From A to Z

When I started researching last week’s blog, I ended up with more info than I could use in one week. Oh yay! So today’s blog is a carry-over and will cover idioms. If you’ve ever studied a foreign language, you know that idioms are real stumpers. They never translate exactly. For example, I studied German in college and came across the phrase “Er hat einen Vogel,” which literally means “He has a bird.” That makes sense if there’s a parrot cage sitting in the living room. But when the phrase is uttered in the middle of a busy street or while riding the subway, it no longer makes sense. Er hat einen Vogel” is the way of saying “He's nuts” and is often accompanied by gesturing toward the head.

So what about American idioms? We have loads and we use them every day. But how did they come to be used?

Armed to the teeth: This is a pirate phrase originating in Jamaica in the 1600's. Pirates had only single shot pistols and cutlasses, and they would carry as many weapons at once so they could fight longer. One of these weapons was usually a knife carried between their teeth.

Back-handed compliment: Back-handed is synonymous with left-handed. For example in tennis, a backhand stroke is a strike by a right-handed player from the left side of the body. The Latin word for left is sinister, and back-handed has come to mean roundabout, indirect or devious.

Close, but no cigar: Carnival games of skill, particularly shooting games, once gave cigars as prizes. Someone who did not quite hit the target was close, but did not get a cigar.

Dressed to the nines: Common lore tells us that a top quality suit requires more fabric and that the best ones use nine yards. This is because a properly made suit requires all pieces to be cut in the same direction of the fabric’s weave. Thus, there’s a lot of waste in suit-making, but if you want to be “dressed to the nines” you must pay for the waste.

Eyes are bigger than your stomach: Someone seeing a table piled high with delicious food has a tendency to take too much. The problem is brought on by the eyes and a lack of reason and control.

From stem to stern: The very front of a ship is called the stem, the rear is called the stern. From stem to stern includes the entire ship and also refers to the entirety of anything else..

Get a leg up: This has nothing to do with a urinating dog. Getting a leg up is an equestrian receiving help in mounting a horse. A stable helper cups his/her hands to help lift the rider up and onto the horse.

High on the hog: The best meat is on the upper portion of the pig. Rich people have always been afforded this luxury while the servants, slaves and poor have always had to eat pig's feet, chitterlings, cracklings, etc. - low on the hog.

In the doldrums: Doldrums is the name of a place in the ocean that is located near the equator and is noted for unstable winds. A sailing ship caught in the Doldrums could be stranded from lack of wind.

Jump on the bandwagon: Old time political campaigns would use parades with bands to woo supporters for a candidate. Jumping on the band’s wagon showed support for the candidate.

Knock on wood: One theory has this phrase originating in the middle ages when pieces of the cross on which Jesus was crucified were in circulation. Touching one of these pieces was supposed to bring good luck.

Long in the tooth: A horse’s gums recede with age, so the age of a horse can be determined approximately by looking at the teeth. The longer the teeth appear, the older the horse.

Mind your Ps and Qs: This comes from early pub days when beer and ale were served in pint and quart containers. A chalkboard was used to tally the number of pints (Ps) and quarts (Qs) consumed.

No spring chicken: New England chicken farmers found that chickens born in the spring sold for higher prices than older birds, which had survived the cold winter. Some unscrupulous farmers would try to pass off older birds as new, spring-born chickens. Buyers would complain that a tough, old bird was no spring chicken.

Once in a blue moon: Two full moons in the same month are extremely rare, but they do happen. A second full moon has come to be called a blue moon. This is apparently because the Maine Farmers Almanac used to list the date of first moon in red text, and the second moon in blue.

Passed with flying colors: An early use of the word “color” is flag, pennant, or badge. "Passed with flying colors" comes from sailing ships that would fly their colors when passing other ships so they could be properly identified.

Quickie: This was originally used in the late 1920s in Hollywood as slang for a Grade B movie – a movie that was comparatively cheap and quick to produce. A decade later, the term was being used to mean a quick sex act.

