Can I Make Up a Word?

I speak of the
pompatus of love.
- "The Joker"



Welcome to Amaze-ing Words Wednesday! There are two kinds of people in the world: Those who believe that Steve Miller is super-cool for making up a word - “pompatus” [of love] - and those who think Steve Miller was being silly.

It would be convenient at times to simply make up your own words. For instance, if you are writing a poem or a song, it might help to invent a word to better rhyme with another word. You might need something to rhyme with "angst" (nothing does).

When attempting to avoid cussing (for whatever reason), it might be nice to call someone a “kerpluk,” which you have personally decided means “you dim-witted, selfish, son of a #!*%*.” (If my mom is reading this, that was "son of a gun.”)

Moreover, you may have discovered some item or concept that has yet to be labeled. After all, what do you call that string of dead bugs which gather between your carpet and baseboard? If it happens often to enough people, maybe someone should invent a word for it.

I think the pompatus of love sounds delightful. I don't know what it means and don't need to (although The Straight Dope has a good article on its origin). The word is just fun to say and to sing.

Made-up words yet to be officially defined or commonly used are neologisms. The Washington Post hosts neologism contests through The Style Invitational. They invite readers to submit invented words based on some concept and parameters (for instance, using foreign words) and then choose winners from among the entries.

Some winners and runners-up of the contest are featured below:

Cogito ergo bum: Sudden realization of graduating philosophy majors.

Fit accompli: When the screaming 2-year-old finally gets the cookie.

Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it’s like, a serious bummer.

Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn’t get it.

The New York Times also printed a few neologisms in March 2011, including the following words that you might wish to add to your vocabulary:

Centrovert: One who is slightly introvert and slightly extrovert and is thus ideally suited for mediation, negotiation and collaboration.

Disposophobia: A sesquipedalian term for hoarding.

Sheening: To behave like Charlie Sheen – partying, questionable decision making and public humiliation.

Rice University keeps a Neologisms Database (compiled by ENGL215/LING215 students). Here are some of their entries:

Aberzombie: One who wears only clothing from the Abercrombie clothing store and is viewed as lacking in unique personality or independent taste in style.

Pirattitude: To act like a stereotypical pirate, by singing chanties and engaging in other such activities.

Sweaxy: The feeling of having an attractive glow of good health after exercising.

The University of Pennsylvania maintains a website called the Language Log which also notes neologisms as they appear in our language, such as:

Scrobble: To kidnap or capture, such as media that you shouldn't be pirating.

Sportspocalypse. The month packed with sports video game releases; a showdown of licensed sports titles.

Additionally, I hear slang terms all of the time which make no sense to me, so I head over to the Urban Dictionary to look them up. These are words which people have made up or heard and then written their own definition for. Top entries as I write this post include:

Carnevoyeur: A vegetarian who derives satisfaction from watching other people eat meat or hearing about the eating of meat.

Chiptease: When you buy a bag of chips thinking that it will be full of chips, but when you open the bag it's barely full.

Manolescent: A man of any age that shirks adult responsibilities.

Some neologisms have crept into my own vocabulary, such as "staycation” and “cringeworthy.” Yet I want to invent my own word. Something filled with meaning, beneficial to humankind, and lasting in its impact (Shakespeare coined words, you know). Living with three guys (hubby and two sons), I believe I've come up with a few good ones:

Legonavigate: To pick out a path and walk around Legos strewn across the floor in an effort to keep from stepping on those building blocks and cursing the Danish. “I had to Legonavigate his room to reach the dresser.”

Pyrecreation: Setting things on fire – such as paper, twigs, crackers, Cheetos, etc. - for recreational amusement. “Our sons are engaged in pyrecreation with the fire pit on the back porch.”

Spocktacular: A statement or action revealing the overly analytical nature of a person such that they should be compared to the Star Trek Vulcan. “Dude, that was Spocktacular!”

So what do you think? Which of the above neologisms do you like? What neologisms can you offer? Have you heard any great ones lately?

I Like You, But I Hate Your Politics

It's Deep-Fried Friday, and my crunchy/juicy topic is politics! Am I crazy or what? Wait, read on.

