Thursday, December 22, 2011

Word of the Day: Foo-foo

I came upon this in a dictionary and it tickled me.  The meaning is "soft rolls of dust that collect under beds or other furniture."  Or, dust bunnies.  I love my husband dearly, but occasionally I'm struck by my super love affair with words.  Words are the greatest gift to human kind.  If I were stranded on a desert island, and could only have 3 books, I would want the Roget's International Thesaurus, the Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, and, well, that would be it.  If I had to pick a third, I'd bring a rhyming dictionary or one of the Dictionaries of American Regional English, which only include a few letters in each very huge volume.  And it is Volume II (D-H) of said Dictionary where foo-foo made its illustrious appearance.

I don't suppose this has very much to do with the upcoming holiday.  Other than I feel at peace, my holiday chores are completed, I'm half-way pleased with the gifts I've chosen, so my mind is free to do what a mind does best.  Saunter along and cherish unique words that cross its path.

Exploring ideas, is also a good mental exercise, but too often that takes me into ranting mode.  Politics, religion, social mores, and the stupid left lane driver going 59.5 MPH can send me spiraling into a full-bore frenzy.  It's fun, and I'll never quit doing it, but for a pure sense of peace and tranquility, give me a word like "quiche."  Isn't it lovely?

But quiche left under the bed too long soon becomes foo-foo.

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