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#229: vociferous

1/24/2016

a big pair of lungs
expedites vociferous
attention getting

It's amazing what you can do with photo manipulation these days!

Fortunately this photo does NOT bring back memories of my two sons, both of whom turned out to be pretty cool guys.

Miss you Aaron and Drew!

DEFINITION of this 4-syllable adjective:

crying out noisily; clamorous.
characterized by or uttered with vociferation: a vociferous manner of expression.

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#228: selenology

1/23/2016

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selenology
is more fun while you also
learn oenology

... and if you find a new crater you are already ahead in your celebration!

A hats off to scientists in general who can focus for aeons on one thing. Not me.

My favorite "scientific" area of interest is biomimicry, or the study of how Nature designs things. Look up Janine Benyus, one of the visionary leaders in the study and application of biomimicry. A great TED Talk here.

DEFINITION of this 5-syllable noun:

the branch of astronomy that deals with the nature and origin of the physical features of the moon.

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#227: sitzmark

1/22/2016

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more than a sitzmark
he went into the powder
feet up and face first!

This poem brings back a strong — and happy — memory:
I used to ski fairly regularly and got to an advanced-intermediate level. But I wore glasses, and even with goggles, even a mild spill, let alone a faceplant, required 5 to 10 minutes of brushing away snow and wiping off most of the ice and water to get to the point where I could see again and proceed. Then, one fateful year, I got contacts. Wow!! What a liberating experience that was to get right back up and keep on skiing! Awesome.

DEFINITION of this 2-syllable noun:

Skiing. a sunken area in the snow marking a backward fall of a skier.

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#226: presenteeism

1/21/2016

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presenteeism
seems like the natural state
of most employees

When I get too busy, I put my cat to work.

You may have to click on the image to see the animation.
(I love cat videos!)

This haiku prompted me — for some reason — to search "looking busy at work"... WOW! There is a LOT of informative guidance on this subject! Here's just one example.

DEFINITION of this 5-syllable noun:

the practice of coming to work despite illness, injury, anxiety, etc., often resulting in reduced productivity.
the practice of working long hours at a job without the real need to do so.

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#225: aposiopesis

1/20/2016

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started my thesis
but aposiopesis
subverts my aegis

Er, um, I don't mean to be disrespectful... But isn't this the perfect picture for this poem?

I confess... I looked around for an "appropriate" photo of Sarah Palin, particularly to "honor" the occasion of her endorsing The Donald for President.

This election cycle is going to be a __________________
[insert your word here].

DEFINITION of this 6-syllable noun:

Rhetoric. a sudden breaking off in the midst of a sentence, as if from inability or unwillingness to proceed.

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#224: kerflooey

1/19/2016

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gall dang and phooey
the whole truck went kerflooey
used car man's hooey!

From Clunker to Old Reliable!

Driver and passengers stay high and dry.

A clever bit of recycling!

DEFINITION of this 3-syllable adverb:

Informal. to cease functioning, especially suddenly and completely; fall apart; fail: As soon as the storm hit, every light in town went kerflooey.

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#223: aeonian

1/18/2016

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aeonian soul
in a centenarian
glows with wisdom

"When Marie Krafft Kelleher ’35 attended Fredericksburg Teachers College, now the University of Mary Washington, students had to learn how to swim before they could graduate. That wasn’t a problem for Kelleher, who grew up in Alexandria, Va., spending lazy Sundays at nearby beaches and summer afternoons at the city pool.
"With nearly a century behind her − her 100th birthday is Dec. 21 − Kelleher is a record-setting swimmer who claimed two national titles this spring. She rises before dawn several mornings a week to squeeze in some laps before heading to work as board chairwoman and corporate secretary of the company she started with her late husband, Mike Kelleher."

From the University of Mary Washington Magazine.

DEFINITION of this 4-syllable adjective:

eternal; everlasting.

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#229: vociferous

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