Rule of thumb: Based on the use of ones thumb as a rough measurement tool. Generally correct for course measures. Most old English measures of distance were based on the body measurements of the king -- the length of the foot, inch (thumb tip to first knuckle), cubit (elbow-to-fingertip), and yard (nose-to-fingertip).

Sleep tight: Before box springs were in use, old bed frames used rope pulled tightly between the frame rails to support a mattress. If the rope became loose, the mattress would sag making for uncomfortable sleeping. Tightening the ropes would help one get a good night sleep.

Toe the line: This term comes from military line-ups for inspection. Soldiers are expected to line up, that is put their toes on a line, and submit to the inspection.

Under the weather: Passengers aboard ships become seasick most frequently during times of rough seas and bad weather. Seasickness is caused by the constant rocking motion of the ship. Sick passengers go below deck, which provides shelter from the weather, but just as importantly the sway is not as great below deck, low on the ship. On a ship the greatest swaying action is on deck, and the most stable point is down near the keel. Hence seasick passengers tend to feel better below deck.

Vicious circle: A vicious circle was the name given by 18th century logicians for the proof A depends on B, B depends on C and C depends on A.

White elephant: From the Burmese belief that albino elephants are sacred. They can't be used for work and they must be lavished with the ultimate amount of care.
Giving a gift of a white elephant would be done to someone considered an enemy. The idea being that you would eventually wipe out your enemy's wealth with the care of the sacred elephant.

X marks the spot: This is from the earliest days of newspaper photography where the scene of the crime would be shown with an X to mark where the deed was done. It goes back even further in romantic accounts of such things as pirate treasure maps.

Your name is mud: Samuel Mudd, the doctor who set the broken leg of Lincoln’s assassin John Wilkes Booth is sometimes given as the origin of the. However, other sources show recorded instance in 1823, ten years before Mudd's birth, and based on an obsolete sense of the word mud meaning a stupid fellow.

Zero hour: This comes from the military and indicates the time at which a planned operation is set to begin. Military time uses a 24 hour clock that begins at midnight or 0000 hours.

So there you have it – idioms from A to Z. Got a favorite amongst these? Or another favorite? How about our foreign readers? Tell us about idioms from your country.

Words, words, words

As writers we make our living with words (or we try like heck and hope to). Words can be used in so many ways besides novels and short stories, and that’s the topic for today’s Playground blog – Plays on Words.

I’ve always liked jokes that use words to create the humor. Puns have long been a favorite of my mom’s and she has a stack of books devoted to puns. In my research over the last few days, I discovered there are three types of puns. Homographic puns make use of multiple meanings from a single spelling. For example, did you hear about the man who impulsively got a cat despite his allergies and later realized it was a rash decision? And homophonic puns use similar sounds with different spellings. It's been said that seven days without laughter makes one weak.

My favorite is pun jokes that go beyond the one-liner.

Once upon a time, a Wisconsin baseball team acquired a pitcher named Milt Famey. As it was, Milt had signed an endorsement deal with a local brewery and was provided a lifetime supply of their product. And boy, did Milt use the product. One day, a game went into extra innings and Milt was called on to pitch. He had been partaking of his endorsement product and was a bit wobbly on the mound. In the bottom of the sixteenth inning, he walked four batters to load the bases and then walked in the winning run. After the game, a reporter commented that he’d seen cans of beer in the bullpen where Milt had been warming up. A player from the opposing team grinned and replied, “Yeah, that’s the beer that made Milt Famey walk us.”

Or…

The friars were behind on their belfry payments, so they opened a small florist shop to raise funds. Since everyone likes to buy flowers from men of God, the rival florist thought this was unfair. He asked the good Fathers to close, but they wouldn’t. He went back weeks later and begged them to close, and they ignored him. So the rival florist hired Hugh MacTaggart, the roughest thug in town to persuade them to close shop. Hugh beat up the friars and trashed the shop, saying he’d return if they didn’t close their doors once and for all. They were terrified and immediately went out of business, which proves that Hugh and only Hugh can prevent florist friars.

