So this year's New Oxford American Dictionary Word of the Year is.....


I will refrain from criticism, switching from my prescriptive to my descriptive grammarian hat when I know there's no sense in protesting. It is what it is, and I humbly confess to having used the word (as a verb) many times this year and last.

In case the Oxford WOTY is new to some of you, previous selections in the past two decades include:


Obviously, some of these have enjoyed more longevity than others. We'll have to see how "unfriend" fares....Perhaps by 2030 we'll have figured out how to choose only friends who last.

[I do admit to being relieved that three of the finalists didn't make the cut: "tramp stamp" (a tattoo on the lower back, usually on a woman), "choice mom" (a person who chooses to be a single mother), and "deleb" (a dead celebrity).]

Oxford Word of the Year

Labels: Language, Social Observation

Obama's Home Teleprompter Malfunctions During Family Dinner

Labels: Political Humor

Effects of climate change have driven women in communities in coastal areas in poor countries like the Philippines to risk dangerous jobs, and sometimes even into the flesh trade.

Suneeta Mukherjee, country representative of the United Nations Food Population Fund (UNFPA), said women in the Philippines are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change in the country.

“Climate change could reduce income from farming and fishing possibly driving some women into sex work and thereby increase HIV infection," Mukherjee said during the Wednesday launch of the UNFPA annual State of World Population Report in Pasay City.

*sigh*

Climate change pushes poor women to prostitution

hat tip: The Papa

Labels: Theater of the Absurd

I haven't read nearly as many books this year as last, for a variety of reasons. But one of the books I've had on my list was the first one other than the Bible that I loaded onto my new Kindle. It had been recommended by at least a dozen friends and blog readers, so I knew it was an important one to read.

Well I had no idea just how important. Or how deeply it would move me. Each year it seems I'm struck in an extraordinary way by one book, and this year, this is it. Well, unless something else comes along in the next six weeks that could unseat it, and I doubt it.

Thanks to all those who recommended this one. You were right.

Same Kind Of Different As Me

Labels: Books

Tim Challies thinks he may just have the formula for the ultimate "Christian novel". Pre-orders will be taken sometime before the Rapture.

The Ultimate Christian Novel

hat tip: Annie W.

Labels: Books, Fun

At least Mr. Obama thinks the U.S. military is good for something:

Obama arrived on the base 3:19 p.m. local time (1 a.m. Eastern Standard Time), and received a rousing welcome from 1,500 troops in camouflage uniforms, many holding cameras or pointing cell phones to snap pictures.

"You guys make a pretty good photo op," the president said.

Photo props

Labels: ObamaNation, Theater of the Absurd

I ask you: where's global warming when you need it?

Antarctic Cruise Ship Trapped in Sea Ice

Labels: News, Science

They said it would never happen in Britain, and you'll hear it said that it'll never happen here. But it's the logical "destination" of ObamaCare and all the other regulation that O & Co. want to help us with...

Health and safety snoops to enter family homes

Labels: Social Observation, Theater of the Absurd

Finally, some color in the leaves! True, it's a paltry autumn compared to most other places I've lived, but it's nice to look up and see a patch of red on the occasional tree...

So this is the week that the girls and I work on seating charts for Thanksgiving Dinner. We have a slightly-larger-than-usual group this year but we still want it to be a special, sit-down experience for each one who's with us. So since we don't have the optimum floor plan for eating with large groups, it takes some planning ahead and careful use of the available space. Happily, I have kids who excel at this sort of thing :-)

I was able to visit with my mother this week. Her Parkinson's, along with her very fragile bones and all the meds she must take for both conditions, have left her in a state that makes me sad to see. This visit she was confused about CJ, my companion for this trip, thinking she was Aubrey even after I told her several times. She knew me, but asked me the same things over and over...I'm tearing up as I write this, as it was a painful realization that disease is taking its toll and usually only goes in one direction.

Well FINALLY I made the decision on a new printer this week and get to ditch the Dell. We've had it three years and it's never worked right, and we've probably spent fifteen times as much money on the ink for it as we did on the original purchase. The new printer is a Canon PIXMA MX860 Wireless All-In-One Photo Printer and I'll let you know if it ends up being any better than our old one.

And because this news will get out anyway, I'll confess that I took some of my spending money this week and bought myself a Kindle. I've been very curious about this gadget, wondering if I would really use it. After playing with it, loading my NASB Bible and a couple other books on it, I have already become attached. No, it will never completely replace books for me, but it lets me travel with a lot more reading material than I can fit in my luggage, and it also means I can enjoy a lot of books without having to find shelf space for them.

Looks like we'll forgo our usual day-after-Thanksgiving trip to choose a live Christmas tree. The Papa and I will be leaving for Hawaii early on Friday morning, and we've also decided that it will be better for our sweet asthmatic grandson if we don't bring a fresh tree in the house. So I'm on the lookout for a really nice, TALL artificial tree. The Papa says that this time it's gonna be pre-lit.

I'll be loading Going Rogue on my Kindle.

Happy birthday to Joshua, who is T E N today!

Labels: Books, Family, Good Stuff, Grandkids, Holidays, Technology

Thank you, David Brooks, for saying what so many will not say.

The Rush to Therapy

Labels: Social Observation