GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

[Algot Runeman]

The mist moved silently across the lake. Pearly light enhanced the contrast of the pines outlined along the opposite shore. A solitary loon voiced its quavering call. Emerging from my tent, I pulled my sweater down and walked to the circle of stones to get a breakfast fire going. Coffee, bacon, eggs, English muffins with peanut butter and jelly would soon set me up for the day of hiking ahead. It was the work of moments to get the fire blazing.

Turning to the parking lot to retrieve the cooler, I was jolted fully awake. Littered there beside my car with shattered side window were the tattered remains of bacon packages, egg cartons, muffin wrappers and smashed jars of peanut butter and jelly. More macabre than that, the body of a huge black bear was hanging half out of the window, the back seat shredded and smeared with half-dried blood.

Hours later, the game warden concluded that the bear had swallowed part of one of the jars, cutting into an artery.

Fortunately, the warden didn't charge me with any violations. After all, I had locked my food in the car. We even enjoyed coffee together because the bear missed that can. We did have to drink it black, but you can't have everything go your way.

[voralfred]

Did this really happen, or are you a great writer?

[Algot Runeman]

Nah! Tale made of whole cloth.

I seem to be a great writer about once a decade, and then I put my shoes on the correct feet and get back to the real world. Thanks for the kind words.

I do camp in tents, store my food in a cooler in my car overnight, can make a fire quickly (even from damp wood), douse my fires before sleep and have heard black bears going through the campground. People bang spoons on pan bottoms when it happens. I think they hope the bear will run to somebody else's camp site. Maybe the pot bangers also think the bear will realize the pot is empty because the banging is loud.

More often my site visitors have been chipmunks and the occasional relative who wants to try out "this camping thing."

[Whole Cloth Ref: http://alt-usage-english.org/excerpts/fxwholec.html]

[Darb]

Nicely done.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

... the body of a huge black bear ...

My grandma would have asked, "What happened to its fur?"

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

hunky dory

\HUHNG-kee-DOHR-ee\ , adjective;
1.
About as well as one could wish or expect; satisfactory; fine; OK.

Quotes:
In Greensboro we are continuing along as if everything is hunky dory and, according to the proposed budget, Greensboro will be taking on $70 million in new debt in the next two years.
-- John Hammer, "City Budget Designed To Generate Outcry", Greensboro Rhino Times

He rounded the curve splendidly, hunky dory. He had broken himself of the habit of saying "hunky dory," it was an ugly expression.
-- Lion Feuchtwanger, Ruth Gruber, The Oppermanns

Origin:
Hunky dory is an American coinage from the late 1800s. The source is posited to be an adaptation of New York City slang or perhaps a reference to a street in Japan named Honcho dori, known as a destination for sailors on shore leave.

Note (by EPS):
Is it hunky dory if I try to give the WotD post a distinctive look?

[Darb]

Note (by EPS):
Is it hunky dory if I try to give the WotD post a distinctive look?

Yes, but what in the world prompted you to pick Forgotten Realms' Dark Sun campaign setting ?

p.s. Scary I should know that, eh ?

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

Yes, but what in the world prompted you to pick Forgotten Realms' Dark Sun campaign setting ?
p.s. Scary I should know that, eh ?

I haven't a clue what you're talking about.
Oh, wait a minute.
... [1 minute] ...
Google does show hits about Forgotten Realms' Dark Sun.
Ah, I see. You must refer to the banner I used. That's not scary at all.
That is actually from a game, but not the one you mention. I don't have that MMORPG itself but I nevertheless downloaded some of its eye-catching wallpapers for my own amusement.

Spoiler: show

For more of those, see the Guildwars website.

[Darb]

Ah ... same artist, not same world.

You can use whatever artwork stokes your enthusiasm, and it will be hunky dory with me ... provided it's not too explicit, of course.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

evanescence

\ev-uh-NES-ens\ , noun;
1.
A gradual dissappearance.
2.
The state of becoming imperceptible.

Quotes:
This is one of the most beautiful circumstances connected with water surface, for by these means a variety of color and a grace and evanescence are introduced in the reflection otherwise impossible.
-- John Ruskin, The Works of John Ruskin: Modern painters, v.1-5

But this was an evanescence, and quickly repented of, as it were, by an immitigable look, pinching and shriveling the visage into the momentary semblance of a wrinkled walnut.
-- Herman Melville, Billy Budd, sailor: (an inside narrative)

Origin:
Evanescence is from Latin evanescere, "to vanish," from e-, "from, out of" + vanescere, "to disappear," from vanus, "empty."