Puns aren’t the only ways to play with words.

Malapropisms (named after Mrs. Malaprop, a character in a play by R.B. Sheridan) are the unintentional and humorous misuse of a word. Mrs. Smith wanted to learn to speak better so she signed up for electrocution lessons.

Spoonerisms switch the initial sound of two or more words. It is often kistomary to cuss the bride. Or, last Sunday night the Saints dealt the Colts a blushing crow.

Palindromes are the spelled the same backwards and forwards. Obvious ones are the words mom, level and kayak. More clever, however, are whole sentences, such as “A man, a plan, a canal, Panama.” In palindrome sentences, punctuation and spaces are not taken into consideration, as in the one above. However, Napoleon supposedly uttered one that does not discard them: Able was I ere I saw Elba.

Tom Swifties play on a relationship between an adverb, and an action spoken in dialogue. We all know that good writers never use adverbs, so we’d never write something like, “I’d love some Chinese food,” said Tom wantonly. Or “I need a pencil sharpener,” said Tom bluntly.

Oxymorons combine contradictory words like jumbo shrimp, deafening silence, definite maybe, unbiased opinion, original copies, pretty ugly and exact estimate.

Tongue twisters are audible plays on words that don’t deliver a message but exist to trip up the speaker. How many of you grew up reciting about Peter Piper and his pickled peppers, seashells by the seashore or rubber baby buggy bumpers? Here’s one I found, but don’t try it in public.

I am a pheasant plucker,
I'm a pheasant-plucker's son,
I will be plucking pheasants
'till the pheasant plucker comes.

Redefinition is giving new meaning to an existing word. The Washington Post has a yearly contest where readers can submit alternative meanings for common words. Among the 2009 winners were:

Coffee (n), the person upon whom one coughs
Negligent (adj), absentmindedly answering the door in your nightgown
Esplanade (v), to attempt an explanation while drunk
Balderdash (n), a rapidly receding hairline
Pokemon (n), a Rastafarian proctologist


I’m not sure how the following are classified, but I found them worthy of a chuckle.

If a pig lost its voice would it be disgruntled?
Would a cardboard belt be a waist of paper?
Would writing with a broken pencil be pointless?
Are tennis players cold-hearted because love means nothing to them?

And last, but definitely not least are the humorous church signs found across the country.









Do you like word play? Share some with us!

Walkabout Wednesday: Great Smoky Mountains

Development of Great Smoky Mountains National Park began in 1926 when President Calvin Coolidge signed a bill providing for its establishment. The older parks in the system had been developed by taking sections of land already owned by the government. But the land that eventually became GSMNP was owned by hundreds of farmers and several timber and paper companies. And no one wanted to give up their homes or businesses.



The government is not allowed to buy land for national park use, so the states of Tennessee and North Carolina, which would share the park, appropriated state funds and additional monies were raised by private individuals and groups and even school children who gave their pennies to the cause. A large donation by the Laura Spellman Rockefeller Memorial Fund provided the remainder of the funding.

The first park Superintendant arrived in 1931. Between 1933 and 1942 the Civilian Conservation Corps worked to develop facilities and restore early settlers' buildings, and on September 2, 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the park "for the permanent enjoyment of the people."



While not the largest of the national parks, Great Smoky Mountains National Park has the distinction of being the most visited park with close to ten million visitors each year. The park contains 800 miles of hiking trails (including sections of the Appalachian Trail), 700 miles of fishable streams, camping areas, white water rafting and other family oriented activities. October brings a huge influx of visitors to the park for the fall leaf season.

The area is called Smoky Mountains because they always appear to have a blue haze hanging over them. This is a natural fog caused by warm, wet air from the Gulf of Mexico cooling quickly at high elevation and also by the respiration of he trees. The mist appears blue because evergreens emit natural hydrocarbons that appear blue in sunlight.



