Word of the Day Tuesday April 14, 2009
labile \LAY-byl\, adjective: 1. Open to change; apt or likely to change; adaptable. 2. Constantly or readily undergoing chemical, physical, or biological change or breakdown; unstable.
They are too open to the rest of the world, too labile, too prone to foreign influence.
-- Robert Hughes, Goya
Mifflin may not have been much more labile than the people around him, but he was undoubtedly more aware of his volatility.
-- "Leander, Lorenzo, and Castalio", Early American Literature, January 1, 1998
Faber's prose is an amazingly labile instrument, wry and funny, never pretentious, capable of rendering the muck of a London street and the delicate hummingbird flights of thought with equal ease.
-- Lev Grossman, "The Lady Is a Tramp", Time, September 16, 2002
They lock themselves in their studies and from the labile, rocking mass of thoughts and impressions they form books, which immediately become something final, irrevocable, as if frost had cut down the flowers.
-- Adam Zagajewski, "History's children", New Republic, December 2, 1991
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Labile derives from Late Latin labilis, from Latin labi, "to slip."[/b]
GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)
You seem to be quite labile in your affections. That C0ber3t is possibly a cyborged gadfly, I do not deny. But I am a bit surprised by the choice of supposed behaviour that you used to disparage him.... Are you jealous of B. J.? (I know I am not supposed to put a link to a restricted subforum, but I am sure you understand whom I mean)Brad wrote: Perhaps you were thinking of that partially cyborged gadfly, C0berst, who's been loitering around the Soapbox lately ? That man would probably kiss the hind end of a goat if doing so (....)
Human is as human does....Animals don't weep, Nine
[i]LMB, The Labyrinth [/i]
[i]LMB, The Labyrinth [/i]
Word of the Day Wednesday April 15, 2009
outré \oo-TRAY\, adjective: Unconventional; eccentric; bizarre.
This seven-year-old house of outré culture is the kind of place you can shop for a sculpture made out of working flamethrowers, videocassettes of underground movies, computer-generated art or a cute robot
-- David Sturm, "Berlin's Green Man, Running for Life", Washington Post, June 14, 1998
The area is tamer than in its bohemian heyday, but the outré spirit survives.
-- Brian C. Mooney and Rosemary Lappin, "Galleries of the Gods", Boston Globe, August 25, 1996
McCarthy cast herself as the rule breaker, the outré intellectual woman who emerged from an eccentric and rebellious past.
-- Ann Hulbert, "Keeping Score", New York Times, October 26, 1997
Unless you head for Harajuku, the heart of hip, where being outré is a requirement. Harajuku is home to Raggedy Ann wannabes, Elvis impersonators and Japanese punks, all turned out to attract attention.
-- Stephanie Strom, "Tokyo", New York Times, September 26, 1999
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Outré comes from French, from the past participle of outer, "to exaggerate, to go beyond," from Latin ultra, "beyond."
outré \oo-TRAY\, adjective: Unconventional; eccentric; bizarre.
This seven-year-old house of outré culture is the kind of place you can shop for a sculpture made out of working flamethrowers, videocassettes of underground movies, computer-generated art or a cute robot
-- David Sturm, "Berlin's Green Man, Running for Life", Washington Post, June 14, 1998
The area is tamer than in its bohemian heyday, but the outré spirit survives.
-- Brian C. Mooney and Rosemary Lappin, "Galleries of the Gods", Boston Globe, August 25, 1996
McCarthy cast herself as the rule breaker, the outré intellectual woman who emerged from an eccentric and rebellious past.
-- Ann Hulbert, "Keeping Score", New York Times, October 26, 1997
Unless you head for Harajuku, the heart of hip, where being outré is a requirement. Harajuku is home to Raggedy Ann wannabes, Elvis impersonators and Japanese punks, all turned out to attract attention.
-- Stephanie Strom, "Tokyo", New York Times, September 26, 1999
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Outré comes from French, from the past participle of outer, "to exaggerate, to go beyond," from Latin ultra, "beyond."
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you,
S Adams
S Adams
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CodeBlower
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BAAAd.Brad wrote:... that, plus she got fed up with my constantly kidding her about turning our kid into goat curry.
très bonBrad wrote:The aspiring writer looked up dejectedly from his 23rd rejection letter, and muttered "I guess it's ixnay on the outré."