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

Was my grandma ever so happy with the evanescence of the animal scents in her fur coats.

In her garderobe she had two Castor Canadensis coats. Imagine her wearing those coats and smelling like a beaver in season ...

[Algot Runeman]

A few years back, my wife and I took our small boat out into Boston Harbor to watch the tall ships celebration. To get a good spot, we put into the water in the middle of the night. We poorly navigated our craft from the boat ramp in Weymouth to the shore at Logan Airport, twice almost running aground on shoals of shells. Crossing the "roads" in which freighters entered and exited the harbor, we couldn't tell the difference between the midnight fog and an approaching ship. Fortunately, the helmsman on board their vessel blasted the horn and we discerned the approaching gray-painted wall of iron just in time. We turned hard to port before being overrun.

[The preceding is 100% true. The following is the product of pure fancy.]

Later, after drinking some port in honor of our timely turn (maybe it was beer or vodka) my wife called my attention to a hunk rowing a dory. She was gushing at his physique. We agreed, though, that she would stay with me and not jump overboard to reach the hunky dory as long as I maintained my own fidelity to her. I think she secretly may have been on the lookout for an 80 foot yacht, but our little boat, like the dory, was not in that section of the harbor. In such ways, we remain sane, denying our wildest dreams, giving up hopes of profligate sex with bathing beauties from surrounding craft.

I'll admit, given my shape, I'm lucky to have a beautiful wife of my own. All my silly thoughts of a harem of bountifully buxom beauties are evanescent, as they should be.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

...
[The preceding is 100% true. The following is the product of pure fancy.]
...

Is your post so-called crossreplying?

[Algot Runeman]

E.P.S.

Cross replying?
I wasn't a bit angry.

Sign: Crossroad ahead. My father: Why is that road angry?
and while I'm at it...
Cross dressing: Jesus was barely wrapped about the groin, why would anyone want to dress like that?

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

agog

agog
\uh-GOG\ , adjective;
1.
Full of excitement or interest; in eager desire; eager, keen.

Quotes:
Kobe Bryant left the Minnesota Timberwolves agog after a series of eye-popping moves in a game last week.
-- New York Times, February 5, 1998

He was now so interested, quite so privately agog, about it, that he had already an eye to the fun it would be to open up to her afterwards.
-- Henry James, The Ambassadors

By the second day he had found his sea-legs, and with hair flying and double-waistcoats flapping, he patrolled the deck agog with excitement, questioning and noting.
-- Richard Holmes, Coleridge: Darker Reflections, 1804-1834

... Mina was suddenly agog when Vlad 'the Impaler' Dracul finally brought her up to speed on one of the Dracul family's darker and less savory secrets ...
-- hiram, The Appendix, IBDoF

Origin:
Agog derives from Middle French en gogues, "in mirth; lively."

[Algot Runeman]

Carolus sat on the blanket. He was surrounded by thousands of others in similar position, and they were joined by thousands more in motion across the blanket strewn ground. The crowd was growing.

Before he knew it (vodka straight for three hours straight will do that), the time had arrived. Across the grass, the orchestra struck the first chords of music reflected out from the famous Hatch Shell stage and the celebration was officially under way. Dusk had settled with the settling people all evening, but now most jumped up from the ground and swayed, gyrated and generally moved as close to the beat as their inebriations would allow.

Before he knew it, the spectacular, colorful, beautiful, LOUD blasts began out over the water. Fireworks never failed him. Though he'd done the Esplanade event for many years, he was always agog at the crowds, music and fireworks banging all around him.

Happy Fourth of July from the United States to all. Let freedom ring.

[Timely, my 400th post comes on the 4th.]

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

rataplan

\rat-uh-PLAN\ , verb;
1.
To produce the sound as of the beating of a drum.
noun:
1.
A sound of or as of the beating of a drum.
2.
A tattoo, as of a drum, the hooves of a galloping horse, or machine-gun fire.