Last week the Playfriends visited Great Smoky Mountains National Park, specifically the areas of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Both areas are filled with fun for everyone including Dollywood, a Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum, the Ripley's Aquarium, Ober Gatlinburg ski area, river rafting companies and plenty of shopping. Candy shops abound to showcase what has become a mountain tradition -- lots and lots of fudge. And the area also is home to the Rocky Top Wine Trail, which features three wineries within three miles of each other.

When our visit was over, we returned to Alabama with fudge, fabulous beef jerky (who knew they had a beef jerky outlet?), Christmas decorations, new clothing and accessories, jams and jellies (another mountain tradition) and wine. We did our part to stimulate the economy. :-)

Our week was cut short because of the snow storm moving in. While we'd have loved to be snowed into the mountains, we all had obligations at home requiring us to come on back. ::sigh:: We had a terrific time and the week was filled with lots of fun and laughter. We played board games, ate, shopped, ate, sampled wine, ate, plotted books in the hot tub every night, ate and laughed lots. It's safe to say a fun time was had by all.

Have you ever visited any areas of Great Smoky Mountains National Park? Every visited any of the United States National Parks? Tell me about your experiences. One lucky commenter today will receive a copy of Linda Winstead Jones's recent book LAST OF THE RAVENS, which is set in the Smoky Mountains.

Slow Dancing, Feng Shui-ing to the Music

From wordnetweb.princeton.edu: feng shui (pronounced fung shway) - rules in Chinese philosophy that govern spatial arrangement and orientation in relation to patterns of yin and yang and the flow of energy or qi.

Almost four years ago, I posted about an online Feng Shui class I took and how I was trying to apply the principles to my office. Not long after that I sold my first short story and I became a true believer.

Here's the Bagua Map, or the guide to applying Feng Shui principles. In this version of Feng Shui, the map is oriented toward the entrance to a room. The entrance will always be along the bottom of the map.

Now I have a new office (with a reorganized Keeper Shelf and washed curtains I might add) and the RWA PRO group had Feng Shui as part of their January bootcamp (see what you're missing by not being a PRO???), so I began the Feng Shui process again.

• Red valances over the window -- check



• Framed magazine covers over the desk -- check



• A meaningful plaque in my Zen area -- check



• Two wooden angels hung over the door in the Helpful People area -- check

The rest of the room would have to wait until I can buy a sofa and move the futon from my living room to my office. But still, something didn't seem quite right.

Then whammo! I realized the furniture in this office is reversed from my old one. The desk is in the Creativity area and the futon will go in the Health/Family area. I had the wrong artwork hung in the wrong place. Oh noes!

So... the framed magazine covers came down to wait in the closet until they can be hung over the futon. But what could I do for the wall over the desk? It has a hutch top so there's a limited amount of wall space above it.

I perused the art I'd moved with me and took one of the metal pieces from the old office, found two round wooden pieces at my fave decorating place, Hobby Lobby, and the Feng Shui for that area feels as right as rain now.

My desk and the revised art over it. I'll tackle the cluttered shelves next because clutter is a negative force anywhere.

The red valances.


The Keeper Shelf and the angels over the door

Truer words have never been spoken

My Zen area plaque because a gal's gotta keep a positive attitude.

Next I need to work on the clutter because clutter just saps the energy right out of a room.

I've had fun playing with the feng shui and while I've been decorating my office and bedroom, I've carried the bagua map in my purse so I'll know if that green wood wall hanging will work in the Health/Family area (it will) or if I should pass on the single red vase because things in the Relationship area should be in pairs.

Whether it really works or I just had some good timing is up in the air. But it sure doesn't hurt to try.

Have you ever done any Feng Shui with your dwelling?

P.S. Our very own Problem Child will be blogging tomorrow at The Pink Heart Society blog. Please pop over and say hi to her.

Everybody dance now

The Playfriends' hotel room looks like a war zone. There are clothes, shoes, make-up items and heaven knows what else strewn about the room.