News programs are already abuzz with constant discussion about the next President of the United States. From now until next November, presidential candidates, political pundits, media outlets, blogs, co-workers, friends, and neighbors will be discussing Election 2012.

I am blessed to live in a country where we can elect our leaders and speak freely about our political opinions, regardless of how astute or loony they might be. However, I recently threw up a post on my personal Facebook page with what I thought was a rather tame political comment, and a flurry of comments ensued. After things turned too sharp-tongued for my taste, I deleted my post and ceased the conversation.

What I realized is that I love my family and friends too much to start arguments over politics. I know people left of center, right of center, smack-dab in the middle, and so far left or right that the mere sight of each other might cause a fist fight.

The reality is that most of us care about our country, our families, and our communities. We want the best for all of them. We work hard, pay our taxes, give to charity and/or volunteer, and try to raise good kids with values. We happen to have a wide variety of ideas for the role of government in all of that.

It's wise to avoid stereotypes, name-calling, and yelling if you decide to discuss politics with a family or friend. Before you even start that conversation, ask what you’re trying to achieve. Do you merely want them to understand your position? Are you trying to persuade them? What is the likelihood of being able to make headway or find areas of consensus with this person? Is it worth it?

Three more things to remember as we edge closer and closer to choosing our next president and other leaders of our nation, states, and local governments:

Start making a difference where you are. Since we all want the good of our nation and society (however we think we can achieve it), we can start where we are. Volunteer at your local school, a charity, or even a political campaign, if you are moved in that direction. Consider giving money to a charity that represents your priorities – whether an animal rights organization, a cancer research fund, or a military family assistance project. Check out Amber West's #gowithoutcampaign.

If you know of someone in need, cook them a meal, lend an ear, or slip them a few bucks. Be sure to cast your vote whenever elections occur in your area, but go an extra step and do something tangible to make our country better by reaching out in your own area.

Remember that people are more than their politics. Unless your life is devoted to lobbying for a specific cause, you are likely engaged in plenty of other activities non-political. You take your kids to little league games or dance lessons, see the newest films or TV shows on the weekend, hobnob with co-workers at a restaurant after work, or head to the lake or beach.

Guess what? Those people sitting next to you, interacting with you, or acting on the screen for you do not all share your politics, and yet they are part of making life enjoyable. You really don’t know how each and every delightful person you come across voted in the last election. And you might be surprised if you discovered who voted for whom; it isn't always what you predict.

Treat others with civility, respect, and kindness. The surest way to have a society none of us wants to live in? Start verbal and physical brawls with everyone around who differentiates from your brilliantly-composed viewpoint. The ends do not justify the means.

You may be right, but if you are a complete jerk about it, few people will be persuaded by you and many won’t want to hang out with you. Yes, it is possible to passionately state your views, and I’m in favor of that. I am talking here about descending into name-calling (e.g., “idiot”), applying negative adjectives at will to their intentions (e.g., “heartless”), or labeling (e.g., “Nazi”). It’s the principle I tell my kids often: Treat others they way you want to be treated. (Yes, that's the “Golden Rule”!) Stephen Covey, author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, also says it well with the habit of “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”

This gets us nowhere.

By all means, slap a bumper sticker and a sign in your yard touting your favorite candidate. Call into a talk show and give your two cents. Write your congressman and let them know what you think about this bill or that one.

But if you want to have a lovely Thanksgiving, I suggest sticking to the topics of fond family reminiscing, cute things your kids are doing, Black Friday shopping, and sports. Then again, if you live in Texas where I am and have fans of Texas A&M and the University of Texas present, you might end up with an even bigger brawl on your hands.

So what do you think is the secret to keeping good relationships with people whose politics make you want to scream? Have you ever had a bad experience with family and friends when you discuss elections or policies? How do you handle it?

By the way, I'm happy to support the campaign of Piper Bayard-Kristen Lamb for Election 2012. These authors got it goin' on.

