Contronym Quiz

Yesterday in Church, the word 'garnish' was used quite frequently in talks and lessons. It was from the new Young Men and Young Women's theme of "Let Virtue Garnish Your Thoughts Unceasingly". Kind of wordy, but an important concept all the same. In an attempt to make the theme a bit more interesting, I tried to convey to the kids that the word 'garnish' was cool because it is a contronym. Contronyms (also called autoantonyms) are words that have two definitions that are the opposite of each other. Garnish means both to enhance (e.g., food) or to curtail (e.g., wages). My friend Garrett pointed me to the word 'hardly' which means both to do something with great effort or to do something with little effort.

So class, your assignment is to take the list of words below and figure out the two meanings. You can go to Rinkworks.com if you need a little help.


apology
bolt
custom
dust
enjoin
fast
give out
handicap
left
off
put out
quite
rent
screen
transparent
variety
weather


For a bit of history on the contronym, see this Wiki article.

This was interesting...

Your Preppy Name Is...

Weston Atherton Cabot the Sixth But most people know you as Tip

What's Your Preppy Name?

I've been mulling over possible New Year's Resolutions for the past week or so and I don't think I'm in the mood to follow through with any. I have a few items in mind that I will do, but they are kind of personal, so I'm sure you will forgive me if I don't post 'em here. The big problem I am having with the resolutions is that I was looking over last years resolutions and I don't think I hardly made a dent in anything I was going to do. I think I lost maybe 10 lbs. I worked on everything else, but nada. Granted some items were out of my hands (like get published or get engaged, because this requires the free-will of others), but generally I got close but not close enough. I don't know if I'm in the mood to give everybody false expectations of what I want and then not follow through. If I'm gonna be a loser, why advertise it? You will have to figure that out on your own.

In Memoriam: Toonces the Cat

Toonces, whom many of you have known and adored (or at least put up with) was euthanised yesterday due to a serious medical condition. Now, I'm not what you would call a 'pet person', but he was a part of the family for the better part of eight years, so he grew on ya. Besides, my sis really loved him, I guess it spilled over to the rest of us. God speed, old friend.

RESOLUTIONS REVISITED - coming soon.

(Sorry it is taking so long. I've had the flu for the past few days and it really has me off line for all intents and purposes. All I can muster is to sit around in a stupor. 1/8/07)

Meanwhile...

It's Nerfman!

Another entry in my Alternative Universe Candy selection.



Note that I didn't make this one, but I wish I did.

New Quiz

Actually, it's just a glimpse to the many songs that have been stuck in my head this last week. Can you match the lyrics to the song?

I used to think as birds take wing, They sing through life so why can't we?

understand the New York Times' effect on man.

O no, what's this?
A spider web, and I'm caught in the middle

say goodbye to Ross and his dependencies

like Olympus above the Serengeti

Never gonna let it up
Ticking like a time bomb
Blowing up the fuse box

A brave man once requested me to answer questions that are key is it to be or not to be and I replied 'oh why ask me?'

If I could only find a nickel I would pay myself off tonight
'Cause nobody knows when the good times have passed out cold

Ue o muite arukoo
Namida ga kobore nai yoo ni

You give away everything now that you've hid
You, you want to be only to never get lonely

It seems fitting to have my 100th blog entry feature this years Christmas card from the whole family.



If you didn't get one yet, drop me a line and I'll send it on the line with the family newsletter.

And as always, click here to view old cards from the vast corridors of time.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everybody!

Here's a funny bit about the music scenes original "one-hit-wonder". That's comedian Rob Paravonian behind the guitar.

Here's another Christmas picture. Me and Go-Bot, circa, 1985.
and it is worth noting that I still have the same haircut. True story.

This is my brain after a stupid weekend. Mostly good. but stupid.

Real posting tomorrow.

Favorites of Christmas past

A Christmas update: I'm actually looking forward to the holiday. Thanks to Mr. Kreugers Christmas (the awesome film starring James Stewart) and sitting in the dark looking at the christmas tree here at SluggoCentral while sipping some nog and listening to the obligatory Mannheim Steamroller album. Somehow I forgot that one of the best parts of Christmas is that it is just fun.

It is also a unique time to dip into the memory-thing and remember fun Christmas times from long ago. Here's a peek back to December 25th, 1979.



Note my brother Doug in the background with his Fisherprice Alpha Shuttle.

I just got back from delivering my Christmas cards. At least the first round of them. Expect yours soon.

Bah, Humbug!

This Christmas, I'm trying something different. I'm actually trying not to be such a Scrooge about the whole holiday business. I used to look at the holiday with a lot of cynicism and general disgust, usually fed up with the whole lot of commercialism and other heresies that went under the guise of "the holiday spirit". And of course, I had one of those ''holier-than-thou" attitudes to back it up. So I ended up no better off than those I was complaining about. Who wants that.

This time around, I'm hanging up the "Bah! Humbug" t-shirt, hanging a stocking by the fireplace (with care, mind you) and listening to a nice selection of Christmas music on my computer. If you have any tips to make this a bit easier, drop me a line.

Happy Birthday, Cakes. I hope things are better.

The mustache report:

As I expected, the 'stash' didn't survive longer than a week and a half. As you all know, one of the many traits I share with my main man Chuck Norris is that we are both dyed-in-the-wool blondies. Serious toe-heads. As such, the required facial hair we need for our tough guy appearance is difficult to maintain. I'm pretty sure my main man Chuck Norris enhances his beard and stash with a bit of Just For Men. I tried it, but I only looked like my face was dirty. So I shaved it off. I wonder how long it will take me to forget that I don't look good in a mustache and try again? Likely before 2010.

The November Review...

I've been busier than I thought this month. But I don't feel like I have much to show for it. I guess that because I have been been working at big projects in small steps. Among the highlights are:

purchased a domain name bought some video editing software had a bunch of blind dates helped a friend remove a dead mouse from her apartment got an early start on my Christmas shopping got ripped off on my purchase of envelopes for my Christmas card played a bunch of board games with friends was captian of the work bowling team that took 4th place out of 15 teams also went bowling on thanksgiving and didn't do terribly well didn't sleep enough watched E.T. started a screenplay for a short film i plan to post on youtube next year ate my weight in turkey leftovers read four books and three manuscripts and didn't get any writing done on my own projects laughed really hard at this comic strip:









Yeah. That's about it. At least all I can remember.

UPDATE.

Here's the mouse I had to dispose of. Poor little guy.

This week's On Notice List.



Yeah, it's like I'm not even trying anymore.
I've got actual original content coming this week. Really.

It's finally over.

I got to say a hate these big holiday weekends. I'm fond of all the holiday celebrations and activities just fine, it's just all the time off I had. All I did was stay up WAY too late and watch Star Trek movies until my eyeballs fell out. All that free time is not good for me. So, if I'm able to get up tomorrow, I'll be at work and back into that comfortable rut.

And I've started to grow a mustache. We'll see how long that lasts before it drives me crazy and I shave it off.