Quotes:
When his breath returned, he called aloud to space: "My drum ain't busted, but I can't reach t'other stick !" and then rat-tatted as best he could, sitting, hot in his own blood, there in what might have seemed the measured centre of the surely coming charge. As his one stick beat, rataplanning as best it might alone, his ghastly face, turned backward, saw the first man, rifle in hand who topped the low ridge, racing forward on two strong legs, furiously cursing the swinging, helpless left arm that dripped as he ran.
-- Clara Morris, The life of a star

They rataplanned through Abbeville. They saw four unknown riders, in uniforms of the North, trailing them. Harnden called an abrupt halt and waited till the riders came up.
-- Ivan Clyde Lake, "The badgers pursued Jefferson Davis", The Milwaukee Sentinel, 1965

Rantanplan (French spelling) is also the name of a fictional hound dog created by Belgian comics artist Morris and French writer René Goscinny. Wikipedia
--

Spoiler: show

Origin:
Rataplan's origin is the French rantanplan, though its meaning is entirely imitative.

[Algot Runeman]

Huddled behind a corner of the long construction dumpster, Luis rested his head against the cool steel. The gang was coming across the yard. They were all armed; pipes, construction lumber, and one had the chain from the fence gate. The padlock was whistling at its swinging end as the group boldly moved forward. Luis didn't have much hope that they would just go by his temporary shelter. Why had he shouted the curse as the rival gang drove through his neighborhood? He wasn't with his crew. He was alone on his way home from work. Did he think they would drive away, scared of his brave shout?

The four scraped their feet in the gravel, coming boldly along; they didn't need to try sneaking up on him. At midnight, the construction site was empty, but for Luis and them. It wasn't a big enough project to have a night watchman. They were closer, now. Luis was certain they could hear his panicked heart rataplanning within his meager chest.

The ragged rattle strangely seemed to merge with a deep rumbling growl from behind Luis. The menacing sound of the guard dog hadn't reached the approaching gang, so its sudden charge from the other end of the dumpster caught them in mid step. Only their quick use of pipes, and swinging chains let them reach the gate before the dog could get them.

Luis didn't hesitate. He bolted in the opposite direction and scaled the fence on the far side of the site. He raced away, thanking the Lady for his unexpected freedom and promised Her he'd be smarter next time.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

Every time my grandma made to go out, strutting a brandnew fur coat, my grandpa saw in his mind's eye a troop of drummers rataplanning down the street to make way.
Fortunately, grandma always demurely contented herself with an elegant hand on his gallant arm.

[Darb]

Song: Word o' tha Day Diddy
Rewriter: Darb (sung to the tune of "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" by Manfred Mann)

There she was just a-postin to the thread, singin' "Word o' tha day diddy dum diddy do"
Her infrared mouse rataplannin' to tha beat, singin' "Word o' tha day diddy dum diddy do"
She clicked good (clicked good), and posted fine (posted fine)
I read her post and lost my mind ...

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

... I read her post and lost my mind ...

You leave me fully agog!

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

squelch

\SKWELCH\ , verb;
1.
To put down, suppress, or silence, as with a crushing retort or argument.
2.
To strike or press with crushing force; crush down.
3.
To make a splashing sound.
4.
To tread heavily in water, mud, wet shoes, etc., with such a sound.

noun:
1.
Electronics. A circuit in a receiver, as a radio receiver, that automatically reduces or eliminates noise when the receiver is tuned to a frequency at which virtually no carrier wave occurs.

Quotes:
But Beijing has few other outlets for investing its vast cash holdings and was quick to squelch any suggestion that it was losing confidence in the euro, which would only undermine the value of its own reserves.
-- Aileen Wang and Simon Rabinovitch, "China Says Europe Key Market", Reuters, June 2010

He didn't care for her engagements, her campaigns, or all the expectancy of her friends; to squelch all that, at a stroke, was the dearest wish of his heart.
-- Henry James, The Bostonians: a novel

Origin:
squelch has uncertain origins, though it bears a relationship to the obsolete quelch and quash.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

Grandma was ruthless with critics. If any dared negatively comment on her fur du jour, she would make some scathing remark, thoroughly squelching that foolhardy individual. With each syllable of grandma's scorching retort, one could easily imagine dainty footprints making little squishy noises appearing all over the hapless wretch.

[Algot Runeman]

Mark and his [squelch], buzz, pop, screeeee, wah. It wasn't long before [squelch], screeeee, wah.

And they [squelch], buzz, pop, beep!

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

Algot, you're [beep]ing up. When are you going to [squelch] that infernal [pop]phone and buy yourself a decent [buzz]berry or a [wah]droid or just a plain cell[screee]? Even a simple pair of [smurfs] on a [smurf] would do!