My Life, As Told Between (Baby Cakes') Naps

Inspired by this word’s use in a NY Times headline, I’m resuming my Word of the Whenever I Feel Like It (“WOTWIFLI”) posts.  Today’s word is sybaritic. 

I love it when headlines use creative and seldomly seen words.  I still have fond memories of seeing onus used in a headline several years ago in the Sports section of the San Jose Mercury News! 

I wonder how some words are born and where they go to die?  I can see the birth of slang and the birth of new words to describe new phenomenons, but what about variations of words to describe common concepts?  For example, there are multiple means of describing people with great or varied learning.  Among other things, one could have had an “eclectic education.”  One can be “well-rounded,” “erudite,” “learned,” or a “Renaissance man” (or woman).  All these are different ways to describe what is essentially the same idea, so why do we have (recently discovered WOTWIFLI) polymath?  Were the distinctions between these terms important enough to merit the creation of another word entirely?  When did the English language decide that no pre-existing description, either singularly or in some combination, sufficed?  

Do obscure words add to or take away from our ability to communicate?  Words can be snapshots of complicated concepts and ideas, but if they’re so far from common parlance that no one understands them, what’s their purpose?*  (Even in writing this, I’m wondering:  Is “parlance” understandable?  Would the phrase “common speech” have been just as good?  Am I just being pretentious?) 

Okay, I’m done rambling about words now.  Sorry, it’s late and I’m obviously delirious.  We’ll see how long this post survives before I read it and go, “Huh.  What was I on?”  =)  Night all.

* Not to be presumption and assume that if I didn’t know a word, it must be obscure.  

First, a running update.  Eighteen mile run was great.  I was thinking about how much I love our running route.  We get to watch a beautiful sunrise over the ocean and follow it as it creeps up on the marina.  As the morning progresses, the sky’s soft pastel palette gives way to a bright blue.  And on this particular run, we crossed a low-lying stretch of land surrounded by piercing blue water on both sides.  Although it was chillier than usual, we all still showed up before daybreak in our running shorts.  Shorts.  In December.  I really can’t imagine that there are many better places to train for a marathon.

Second, those of you who know me (i.e., everyone who reads this blog because I force them to and then quiz them about it) know I’m generally super laid back.  I don’t get stressed easily and I definitely don’t anger easily.  I do however ocasionally obsess over completely mundane and random things.  Most recently, this lead me to pay $33 for a paperback book.  It was $33 because I had to have it shipped from Australia.  Yup, Australia.  It’s the third book in one of my favorite series.  I picked up the first book in the US.  I bought the second one from the UK when I realized there was a year difference in the US/UK release dates.  I purchased the most recent one from Australia because I couldn’t even wait for the UK release.  At this rate, I may have to purchase the next book from Antartica.  I’m estimating that reading this entire series will cost me approximately a million dollars.

Third, I’ve realized (again) that I should never, ever try to do work from home. Ever.  Seriously, why do I keep deluding myself?  Why?  Sigh.  Not so coincidentally, this week’s WOTWIFLI is faineant.  As in, I’ve definitely been more faineant than diligent this weekend.

Blogger Bash ’05 was a smashing success.  Finally got to meet G and Vitatwin last night, as well as spend time with KQ, KA, the Frog, and some non-bloggers (J and Arm Candy).  =)  Thanks again for hosting G – it was fantastic!

The night was off to a good start when I managed to navigate my way to and through G’s (WOTWIFLI) Byzantine* apartment complex with a minimum number of detours (3).  It got even better when I arrived at G’s apartment and was greeted with hors d’oeuvre, or yum-yums, as my dad calls them, and cookies.  G, Vitatwin (G’s brother) and KQ proved to be even more charming in person than in cyberspace.  We played a terrific game of Taboo (honestly the BEST game EVER), invented inside jokes (most of which aren’t appropriate to repeat on this blog) and picked up new nicknames (Snort and Squeak were probably my favorites).

I must have used up my dose of navigational know-how getting to G’s place though because I managed to get loss on the way back home from his place (despite the fact that his apartment is less than a mile from my office).  At one point my car was at the corner of the street I take to get home and the street where my office is located and I could SEE my office, two blocks away.  I still wasn’t quite sure which way to go.  I actually had to drive back to the office, which, again, I could see from where I was, and start from there.  I seriously think whatever part of my brain controls spacial stuff is defective.  Seriously, seriously defective.

Oh, and per everyone’s request, here’s the article (and picture) of the alligator eating exploding snake.  This sad snake gives new meaning to the phrase “Don’t bite off more than you can chew.”

*Byzantine and Kafkaesque are two of my favorite words.  Mostly because they’re complicated and slightly obscure words which are somewhat ironically used as adjectives to describe things that are complex and, perhaps needlessly, intricate!  =)  (*hanging head in dorky shame now*)

I spent a very peaceful weekend in Eugene, Oregon.*  It was a mini-reunion of sorts – some of my best friends from law school traveled thousands of miles and descended on the tiny town in honor of a friend’s 30th birthday.  There were a few tears shed and a lot of laughter shared. 

