Hi, all, sorry I've been away so long. Just got my computer back from the doctor at the end of last week, when all hell was breaking loose over RWI's MTM contest. Just google it.
Anyway, I'll be participating in the Blog Hop Against Homophobia on May 17, and as part of the hop, I need to give away something M/M romance related.
So if you're the lucky winner, what would you like to get?
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Saturday, December 31, 2011
A.Word.A.Day drabble – “persnickety”
A.Word.A.Day drabble – 6/22/10: “persnickety”
A Word A Day by Anu Garg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
persnickety
PRONUNCIATION: (puhr-SNIK-i-tee)
MEANING:
adjective:
1. Fussy about minor details.
2. Snobbish.
3. Requiring keen attention to detail, as a job.
ETYMOLOGY:
Variant of pernickety (the spelling still used in the UK). Of unknown origin.
-----------------------------------
“Clean sheets and towels?”
“Of course, that’s the first thing I did.”
“All of the ESPNs unblocked from the DVR?”
“Yes, but how many football games can one man watch, anyway?”
“I don’t know; he’s your father. What else, what else....Hypo-allergenic soap in the bathroom, decaf coffee and six different kinds of bran cereal in the kitchen....”
“Would you please relax and stop being so persnickety! They’re just my parents.”
“Just your parents. Just your parents! Are you kidding me?”
“They’ll love you. Because I do.”
“Oh. That’s so sweet. Now, go mop the garage floor before they get here.”
A Word A Day by Anu Garg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
persnickety
PRONUNCIATION: (puhr-SNIK-i-tee)
MEANING:
adjective:
1. Fussy about minor details.
2. Snobbish.
3. Requiring keen attention to detail, as a job.
ETYMOLOGY:
Variant of pernickety (the spelling still used in the UK). Of unknown origin.
-----------------------------------
“Clean sheets and towels?”
“Of course, that’s the first thing I did.”
“All of the ESPNs unblocked from the DVR?”
“Yes, but how many football games can one man watch, anyway?”
“I don’t know; he’s your father. What else, what else....Hypo-allergenic soap in the bathroom, decaf coffee and six different kinds of bran cereal in the kitchen....”
“Would you please relax and stop being so persnickety! They’re just my parents.”
“Just your parents. Just your parents! Are you kidding me?”
“They’ll love you. Because I do.”
“Oh. That’s so sweet. Now, go mop the garage floor before they get here.”
A.Word.A.Day drabble – “weathercock”
A.Word.A.Day drabble – 6/21/10: “weathercock”
A Word A Day by Anu Garg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The French writer and philosopher Albert Camus once said, "Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal." Can you recognize people like that around you? This week's words will help you describe them.
weathercock
PRONUNCIATION: (WETH-uhr kok)
MEANING:
noun:
1. A weathervane, especially one with the figure of a rooster on it.
2. One who changes readily or often.
ETYMOLOGY:
From weather + cock.
NOTES:
The words weathercock/weathervane are especially suitable for politicians who change according to prevailing winds. Quebec's legislature has gone so far as to impose a ban on their use.
----------------------------------------------
“Black T-shirt, three o’clock. So hot.”
“Agreed. You should go for it.”
“No, he’s talking to that blond guy. What about the guy in the red shirt?”
“Ooh, yeah, spicy.”
“No, now all I can think of is the red-shirts from Star Trek.”
“That’s true.”
“There’s Martin, he’s single.”
“And cute.”
“You called him ‘Martin the Martian’ the last time we were here.”
“Did I?”
“You know, you’re supposed to be helping me pick someone to hit on.”
“I am! I’m being supportive! It’s not my fault you’re such a weathercock.”
“Well, if I’m a weathercock, then you’re a weathercocktease.”
A Word A Day by Anu Garg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The French writer and philosopher Albert Camus once said, "Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal." Can you recognize people like that around you? This week's words will help you describe them.
weathercock
PRONUNCIATION: (WETH-uhr kok)
MEANING:
noun:
1. A weathervane, especially one with the figure of a rooster on it.
2. One who changes readily or often.
ETYMOLOGY:
From weather + cock.
NOTES:
The words weathercock/weathervane are especially suitable for politicians who change according to prevailing winds. Quebec's legislature has gone so far as to impose a ban on their use.
----------------------------------------------
“Black T-shirt, three o’clock. So hot.”