But we're gonna PARTY!

Film at 11:00. Well, not. What happens at the party stays at the party.

We DO have lots of good books to bring home.

7 Ways to Annoy a Flight Attendant

I'm in panic packing mode for the RWA conference in Washington, D.C., next week, and my brain is just having trouble coming up with a blog topic. Actually, my poor brain has had trouble with blog topics for a while now. I'm not a Golden Heart finalist like Angel so I don't have that excitement to share. I'm not a published author like Problem Child and Instigator, so I don't have that wider arena of the publishing world to draw from. And I'm not witty with interesting skills like Smarty Pants so I can't write about cake decorating or planning fabu parties.

So I'm going to share a piece I saw online about a month ago so that those of you flying to the RWA conference (or anywhere else) can stay in the good graces of your cabin crew.

A veteran flight attendant who works for a well-known airline listed these as her biggest pet peeves with air travelers:

1. Bring your pet on the plane and then act like an animal.
Over the years, I've seen a pet on a passenger's lap, a pet tucked into a seatback pocket, and a pet loose in the aisle (I nearly hit one with my beverage cart). All of this is against federal regulations. People tell me how well-behaved their pet is, but they can't follow the rules themselves! Your pet must stay in its carrier while you're on the plane. Yes, even if you've paid a "pet-in-cabin" fee.

2. Shove your bag into the first bin you see and then walk to your seat in the back of the plane.
You think you're clever, I know. You expect to grab your bag on your way out of the plane, but you're selfishly inconveniencing others. I can't lie and say we flight attendants don't take some small satisfaction when we tell you, "We couldn't identify the bag's owner, so we sent it to cargo." It's a security issue, for real. Carry-ons need to stay near their owners! So don't look so shocked when we say, "The signs will direct you to baggage claim. You can pick up your bag there."

3. Think that because you're on an airplane you're off-duty as a parent.
Stop expecting us to have spare diapers, formula, medicine, toys, playing cards, or batteries for DVD players or Game Boys. It's an airplane, not a 7-11. Take your kid to the restroom before you board. Leave the dry cereal and Legos at home and bring snacks and toys for your kids that won't make a horrible mess.

4. Drag on an oversize bag that's too heavy for you to lift by yourself.
I won't be compensated for any injuries I might sustain if I heft your bag into the overhead compartment for you. (And other passengers shouldn't have to step up and take the risk either.) The guideline is simple: You pack it, you stack it. Try this at home as a test (and this is to you ladies, especially): After you've packed your bag, put on the shoes you plan to wear on the plane and see if you can lift your bag and place it on top of your refrigerator. You can't? Pay the fee and check the bag.

5. Gripe that you haven't been seated in a roomy exit-row seat.
The exit rows weren't created as a reward for people who are tall, overweight, or just plain nice. They were designed to help passengers get out of the plane in an emergency. The people seated in an exit row must be able to see and speak clearly, open the emergency door, and help others. I prefer to see uniformed military, firefighters, law-enforcement officers, or off-duty pilots and flight attendants sitting in those seats. While the gate agent may assign exit-row seats first, the flight attendant makes the final determination about who gets to sit in them. And the quality of our choices is one of the frequent concerns of Federal Aviation Administration officials when they audit airlines for safety practices. So please don't complain. I'm just doing my job.

6. Act like you don't know the meaning of the words "under the seat in front of you."
Someday I will be muttering "under the seat in front of you" in the old-age home for flight attendants. What is it that you don't understand? To be clear, items should not be stowed behind your calves, under your feet like a footstool, in the open seat next to you, or in your lap. It's under the seat in front of you. And it applies to everything you carry on board. Items stored carelessly can trip others, or dislodge during takeoff and get lost, or inconvenience others. And while I'm on the topic: Please don't wrap your purse (or umbrella strap) around your ankle to keep from forgetting it. What will happen in an emergency, when every second counts and there's no time to disentangle yourself from your precious bag? Will you drag it ball-and-chain-style down the aisle of a burning plane?