A Lesson with Miss Pronunciation

"Listen up, class."
-Miss Pronunciation

It's time for AMAZE-ing Words Wednesday! Today’s word lesson will be taught by renowned language arts instructor, Miss Pronunciation. Miss Pronunciation will present the incorrect and correct ways of articulating some commonly mispronounced words in the English language. Without further ado, I hand our virtual classroom over to Miss Pronunciation.

AUTHOR

Arthur is a lovable aardvark featured in children’s books by Marc Brown and the PBS series of the same name and/or Dudley’s Moore drunken character from the movie Arthur (1981) which co-starred Liza Minnelli and gave John Gielgud a Supporting Actor Oscar. An author writes books. Please do not confuse the two.

ASK

An axe is a tool wielded for cutting down trees or butchering family members (e.g., Lizzie Borden). To ask is to inquire, query, request information.

ATHLETE

An ath-a-lete does not exist. Unfortunately, the additional syllable is often added by those simply unaware of the proper two-syllable version, athlete, or by such athletes who have been knocked in the head too many times.

ET CETERA

I believe that Excetera, or Ekcetera, is Superhero Elektra’s younger sister whose ninja skills didn’t quite make the cut to get her own comic line. Et cetera, pronounced [et set-er-uh], is the Latin phrase meaning “and so on” and is used to indicate more items in a list without naming them specifically.

Pic from Kevin at deviantart.com

IDEA

An ideal is a standard of perfection or excellence, while an idea is a notion or thought which pops into your mind like that light bulb above the cartoon character's head. What would be ideal is for people to pronounce idea without the added “l” since it is rather unnecessary and somewhat confusing.

LIBRARY

Libary is the command given to your dog Barry when you wish him to play dead for the amusement of your neighbors. A library (note the "r") is a public institution which collects and loans out books to residents who go the trouble of procuring a library card.

New York Public Library

MISCHIEVOUS

Mischievous is a word almost no one knows how to say. However, it does not have an ē sound anywhere in the word (no mischievEEous). Those who mispronounce it demonstrate a mischievousness all their own. Personally, Miss Pronunciation believes that the problem could easily be avoided by changing the spelling of this word altogether to mischuhvus.

PICTURE

A pitcher is what one uses to pour liquids into cups and glasses, as in “Bring me and my buddies another pitcher of beer!” If, however, you have too many pitchers, you and your friends will not be a pretty picture for long. Not only will your speech slur such that you can no longer get a “k” sound in before the “ch,” but nearby tables will ask you to leave or call the cab for you. (Drink responsibly. Or not at all.)

Johannes Vermeer's The Milkmaid
A piCture with a piTcher

SPECIFIC

The Pacific is an ocean or the region of islands in that ocean. Specific is something identifiable and particular. You may wish to be more specific in using this word by making sure that you include the requisite “s."

SUPPOSEDLY

If the good-looking guy across the hall asks whether you get ESPN because he wants to watch the game at your place, do not answer “Supposably I do.” That will be the last “I do” you say to him if he possesses pronunciation skills. In fact, he will supposedly find another young lady in the apartment building whose couch is comfortable and whose speech is clear. “Oh well,” you say, “I didn’t want a sports-obsessed couch potato anyway!” Perhaps, but you might want to shift that “b” to a “d” just in case the guy you adore wants to know if the Caribbean cruise passes through Acapulco, to which you would say, “Supposedly” as you pack your carry-on to join him.

Miss Pronunciation thanks you for your attention and hopes that this lesson has been enlightening and entertaining.

What other words have you heard mispronounced? Do you struggle with certain word pronunciations yourself? (Undoubtably Undoubtedly, it can be hard to break a habit!)

Why I Walk for the Cure

It's Deep-Fried Friday, when I post something that I hope is juicy enough to think about with a nice crunch to it as you read. Today I'm talking again about breast cancer in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Last Saturday, on October 1, I pinned Race #21911 onto my pink-ribboned t-shirt and walked 3.1 miles through downtown Houston and adjacent neighborhoods. I was joined by 38,000 runners and walkers, most attired in pink as well. The annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure has been in Houston for 20 years. I have participated for the last eight.