"Budge up, yeh great lump." -- Hagrid, HP:SS
-=-
The gelding is what the gelding is, unlike people who change in response to their perceptions of events that may benefit or threaten their power. -- Lorn, Chapter LXXXII, Magi'i of Cyador
-=-
The gelding is what the gelding is, unlike people who change in response to their perceptions of events that may benefit or threaten their power. -- Lorn, Chapter LXXXII, Magi'i of Cyador
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Personally, I don't find the affectation of a faux French accent to be either outré or labile, even by the most liberally applied standards of polyglotic perspicacity. However, doing so in the presence of a real life Frenchman (Voralfred) is surely a serendipitously perfect example of a true contretemps. 
Word of the Day Thursday April 16, 2009
etiolate \EE-tee-uh-layt\, transitive verb: 1. (Botany) To bleach and alter the natural development of (a green plant) by excluding sunlight. 2. To make pale or sickly. 3. To make weak by stunting the growth or development of.
intransitive verb: 1. (Botany) To become bleached or whitened, as when grown without sunlight.
Under that etiolated sky all life seemed wrung out.
-- Colin Thubron, The Lost Heart of Asia
[They] had feverish eyes, pale faces and gaunt, etiolated bodies from spending all the hours of daylight shut up in cramped and often humid spaces.
-- Hilary Spurling, The Unknown Matisse
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Etiolate comes from French étioler, perhaps for s'éteuler, "to become like straw," from Old French esteule, "stubble or straw," from Latin stipula, "a stalk, straw."
etiolate \EE-tee-uh-layt\, transitive verb: 1. (Botany) To bleach and alter the natural development of (a green plant) by excluding sunlight. 2. To make pale or sickly. 3. To make weak by stunting the growth or development of.
intransitive verb: 1. (Botany) To become bleached or whitened, as when grown without sunlight.
Under that etiolated sky all life seemed wrung out.
-- Colin Thubron, The Lost Heart of Asia
[They] had feverish eyes, pale faces and gaunt, etiolated bodies from spending all the hours of daylight shut up in cramped and often humid spaces.
-- Hilary Spurling, The Unknown Matisse
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Etiolate comes from French étioler, perhaps for s'éteuler, "to become like straw," from Old French esteule, "stubble or straw," from Latin stipula, "a stalk, straw."
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you,
S Adams
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CodeBlower
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Gollum etiolated himself in the mines of Moria.
--
"Where do you want them?", asked the delivery-guy, handing an invoice to the caterer that read, simply "Tray -- Gross".
--
"Where do you want them?", asked the delivery-guy, handing an invoice to the caterer that read, simply "Tray -- Gross".
"Budge up, yeh great lump." -- Hagrid, HP:SS
-=-
The gelding is what the gelding is, unlike people who change in response to their perceptions of events that may benefit or threaten their power. -- Lorn, Chapter LXXXII, Magi'i of Cyador
-=-
The gelding is what the gelding is, unlike people who change in response to their perceptions of events that may benefit or threaten their power. -- Lorn, Chapter LXXXII, Magi'i of Cyador
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Word of the Day Monday April 20, 2009
stormy petrel \STOR-mee-PET-ruhl\, noun: 1. Any of various small sea birds of the family Hydrobatidae, having dark plumage with paler underparts; also called storm petrel. 2. One who brings discord or strife, or appears at the onset of trouble.
But far from a 'pet' of the Communist regime, Gorky, the "stormy petrel of the revolution," also condemned the revolution early on as a "cruel experiment" with the Russian people "doomed to failure."
-- Valentina Kolesnikova, "Maxim Gorky: Hostage of the Revolution", Russian Life, June 1, 1996
Of the unpredictable and constantly angry Paracelsus, for example, the stormy petrel who convulsed the staid medical establishment of the sixteenth century by demanding radical reforms in clinical thinking, he wrote: "This first great revolt against the slavish authority of the schools had little immediate effect, largely on account of the personal vagaries of the reformer--but it made men think."
-- Sherwin B. Nuland, "The Saint", New Republic, December 13, 1999
Lenin, the stormy petrel of the Social Democratic party, was facing more serious opposition than ever.
-- Michael Pearson, "Lenin's lieutenant", Guardian, September 29, 2001
. . .restless and indomitable, scouring like a stormy petrel the angry ocean of debate.