7. Whine about the high price of flying.
When I hear people complain about coach airfares, I know they're not keeping up with the news. Fares have rarely been cheaper. In recent years, it's not uncommon for you to be able to cross the continent for under $130 each way, with a maximum of one layover. It's a bargain! At that price, you're barely paying for the fuel to get your body there—never mind the cost of shipping your 50 pounds of gear. You're already on the gravy plane. People point to first class ticket holders and want to know why they don't get the same treatment. Wake up folks: You're getting a great deal. If you want even more, pay more!

I won't mention that my favorite airline, Southwest, still does not charge for baggage, allows you two free bags and has the best on-time record in the business. Plus I just love Southwest's cabin crews. You can experience a little Southwest fun with the YouTube video below.



To all conference-goers, have a safe trip and we'll see you there.

Do you have any pet peeves regarding travel? Tell me. Get it off your chest.

P.S. Note that this blog posted at 12:34 on 7/8/09. This is the first time/date numerical alignment today. The next will be at 4:05:06 this afternoon. And to get more specific, the first alignment is actually 12:34:56, but Blogger doesn't show the seconds. Neat, huh?

Chocolate!

This undated photo made available in London Tuesday May 5, 2009, by the University of Warwick, shows a formula 3 racing car - the WorldFirst Formula 3 racing car - which is powered by chocolate, has a steering wheel made out of plant-based fibres derived from carrots, has bodywork made from potatoes, and can still do 125mph. The race car was designed and made from sustainable and renewable materials. The car meets all the Formula 3 racing standards except for its biodiesel engine which is configured to run on fuel derived from waste chocolate and vegetable oil. Pictured with the car are it's creators Dr Kerry Kirwan, Left, Dr Steve Maggs, centre, and Dr James Meredith.(AP Photo)

Scientists unveil chocolate-fueled race car


LONDON – Scientists unveiled on Tuesday what they hope will be one of the world's fastest biofuel vehicles, powered by waste from chocolate factories and made partly from plant fibers. Its makers hope the racer will go 145 mph and give manufacturers ideas about how to build more ecologically friendly vehicles.

The car runs on vegetable oils and chocolate waste that has been turned into biofuel. The steering wheel is made out of plant-based fibers derived from carrots and other root vegetables, and the seat is built of flax fibre and soybean oil foam. The body is also made of plant fibers.

Scientists at the University of Warwick say their car is the fastest to run on biofuels and also be made from biodegradable materials. It has been built to Formula 3 specifications about the car's size, weight, and performance.

Their claims cannot be independently verified.

They hope it can reach speeds of over 145 mph when it is tested on a racetrack in a few weeks time. They have driven it at around 60 mph and are now making final adjustments to the engine before driving it at top speed.

Warwick's project manager James Meredith said their model shows that it is possible to build a fast, efficient, environmentally friendly car.

The car, named the "WorldFirst Formula 3 racing car," will go on display at several races including the European Grand Prix and Britain's Goodwood Festival of Speed.

'Nuff said. Eat that chocolate and do your part!

My last blog

I'm sorry to say this but, this will be my last blog post.


Things have been a bit tough for me lately and life is getting shorter and shorter. I want to take time and smell the roses. So I am going to quit blogging here at the Playground and travel full time with a biker gang to see the country and enjoy life while I still can.


Don't worry about me - they all seem like really nice people. It has been nice knowing all of you, but it's time to say good bye.


Here is a photo of the gang.

Happy April Fool's Day!

What's NOT fooling is the new Blaze Authors' Blog. Blaze senior editor Brenda Chin kicks things off with the first post and they are launching with a huge contest -- they are giving away the first quarter of 2009 Blazes. Six books a month times three months equals 18 fabulous books! Pop on over and join Instigator, the Playground's Blaze author, in the fun.

AND our very own Problem Child is guest blogging at the Pink Heart Society today. Hope over there and keep her company too.