Here is why I walk:

My Grandmother. My grandmother was larger than life. She had an opinion about everything and shared it in no uncertain terms. In the 1920s, she graduated salutatorian from her high school, attended college (rare for women in those times), and taught in a one-room schoolhouse. Her courtship with my grandfather began as pen pals; she lived in Tennessee, and he in Florida. They met once before he proposed by letter and mailed her an engagement ring. They were married for more than 50 years.

My grandmother about a year
before her death

My grandma was always curious, active, and learning. She walked everywhere – albeit as slow as a snail – and took a computer class in her 80's because she wanted to know something about this new technology of the PC. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a mastectomy at age 80. A few years later, she had severe abdominal issues, and it was presumed that the breast cancer had metastasized; however, she refused to have tests to confirm that. As she explained to the doctor, “I know I'm dying, you know I'm dying, and I'm ready to go see God and Russell [her husband].” She died in January 1991 at age 86.

My Mother. My mom is great at everything. (Seriously, I'm still trying to figure out what she stinks at.) Growing up, I recall her cooking delicious meals, sewing Halloween costumes and prom dresses, doing embroidery projects that looked the same in the front and the back, having the answer to any question off the top of her head or with a bit of research (mind you, pre-internet), singing beautifully, and tinkling the ivories like a concert pianist (“Malagueña” never sounded so good!). Anything she wasn't good at, she didn't like doing anyway (like shopping).


Walking with my mom for the cure

My practicality and information-gathering probably comes from my mom. We also share a love of music, even though I can't begin to play the piano (Why did I quit lessons?). But Mom is best at doing what moms do: Supporting her kids. When I finally revealed that I had written a novel, the first words out of her mouth were, “It's about time.” Really? How did she know I had it in me when I didn't know? My mother is a breast cancer survivor and a vibrant woman in every way. She has joined me on some of those walks, and it has been my pleasure to celebrate her.

My Best Friend. When I moved to Houston, one of my first contacts was Paula. I met her at church, and she invited my husband and me to join her, her husband, and other couples for dinner. Over time, our friendship deepened. We shared our Christian faith and a love of grammar, Barry Manilow, and profound topics. When she revealed that she had a lump in her breast, I responded that it was probably nothing. Yet she was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer.

Our team name:
Paula's Circle of Friends

The next five years were a fight for her life. Without M.D. Anderson, the support of others, and her intense desire to raise her daughter as long as possible, she would have been gone quickly. Still, a few months before her 40th birthday, she died. I was with her several hours before her death. We all miss her.

By the way, I kick myself about her obituary. I was tasked to proofread it, as Paula would have expected. It ended up reading “proceeded in death by” instead of “preceded in death by.” Good heavens, did I think there was a parade of people heading to the pearly gates? Oh well, I think she forgives me.

My Friends. I have had several other friends who have dealt with breast cancer – ladies I've met through college, church, Little League, church camp, and elsewhere. My heart breaks when I hear of another woman who must wonder about the fate of her breasts and, more importantly, her life. These women remain in my thoughts and prayers.

As I put one foot in front of another at the Komen Race for the Cure, I am reminded of these women. I walk in their memory and in their honor. I remember all of their beauty – even when they were breastless, hairless, or pale from chemotherapy. I know that what I do is so very small – a few blocks of traipsing – but it is a day to remember, a day to raise money for the fight, and a day to celebrate life.

What charity do you support and why? What does it mean to you? Why do you give of your time or your money?

The Breast Way to Describe It

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month! This is a cause close to my heart. In honor of the fight against breast cancer, both of my posts this week will address it.

Today, though, is AMAZE-ing Words Wednesday, when I feature something fun or interesting about language. The first time I participated in a Race for the Cure in 2004, I was amazed by the creativity in team names and t-shirts. Those mammary glands have a LOT of different words to describe them. With so many possibilities, people go a little crazy with the attire and t-shirts worn to breast cancer awareness events.