-- Lytton Strachey, Eminent Victorians
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Stormy petrel is an alteration of earlier pitteral, probably so named in allusion to St. Peter's walking on the sea, from the fact that the bird flies close to the water in order to feed on surface-swimming organisms and ship's refuse; called stormy because in a storm the birds surround a ship to catch small organisms which rise to the surface of the rough seas; when the storm ceases they are no longer seen.
stormy petrel \STOR-mee-PET-ruhl\, noun: 1. Any of various small sea birds of the family Hydrobatidae, having dark plumage with paler underparts; also called storm petrel. 2. One who brings discord or strife, or appears at the onset of trouble.
But far from a 'pet' of the Communist regime, Gorky, the "stormy petrel of the revolution," also condemned the revolution early on as a "cruel experiment" with the Russian people "doomed to failure."
-- Valentina Kolesnikova, "Maxim Gorky: Hostage of the Revolution", Russian Life, June 1, 1996
Of the unpredictable and constantly angry Paracelsus, for example, the stormy petrel who convulsed the staid medical establishment of the sixteenth century by demanding radical reforms in clinical thinking, he wrote: "This first great revolt against the slavish authority of the schools had little immediate effect, largely on account of the personal vagaries of the reformer--but it made men think."
-- Sherwin B. Nuland, "The Saint", New Republic, December 13, 1999
Lenin, the stormy petrel of the Social Democratic party, was facing more serious opposition than ever.
-- Michael Pearson, "Lenin's lieutenant", Guardian, September 29, 2001
. . .restless and indomitable, scouring like a stormy petrel the angry ocean of debate.
-- Lytton Strachey, Eminent Victorians
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Stormy petrel is an alteration of earlier pitteral, probably so named in allusion to St. Peter's walking on the sea, from the fact that the bird flies close to the water in order to feed on surface-swimming organisms and ship's refuse; called stormy because in a storm the birds surround a ship to catch small organisms which rise to the surface of the rough seas; when the storm ceases they are no longer seen.
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you,
S Adams
S Adams
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Algot Runeman
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Perspiration dripped from Detective Stormy Petrel's nose as she stepped carefully across the gravel surrounding the ancient mobile home. Maybe the crickets' sibilant song in the heavy, humid, horrid heat pouring in from the Gulf would mask her passage.
Inside, someone's massive shadow passed quickly across the kitchen window. She had to hurry. Marcy was in there, too, and in danger. There was no time to call for backup, and she couldn't chance the squawk of her mobile radio giving her away to the creep inside.
One step more, two, Stormy wished she could just skim over the lot like her namesake over the waves.
Lightning and the crash of thunder were simultaneous as it struck the mobile home; it burst into flame. Stormy sprinted, oblivious to the sound of her solid, sensible service shoes...thinking she would really like some killer stiletto heels from Manolo's for the weekend.
Inside, someone's massive shadow passed quickly across the kitchen window. She had to hurry. Marcy was in there, too, and in danger. There was no time to call for backup, and she couldn't chance the squawk of her mobile radio giving her away to the creep inside.
One step more, two, Stormy wished she could just skim over the lot like her namesake over the waves.
Lightning and the crash of thunder were simultaneous as it struck the mobile home; it burst into flame. Stormy sprinted, oblivious to the sound of her solid, sensible service shoes...thinking she would really like some killer stiletto heels from Manolo's for the weekend.
Word of the Day Tuesday April 21, 2009
peccadillo \peck-uh-DIL-oh\, noun: A slight offense; a petty fault.
No peccadillo is too trivial: we learn that the mogul once blew his top because his laundry came back starched (" 'Fluff and fold!' he screamed").
-- Eric P. Nash, "High Concept", New York Times, May 10, 1998
And besides "what do they say? 'Don't judge lest you be judged.' Everybody has their peccadilloes."
-- "Tyson has a friend in his corner", Irish Times, October 21, 1999
Child of a dominant mother, victim of a guilt-ridden conscience, [St. Augustine] wrote bewilderingly haunted 'Confessions,' in which infantile peccadilloes like stealing apples and adolescent fumblings with instinctive sexuality are bewailed with all the anguish of a frustrated perfectionist.