The next few years will see several of us celebrating our own 30th birthdays.  If all the celebrations turn out as this last one did, maybe it won’t be so bad.  Happy Birthday C.  We love you.

*WOTWIFLI:  quiescent.

Sorry for the lack of updates.  I’m going to trial in about three weeks, so I’m deep in the trenches.  The “war room” is all set up and we’re getting ready to settle in for the long haul.  Sigh.  I probably won’t see the light of day again for the next few weeks.  Pray for me!  (Speaking of which, I was kneeling next to a box on the ground, looking for a document the other day when the MP walks by.  Noticing me, he stops right in front of me silently until I looked up.  He then placed both hands on the side of my head and said, “Heal my child.  Heal!”, smiled and walked away.)

WOTWIFLI, compliments of CH although not necessarily apropos of anything in my life at the moment, is schadenfreude. 

This is not a tidy job.  It frequently spills over into other aspects of my life.  As much as I try to keep it contained, things just keep spilling over.

I was thinking earlier this week that (1) I complain entirely too much about my job (which I actually oftentimes enjoy) and my life (what little I can squeeze in between my work), (2) I am going to be more efficient and not kill all of my weekends, and (3) I should post about things I’m thankful for (believe it or not, I’m generally a very happy, almost irritatingly upbeat person). . . but then I got a load of work yesterday (all urgent), a request (albeit a very nice one) to work this weekend from a partner who does not realize I’ve been working virtually EVERY weekend, and a gentle reminder to keep my hours up (despite the fact that I work all the time, I think I’m particularly inefficient because my hours are average at best).  So yeah, no warm and fuzzy post today.  Just more ranting.  

WOTWIFLI:  Myrmidon.  

Another Sunday in the office.  And our document management program isn’t working, which means I can’t access any of my documents.  If I were a crier, I’d be on the verge of tears.  Sigh.  If this keeps up, Monday will be truly horrific.  WOTWIFLI:  vicissitude.  As in, days like today are just part of the vicissitudes of life.

Bought an ipod this weekend, basically because everyone else had one.  Plus, a little part of me was hoping that it would inspire me to go to the gym more.  I had no idea how many accessories were vital to keeping the little monster happy.  I’ve named it Apple, partly because it is green and partly because, well, its made by Apple. 

My Roomie went with me to buy Apple.  On the drive back from the store, I asked her a question about how to operate my new ipod.  She showed me hers and explained its features.  I, completely forgetting what inspired my question, commented with all sincerity, “Wow, I wish I had one of those.” 

Off to lunch soon.  I hope.  Waiting for one of my co-workers to talk to the senior partner, who’s been MIA recently, before we head off.  Feels like I’ve been waiting forever.  I hope said co-worker can track down said SP soon as my stomach is ready to consume itself. 

Sorry postings have been rather sparse lately.  I’ve been out of town and work’s been busy.  I finally threw my hands up in the air and went home at 9:30 last night when I kept coming up with dead-ends and couldn’t find an answer to a question I thought needed to be addressed that night.  Of course, I spent the rest of the night anxious (well, the hour I was awake anyways) that I was going to be fired today, only to find out it wasn’t a big deal at all.  And this is why attorneys have ulcers.

And now the moment you all have been waiting for (the moment for which you have all been waiting?).  My WOTWIFLI is pulchritude.  It’s not as exciting as last week’s (yes, I find words exciting, leave me alone) but it’s a word I’ve been coming across a lot recently, as in “Angelina and Brad are a pulchritudinous pair.”  After having seen Mr. and Mrs. Smith, I’d have to agree.  (FYI, the movie was semi-entertaining as long as you suspend all disbelief and moral qualms.) 

*Um, and yes, the title was a not-so clever reference to Waiting for Gadot. 

I survived a solid weekend of work, broken only by a brief jaunt to a white party in honor of the summer solstice, and went to my first baseball game ever yesterday.  Yes, despite living in Boston for three years, I never once saw a game in Fenway Park (please try to mask your shock and horror).  It was a firm summer outing, so we had one of those luxury boxes where you’re surrounded by large screen plasma tv’s and free food and alcohol.  For those of you who aren’t lawyers, summer events are always full of copious amounts of food and alcohol.  I think there may have been a baseball game going on below us, but I can’t vouch for this since I didn’t actually see any of it.

Also, in honor of my friend ML, I’m going to start a Word of the Week.  (Sidenote:  My college roommates and I used to do this.  — Please see above re. shock and horror.)  It’ll star slightly obscure words that I’ve come across at some point and liked enough to remember.  I’m not nearly as consistent as ML though and tend to lose interest in things quickly, so perhaps I should call it a Word of the Whenever I Feel Like It (better known by the easy to remember acronym, WOTWIFLI).  Anyways, this week’s WOTWIFLI is one of my favorites:  callipygian.