“Agreed. You should go for it.”
“No, he’s talking to that blond guy. What about the guy in the red shirt?”
“Ooh, yeah, spicy.”
“No, now all I can think of is the red-shirts from Star Trek.”
“That’s true.”
“There’s Martin, he’s single.”
“And cute.”
“You called him ‘Martin the Martian’ the last time we were here.”
“Did I?”
“You know, you’re supposed to be helping me pick someone to hit on.”
“I am! I’m being supportive! It’s not my fault you’re such a weathercock.”
“Well, if I’m a weathercock, then you’re a weathercocktease.”
Friday, December 30, 2011
AWAD serial, part 4: nimbus (warning for f-word)
A.Word.A.Day drabble – 6/18/10: “nimbus”
A Word A Day by Anu Garg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
nimbus
PRONUNCIATION: (NIM-buhs), plural: nimbi or nimbuses
MEANING:
noun:
1. A rain cloud.
2. A halo or aura around the head of a person depicted in a piece of art.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin nimbus (cloud). Ultimately from the Indo-European root nebh- (cloud) that is also the source of nebula, nephometer (a device used in measuring the amount of cloud cover), and Sanskrit nabh (sky).
-----------------------------------
He’d put his kids on the plane back to their mother an hour ago. Now he was home again, alone, a dark nimbus of self-pity hanging overhead. And he was out of beer.
The cashier at the convenience store smiled and flashed her cleavage when he came in. He nodded and wandered towards the cooler.
When he went to pay, she was talking to some swishy guy who was telling a story about “Michael and Tommy and Nigel.”
The word just slipped out.
“Excuse me?” the guy said.
“Did you just call him a fag?” asked the cashier. “Get out.”
A Word A Day by Anu Garg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
nimbus
PRONUNCIATION: (NIM-buhs), plural: nimbi or nimbuses
MEANING:
noun:
1. A rain cloud.
2. A halo or aura around the head of a person depicted in a piece of art.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin nimbus (cloud). Ultimately from the Indo-European root nebh- (cloud) that is also the source of nebula, nephometer (a device used in measuring the amount of cloud cover), and Sanskrit nabh (sky).
-----------------------------------
He’d put his kids on the plane back to their mother an hour ago. Now he was home again, alone, a dark nimbus of self-pity hanging overhead. And he was out of beer.
The cashier at the convenience store smiled and flashed her cleavage when he came in. He nodded and wandered towards the cooler.
When he went to pay, she was talking to some swishy guy who was telling a story about “Michael and Tommy and Nigel.”
The word just slipped out.
“Excuse me?” the guy said.
“Did you just call him a fag?” asked the cashier. “Get out.”
A.Word.A.Day drabble – “pluvial”
A.Word.A.Day drabble – 6/17/10: “pluvial”
A Word A Day by Anu Garg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
pluvial
PRONUNCIATION: (PLOO-vee-uhl)
MEANING:
adjective: Of or relating to rain, especially much rain.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin pluvia (rain), from pluere (to rain). Ultimately from the Indo-European root pleu- (to flow), that is also the source of flow, float, flit, fly, flutter, pulmonary, and pneumonia.
----------------------
I had to cheat a bit and use google for this one. Sort of a follow up to "virga".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Well, you got your rain.”
“It’s definitely not as romantic as the song.”
“Especially when you can’t get home due to the pluvial flooding.”
“What the heck does that mean?”
“It means that when it rains, this road is underwater.”
“You could have just said that.”
“I was trying to impress you with my big vocabulary.”
“And I just wanted to get you home so I could impress you with my big...vocabulary. But the pluvial flooding has put a pluvial wrench into the works.”
“Um...you could come to my place.”
“Really? Are you sure?”
“Yeah. Consider it an olive branch.”
A Word A Day by Anu Garg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
pluvial
PRONUNCIATION: (PLOO-vee-uhl)
MEANING:
adjective: Of or relating to rain, especially much rain.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin pluvia (rain), from pluere (to rain). Ultimately from the Indo-European root pleu- (to flow), that is also the source of flow, float, flit, fly, flutter, pulmonary, and pneumonia.
----------------------
I had to cheat a bit and use google for this one. Sort of a follow up to "virga".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Well, you got your rain.”
“It’s definitely not as romantic as the song.”
“Especially when you can’t get home due to the pluvial flooding.”
