January 6, 2009

NEW WORD WINNERS FROM THE WASHINGTON POST


Washington Post’s Mensa Invitational once again asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. (note that a few numbers are missing, it came to me this way --- I'll assume some were quietly removed because someone got a little too creative and crossed the tasteful line)


The winners are:


1. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.


4. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.


5. Bozone (n..): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.


6. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.


8. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn’t get it.


9. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.


10. Hipatitis: Terminal coolness.


12. Karmageddon: It’s when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, and then the Earth explodes, and it’s a serious bummer.


13. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you


15. Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.


16. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you’ve accidentally walked through a spider web.


17. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.


18. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you’re eating.


I thought they were kinda cute. But I'm bummed - I hadn't heard of this contest. In keeping with the spirit of creativity, let's add our own new words to the list. Post your (tasteful) creation in a comment. I'm thinking.

5 comments:

Something About the Joy said...

I love it! How about scrabple. When you withdraw a scrabble word because you know someone is going to challenge and you'll lose a turn. Wait. I can do better than that. I'm sure of it.

Anonymous said...

Okay, I'm plucking this completely out the air.

Furtility: the ability to grow an over-abundance of man-hair.

Something About the Joy said...

LOL Karla. I can't top that, but here's another I just thunk up:
Audicious: Tasty to the ear.

Something About the Joy said...

One more. And this one is serious. It's happening to me. All of a sudden I have so much to say on my blog that I don't know where to start. I am mired knee deep in thoughts about blogging and I have become impotent with the possibilities. I'm blogged down.

RRigdon said...

You...are a funny girl. I gave you a brief shout out on Rachelle's blog (comments) to show my appreciation.

ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF. . . .

RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME:

I've published five novels and 2 novellas (more about those on my website.) I've been writing all my life, but decided in 2007 to get serious about being published.

I love action movies and Jane Austen. (she’s dead, I know. I found that out when I tried to get her to endorse my novel)

They let me play Bass guitar and sing in a worship band.

I can produce 4 dozen homemade cinnamon rolls in a flash for a crowd of drooling young adults. Or publishing house editors.

I used to have a Harley. Now we have seven grandkiddos. Decent trade, really.

I am a proud Grammy. Don't even think about taking candy from my babies.

I hate shopping (Yes, I'm aware that I'm a girl)

MY ROOTS:
I've lived in Oregon all my life, spent time in Eugene (Go DUCKS!), Springfield, Reedsport, and Smith River. Which is not really a town, but a river, about 70 miles long, a tributary of the Umpqua River in southwest Oregon.

Although it's not a town, it is a community with a strong sense of pioneer history. It's cool to say you've lived there, especially if you lived there during the days when you had to take a boat to school. No joke! The old farmhouse my grandfather and my mother grew up in still stands, nestled into a narrow, pasture carpeted valley, complete with a swimmin' hole and its own 'crick'. It may turn up in one of my novels.

There's a rumor that my ancestors had a connection with the Mafia back in Sicily. I used to fantasize as a kid about a big black limo with tinted windows pulling up and whisking me away from school. Ahhh. So THAT'S why I'm having so much trouble conjugating my dangling participles now.

NOT RANDOM: I am challenged by the truth and amazed by the grace of God. And it's either in spite of or because of that grace that I hold a PhD in Learning Stuff the Hard Way.