-- Geoffrey Parker, "True Believers", New York Times, June 29, 1997
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Peccadillo comes from Spanish pecadillo, "little sin," diminutive of pecado, "sin," from Latin peccatum, from peccare, "to make a mistake, to err, to sin." It is related to impeccable, "without flaw or fault."
peccadillo \peck-uh-DIL-oh\, noun: A slight offense; a petty fault.
No peccadillo is too trivial: we learn that the mogul once blew his top because his laundry came back starched (" 'Fluff and fold!' he screamed").
-- Eric P. Nash, "High Concept", New York Times, May 10, 1998
And besides "what do they say? 'Don't judge lest you be judged.' Everybody has their peccadilloes."
-- "Tyson has a friend in his corner", Irish Times, October 21, 1999
Child of a dominant mother, victim of a guilt-ridden conscience, [St. Augustine] wrote bewilderingly haunted 'Confessions,' in which infantile peccadilloes like stealing apples and adolescent fumblings with instinctive sexuality are bewailed with all the anguish of a frustrated perfectionist.
-- Geoffrey Parker, "True Believers", New York Times, June 29, 1997
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peccadillo comes from Spanish pecadillo, "little sin," diminutive of pecado, "sin," from Latin peccatum, from peccare, "to make a mistake, to err, to sin." It is related to impeccable, "without flaw or fault."
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you,
S Adams
S Adams
Word of the Day Wednesday April 22, 2009
invidious \in-VID-ee-uhs\, adjective: 1. Tending to provoke envy, resentment, or ill will. 2. Containing or implying a slight. 3. Envious.
But to the human hordes of Amorites -- Semitic nomads wandering the mountains and deserts just beyond the pale of Sumer -- the tiered and clustered cities, strung out along the green banks of the meandering Euphrates like a giant's necklace of polished stone, seemed shining things, each surmounted by a wondrous temple and ziggurat dedicated to the city's god-protector, each city noted for some specialty -- all invidious reminders of what the nomads did not possess.
-- Thomas Cahill, The Gifts of the Jews
In his experience people were seldom happier for having learned what they were missing, and all Europe had done for his wife was encourage her natural inclination toward bitter and invidious comparison.
-- Richard Russo, Empire Falls
The lover's obsessiveness may also take the form of invidious comparisons between himself, or herself, and the rival.
-- Ethel S. Person, "Love Triangles", The Atlantic, February 1988
For five decades, Indian liberals, and some from Europe and America, have been shaming the Western world with its commercialism, making invidious comparisons with Indian spirituality.
-- Leland Hazard, "Strong Medicine for India", The Atlantic, December 1965
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Invidious is from Latin invidiosus, "envious, hateful, causing hate or ill-feeling," from invidia, "envy," from invidere, "to look upon with the evil eye, to look maliciously upon, to envy," from in-, "upon" + videre, "to look at, to see."
invidious \in-VID-ee-uhs\, adjective: 1. Tending to provoke envy, resentment, or ill will. 2. Containing or implying a slight. 3. Envious.
But to the human hordes of Amorites -- Semitic nomads wandering the mountains and deserts just beyond the pale of Sumer -- the tiered and clustered cities, strung out along the green banks of the meandering Euphrates like a giant's necklace of polished stone, seemed shining things, each surmounted by a wondrous temple and ziggurat dedicated to the city's god-protector, each city noted for some specialty -- all invidious reminders of what the nomads did not possess.
-- Thomas Cahill, The Gifts of the Jews
In his experience people were seldom happier for having learned what they were missing, and all Europe had done for his wife was encourage her natural inclination toward bitter and invidious comparison.
-- Richard Russo, Empire Falls
The lover's obsessiveness may also take the form of invidious comparisons between himself, or herself, and the rival.
-- Ethel S. Person, "Love Triangles", The Atlantic, February 1988
For five decades, Indian liberals, and some from Europe and America, have been shaming the Western world with its commercialism, making invidious comparisons with Indian spirituality.
-- Leland Hazard, "Strong Medicine for India", The Atlantic, December 1965
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Invidious is from Latin invidiosus, "envious, hateful, causing hate or ill-feeling," from invidia, "envy," from invidere, "to look upon with the evil eye, to look maliciously upon, to envy," from in-, "upon" + videre, "to look at, to see."
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you,
S Adams
S Adams
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It makes me invidious to see how easily some members can write amusing comments about WOTD. Even such a peccadillo as using a two-word phrase as stormy petrel for WOTD allowed <strike>Drab</strike> Darb, the new persona of our resident Roving Punster, to bring a laugh in this thread.