Before sharing some, I know that some people feel that humorous slogans trivialize the threat and pain of this disease. Having known several people who have been through breast cancer, I have seen that a sense of humor in the face of hardship can be helpful for getting through. I appreciate how we can use language to cheer ourselves up even in the worst of times.

So without further ado, here are some clever team names from this year's Houston walk:

Bad Mamma(ry) Jammas

Bonkers for Honkers

Boobie Brigade

Bosom Buddies

Breast Friends Forever

Chemo Sabes

Cowgirls Kickin' Cancer

Fight Like a Girl

For the Girls!

Good Better Breast

Hakuna Ma Tata

Heal the hOOters

Hugs for Jugs

Mommies for Mammaries

Pairatroopers

Peek a Boobies

Pink Ladies

Pretty in Pink

The Rack Pack

Rock Your Rack

Rockers for Knockers

Save the TaTas

Stop the War in My Rack

Team Twin Peaks

Thanks for the Mammaries

The Boobie Bunch

Treasure Chests

Victorious Secret

I've also seen some funny t-shirts as well. The one a young lady was wearing this year that caught our eye was:

No, They're Not Real
(the real ones tried to kill me)
Available from CafePress.com

Note to my lady friends: Be sure to perform self-exams and get mammograms regularly, as early detection is key to saving lives and fighting this battle.

Have you ever participated in a charity with a team? Did you come up with a team name? What was it? What other interesting team names or t-shirts have you seen?

Revamping My Blog

Friday is the day I’ve been posting on the topic of fiction – talking about vampire books, classic books, celebrity writers, author franchises, and more. Not today. I have an announcement: I'm revamping my blog!

One fabulous feature of a blog is flexibility. Unlike a book, where your plot better stay on track from the prologue to page 343, you can meander a bit. It's like taking a nature hike and seeing a trail off to the side. Are you the kind of person who thinks, “I wonder where that leads to”? Well, I am. I wondered about doing something different and decided to give it a try.

Next week, there will be a new background, a tag line, and a change to my posting schedule. I'll be blogging twice a week – on Wednesdays and Fridays.

First, however, why do I blog at all? For me, blogging has a few purposes:

Flexes the writing muscles. I write novels. That’s my job. If the novel is a marathon, blogging is a refreshing jog around the block. Like crafting a book, blog posts require an idea, research, organization, and delivery of words on a page (okay, screen). It’s a shorter run, but it keeps me on top of writing. After all, runners run and writers write. It’s what we like to do.

A conduit for information. Through others' blogs, I've discovered what's worth a watch on TV (Tiffany A. White), fascinating true crime and paranormal stories (Catie Rhodes), social media tips (Kristen Lamb), and much, much more! When you visit my blog, I hope you learn something, get a different perspective, or refresh a memory. I like sharing information.

Helps you get to know me. I’m not that interesting of a person, and since I spend a lot of my time slamming keys on a laptop, perhaps you’d do better to hang out with Lady Gaga or Tiger Woods for a good time. However, like most readers I enjoy getting to know authors and friends better, and reading their blogs helps me to do that. So here I am, hoping that I can say something worth reading a couple of times a week.

Helps me get to know you. By tracking which posts get a lot of hits and perusing comments left on the blog, I get to know y'all. In fact, one of the best things about blogging is that it opens up an avenue for conversation. I like reading through blog comments and finding a chat between readers. It feels like a virtual coffee shop where I brought up a topic and friends weighed in one at a time. I’ll have virtual mocha latte now (I hate real coffee).

Allows me to sound off. Let’s face it: We like to say what we think. Through blogging, I can highlight topics I find interesting or lessons I’ve learned or books I’ve read. People are interesting, and what they think can be interesting. I’m talking people in general here, so maybe I’m not as entertaining as Glee or your cousin’s Cheetos-up-the-nose trick. Yet trading ideas can be a stimulating experience.

So what do I find interesting? What makes me interesting? I'll be blogging twice a week with these themes:

Amazing Words Wednesday – Same as my usual Wednesday Words with a new title. All about words, grammar, and the fun of language! These are not posts from a cranky red-pen-gripping grammar purist (although I do enjoy proofreading). Instead, my posts have covered word wonders like Tom Swifties, The Perfect Comeback, and Tongue Twisters! A couple of weeks ago, I traced the origins of Rock Band Names. Language is cool, huh?

