down at the corner was struck during a storm. It was somewhat of a wonder that the tree did not fall on the house. The neighbor says he will have to take it down. It's a shame, because that's the third B. pear on that end of the block to be taken down. The first two were in the second yard from the corner. They were damaged severely by ice a few years ago.

Our quote for the day is from Wallace Stevens (1879–1955), U.S. poet. “Landscape with Boat”:

     He brushed away the thunder, then the clouds,
     Then the colossal illusion of heaven. Yet still
     The sky was blue...

;^) Jan

Tags: thunder

GWOTD, 7/8/08 RE: Semi-Pro and The Eye, oh My!

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:41:48 GMT

The word of the day for July 8, 2008 is "distinction" noun 1 a archaic : division. b: class 4. 2: the distinguishing of a difference <without distinction as to race, sex, or religion>; also : the difference distinguished <the distinction between imply and infer>. 3: something that distinguishes <regional distinctions>. 4: the quality or state of being distinguishable <no distinction of facial features in the twins>. 5 a: the quality or state of being distinguished or worthy <a politician of some distinction>. b: special honor or recognition <took a law degree with distinction> <won many distinctions>. c: an accomplishment that sets one apart <the distinction of being the oldest to win the title>.

Dan's take on the portrayal of blind persons Semi-Pro and The Eye, oh My! is interesting. Nowadays in the media nobody can be "normal" anymore. As you say, if they have some perceived handicap--blindness, deafness, skin-color, victimitis--they must have overwhelmingly outstanding jobs/hobbies/looks/talents to compensate. It's like all game show contestants who are stock clerks or soccer moms must by definition also be attending MIT for a degree in nuclear physics or have organized the local SBKomen "Race for the Cure" in their spare time.

I read somewhere that one of the extras on the set of Gordon Park's The Learning Tree was told to sweep the front porch on which she was standing. She was highly offended by this request: The movie she was acting in was about Black people and these hincty people couldn't make her do menial work for love nor money.

Our quote for the day is from Florence King (b. 1936), U.S. humorist, essayist, social critic. Lump It or Leave It, New York, St. Martin’s Press (1990):

As the only class distinction available in a democracy, the college degree has created a caste society as rigid as ancient India’s. Condemning elitism and simultaneously quaking in fear that our children won’t become members of the elite, we send them to college, not to learn, but to “be” college graduates, rationalizing our snobbery with the cliché that high technology has eliminated the need for the manual labor that we secretly hold in contempt.

;^) Jan

Tags: distinction