I just edited my post, lest I suffer from Laurie the same fate that Loki quite justly suffered in the post below. It took me five edits to get this right. A good thing for me that, for once, Laurie was not up at crazy hours this time!
I just edited my post, lest I suffer from Laurie the same fate that Loki quite justly suffered in the post below. It took me five edits to get this right. A good thing for me that, for once, Laurie was not up at crazy hours this time!
Last edited by voralfred on Sat Apr 25, 2009 11:14 pm, edited 5 times in total.
Human is as human does....Animals don't weep, Nine
[i]LMB, The Labyrinth [/i]
[i]LMB, The Labyrinth [/i]
Thor, the God of Thunder, and resident Stormy Petrel of Asgard, always bridled when his evil half-brother, Loki the Trickster, God of Mischief, affected a faux lisp, just to hork off the Thunderer.
Loki: Why thuh fwowl mood, Thore ? I wore pink jusst ta pweeze yew.
Thor:
Loki: I'm under Odin's order of pwotection, so don't even think ov uzing mjolnir on me.
Thor: I have a surprise for you, Evil one.
Loki: Really ? I wuv supwises !
Thor: Are you sure ?
Loki: Yes ! Yes ! Let's have it !
Thor: You heard him, Mistress.
Laurie
Loki: STOP IT THOR ... Lord Odin forbade you from striking me ! I'm on a diplomatic mission from Ymir !
Thor: I didn't strike you, Loki ... Mistress Laurie did. Isn't she wonderful ?
Loki: {stares daggers at Laurie}
Laurie: {stares at Loki's groin} Hard to believe he had giant blood ... looks more like a dwarf to me.
Thor:
Loki: You'll regret that, mortal.
Loki: Why thuh fwowl mood, Thore ? I wore pink jusst ta pweeze yew.
Thor:
Loki: I'm under Odin's order of pwotection, so don't even think ov uzing mjolnir on me.
Thor: I have a surprise for you, Evil one.
Loki: Really ? I wuv supwises !
Thor: Are you sure ?
Loki: Yes ! Yes ! Let's have it !
Thor: You heard him, Mistress.
LaurieLoki: STOP IT THOR ... Lord Odin forbade you from striking me ! I'm on a diplomatic mission from Ymir !
Thor: I didn't strike you, Loki ... Mistress Laurie did. Isn't she wonderful ?
Loki: {stares daggers at Laurie}
Laurie: {stares at Loki's groin} Hard to believe he had giant blood ... looks more like a dwarf to me.
Thor:
Loki: You'll regret that, mortal.
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Loki sneered with his foe lips and snarled at Thor in a cheesy grating whine.
"We shall ever be enemas, thunderous one!"
Tapping moljnir gently against his thigh, "Loki here, pal. You Odin to say such things lest Peggy Thurteen be miffed."
"Avoid a bruise. Sit with me and share one of these brews. Let's put aside our endless enmity."
Loki enhanced his foe lip sneer and his ever more grater whine, "Beer shall drench your bier soon enough, I prey. Besides I much prefer Pinot Eggregio or Cabinet So Big Yawn with its nutty long finish."
Walleye the Word Wizard in his pail blew Polo shirt (by Ralf Lorin, from the rack at Ancient Navy) waved his spell chukker hopelessly.
"We shall ever be enemas, thunderous one!"
Tapping moljnir gently against his thigh, "Loki here, pal. You Odin to say such things lest Peggy Thurteen be miffed."
"Avoid a bruise. Sit with me and share one of these brews. Let's put aside our endless enmity."
Loki enhanced his foe lip sneer and his ever more grater whine, "Beer shall drench your bier soon enough, I prey. Besides I much prefer Pinot Eggregio or Cabinet So Big Yawn with its nutty long finish."
Walleye the Word Wizard in his pail blew Polo shirt (by Ralf Lorin, from the rack at Ancient Navy) waved his spell chukker hopelessly.
Word of the Day Monday April 27, 2009
ken \KEN\, noun: 1. Perception; understanding; knowledge. 2. The range of vision. 3. View; sight.
He was to make several important discoveries, the most significant being that infantile paralysis was caused not by germs, as cerebrospinal meningitis had been, but by a mysterious agent just then emerging into the ken of science.