Deep-Fried Friday – On Fridays, I’ll be writing about whatever strikes my fancy. And by “fancy,” I mean fiction, movies, television, flashbacks to the past (like my 1980's Quiz and my 1990's Quiz), and other culture and people-watching topics. Why call it “Deep-Fried Friday”? Growing up in Texas, I recognize that everything is better deep-fried. Chicken fried steak, fried okra, hush puppies, fried shrimp, French fries, fried turkey for Thanksgiving, and so on. Hopefully, these Friday posts will be deep-fried thoughts – my juicy ideas with a crunchy exterior you can sink your teeth into!

Threadgills, Austin, Texas
World Famous Chicken-Fried Sirloin

What do you think? Have you chosen themes for your blog? What topics do you cover and why? What inspires you to blog?

Town Names: Welcome to Hell

In a former post, I talked about the importance of our own names. But today, I want to highlight fascinating names of towns around the good ol’ U.S.A.  While only two people are typically involved in naming a child, I would think that more input would go into the naming of a town. I don’t know, though, since I’ve never been asked to name a municipality.

Certain town names have clearly been chosen to give you a warm fuzzy feelings and a desire to visit or live there:

Friendly, West Virginia

Magnet, Nebraska

Paradise, Utah

Pleasureville, Kentucky

Welcome, Minnesota

Welcome, North Carolina

What Cheer, Iowa

Other towns, however, aren’t so sure about their appeal:

Accident, Maryland

Boring, Oregon

Cut Off, Louisiana

Embarrass, Wisconsin

Experiment, Georgia

Okay, Oklahoma

Peculiar, Missouri

Uncertain, Texas

Why, Arizona

Whynot, North Carolina

Some towns are named after animals, such as Antelope, Idaho or Swans Island, Maine. But I want to know the stories behind Ducktown, Tennessee; Fishkill, New York; and most especially, Lizard Lick, North Carolina.

Other towns seemed to be named after the kind of people you might expect to find residing there. Which of these would you want to live in?

Guys, Tennessee

Idiotville, Oregon

Loco, Oklahoma

Normal, Illinois

Perhaps these towns are named for what one might expect to find there:

Hygiene, Colorado

Jackpot, Nevada

Tightwad, Missouri

Yellville, Arkansas

Some towns don’t have names at all, but numbers:

Hundred, West Virginia

Ninety Six, South Carolina

Village Eight, Hawaii

A few towns changed their names when a company offered some perk. The most widely known is Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. T or C, as it is often known, changed from Hot Springs in 1950 when Ralph Edwards, host of the radio show Truth or Consequences, asked a town in America to rename in celebration of the game show’s tenth anniversary.

The town of Clark, Texas renamed itself DISH, Texas in 2005 in exchange for all town residents receiving free basic television service for ten years and a free DVR from Dish Network. And Halfway, Oregon was temporarily named Half.com, Oregon, for which it received computers and $110,000 from the Half.com company. It has since reverted to Halfway.

Some towns seem inappropriately named, like Unalaska, Alaska; Beach, North Dakota; and Hurricane, Utah. Do they understand where they live?

And some towns are downright scary. There is War, West Virginia and Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. Moreover, who wants to drive into a town with the sign “Welcome to Hell”? And yet, there is Hell, Michigan.

More frightening to me is Roachdale, Indiana. You couldn’t pay me enough to live in a place named after roaches! If enough of them occupy the area to determine the town’s name, I’m packing up and moving to Humansville, Missouri – where presumably we have a chance against those nasty exoskeletal creatures.

Finally, here are two of my Texas favorites:  Cut and Shoot and Gun Barrel City.

For those towns that simply cannot come up with an appropriate label, they could take a page from a town in Tennessee called Nameless.

What’s the most strangely named town you’ve visited? What unusually named towns are in your state? Where did your town get its name?