“What the heck does that mean?”
“It means that when it rains, this road is underwater.”
“You could have just said that.”
“I was trying to impress you with my big vocabulary.”
“And I just wanted to get you home so I could impress you with my big...vocabulary. But the pluvial flooding has put a pluvial wrench into the works.”
“Um...you could come to my place.”
“Really? Are you sure?”
“Yeah. Consider it an olive branch.”
AWAD serial, part 3: El Niño
A.Word.A.Day drabble – 6/16/10: “El Niño”
A Word A Day by Anu Garg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
El Niño or El Nino
PRONUNCIATION: (el NEEN-yo)
MEANING:
noun: A weather phenomenon characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Spanish El Niño, literally "The Boy Child", referring to Baby Jesus as El Niño phenomenon is noticed near Christmas.
NOTES:
El Niño, which occurs every three to seven years, is marked by warm sea surface temperature along the coast of Ecuador and Peru in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Its effects on weather are observed around the globe. A counter part is La Niña "The Girl Child" in which unusually cold ocean temperatures are observed in the Equatorial Pacific.
-----------------------
Even the weather hated him. He was alone and depressed, and normally at this time of year the weather would have justified that mood. But El Niño had to go and wreck it by giving him sun, blue skies, and a soft breeze instead of clouds and drizzle.
Well, he sure as hell wasn’t going to enjoy it. He grabbed a beer out of the fridge, popped the cap off, and went to sit on the porch. If Miss Rhonda across the street didn’t want to see him drinking at eleven in the morning, she could shut her damn curtains.
A Word A Day by Anu Garg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
El Niño or El Nino
PRONUNCIATION: (el NEEN-yo)
MEANING:
noun: A weather phenomenon characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Spanish El Niño, literally "The Boy Child", referring to Baby Jesus as El Niño phenomenon is noticed near Christmas.
NOTES:
El Niño, which occurs every three to seven years, is marked by warm sea surface temperature along the coast of Ecuador and Peru in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Its effects on weather are observed around the globe. A counter part is La Niña "The Girl Child" in which unusually cold ocean temperatures are observed in the Equatorial Pacific.
-----------------------
Even the weather hated him. He was alone and depressed, and normally at this time of year the weather would have justified that mood. But El Niño had to go and wreck it by giving him sun, blue skies, and a soft breeze instead of clouds and drizzle.
Well, he sure as hell wasn’t going to enjoy it. He grabbed a beer out of the fridge, popped the cap off, and went to sit on the porch. If Miss Rhonda across the street didn’t want to see him drinking at eleven in the morning, she could shut her damn curtains.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
A.Word.A.Day drabble – “virga”
A.Word.A.Day drabble – 6/15/10: “virga”
A Word A Day by Anu Garg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
virga
PRONUNCIATION: (VUHR-guh)
MEANING:
noun: Rain or snow that evaporates before hitting the ground.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin virga (rod, streak).
------------------------------
“You know that old song, “Laughter In The Rain’?”
“No.”
“Infant,” Chris sneered, and Alec laughed. “I used to look forward to the rainy day when I could be ‘waaalkin’ hand in hand with the one I love’,” he sang. “But I’ve begun to doubt that’s ever going to happen.”
Alec felt like he’d been kicked in the stomach. Forcing a smile, he said, “You’re usually so optimistic.”
Chris squeezed his hand. “No, it’s just that Phoenix gets more virga than actual rain.”
“And staying dry is somehow less romantic than being drenched?”
“Well, when you put it that way....”
A Word A Day by Anu Garg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
virga
PRONUNCIATION: (VUHR-guh)
MEANING:
noun: Rain or snow that evaporates before hitting the ground.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin virga (rod, streak).
------------------------------
“You know that old song, “Laughter In The Rain’?”
“No.”
“Infant,” Chris sneered, and Alec laughed. “I used to look forward to the rainy day when I could be ‘waaalkin’ hand in hand with the one I love’,” he sang. “But I’ve begun to doubt that’s ever going to happen.”
Alec felt like he’d been kicked in the stomach. Forcing a smile, he said, “You’re usually so optimistic.”
Chris squeezed his hand. “No, it’s just that Phoenix gets more virga than actual rain.”
“And staying dry is somehow less romantic than being drenched?”
“Well, when you put it that way....”
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