-- James Thomas Flexner, Maverick's Progress
So we are predisposed -- if not preprogrammed -- to accept tales of animals who display human motives, understanding, reason, and intentions. It takes a far greater imagination to conceive the possibility that a dog's mental life may assume a form that is simply beyond our ken.
-- Stephen Budiansky, If a Lion Could Talk
Libussa, the youngest, particularly beautiful, unworldly and serious, was able to see what was hidden from other people's ken and to prophesy.
-- Peter Demetz, Prague in Black and Gold
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Ken is from Middle English kennen, from Old English cennan, "to declare, to make known."
ken \KEN\, noun: 1. Perception; understanding; knowledge. 2. The range of vision. 3. View; sight.
He was to make several important discoveries, the most significant being that infantile paralysis was caused not by germs, as cerebrospinal meningitis had been, but by a mysterious agent just then emerging into the ken of science.
-- James Thomas Flexner, Maverick's Progress
So we are predisposed -- if not preprogrammed -- to accept tales of animals who display human motives, understanding, reason, and intentions. It takes a far greater imagination to conceive the possibility that a dog's mental life may assume a form that is simply beyond our ken.
-- Stephen Budiansky, If a Lion Could Talk
Libussa, the youngest, particularly beautiful, unworldly and serious, was able to see what was hidden from other people's ken and to prophesy.
-- Peter Demetz, Prague in Black and Gold
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ken is from Middle English kennen, from Old English cennan, "to declare, to make known."
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you,
S Adams
S Adams
I did that one already. 
With so many unused words left in the English language, why they keep repeating WOTDs is beyond my ken.
With so many unused words left in the English language, why they keep repeating WOTDs is beyond my ken.
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It was the first really hot day of the season, even if just April 26. Temperatures ranged into the upper 80s and the group of friends shared stories of the winter past. Laughter and smiles passed from one to another as if carried by the swarms of gnats surrounding everyone. These were hardy souls, though, and silently felt blessed that they weren't in Maine where early season gnats would be replaced by voracious black flies.
Barbie, the tall, blond hostess crossed the yard from the kitchen to the barbie, carrying a platter of steaks. All eyes followed her progress, women with envy and a tightening of the eyes, the mens' eyes not so subtly widening with a small catch in their breath. Barbie was wearing her trademark white shorts, and her sleek thighs had not a single cellulite dimple, appearing to have maintained a tan from the prior summer.
She set the steaks gently onto the spotless rack, carefully bending forward to extend her reach. The sizzle of the steak barely masked the sizzle of the gathered crowd, men flushing slightly, women's breath taken through tightened lips over clenched teeth. She always took care to keep her rack spotless.
Over to the side of the yard, seated at the most remote of the picnic tables, Ken, Barbie's erstwhile mate and the congregation's current cantor contemplated his crumpled Koala Cola can, muttered into his third tall tumbler topped up with his trademark rum, vodka and tequila blend (with just a splash of cola). He stared distantly as he tipped back half the glass in a single swallow.
As Barbie turned away from the barbie, she glanced his direction and sighed deeply (which all the other men appreciated) and thought, "I can't ken Ken's cool countenance. Why can't he just enjoy the party the way the other guys are?"
Barbie, the tall, blond hostess crossed the yard from the kitchen to the barbie, carrying a platter of steaks. All eyes followed her progress, women with envy and a tightening of the eyes, the mens' eyes not so subtly widening with a small catch in their breath. Barbie was wearing her trademark white shorts, and her sleek thighs had not a single cellulite dimple, appearing to have maintained a tan from the prior summer.
She set the steaks gently onto the spotless rack, carefully bending forward to extend her reach. The sizzle of the steak barely masked the sizzle of the gathered crowd, men flushing slightly, women's breath taken through tightened lips over clenched teeth. She always took care to keep her rack spotless.
Over to the side of the yard, seated at the most remote of the picnic tables, Ken, Barbie's erstwhile mate and the congregation's current cantor contemplated his crumpled Koala Cola can, muttered into his third tall tumbler topped up with his trademark rum, vodka and tequila blend (with just a splash of cola). He stared distantly as he tipped back half the glass in a single swallow.
As Barbie turned away from the barbie, she glanced his direction and sighed deeply (which all the other men appreciated) and thought, "I can't ken Ken's cool countenance. Why can't he just enjoy the party the way the other guys are?"