Category: My Year of Words

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Week 4: Ardent – Balance

I’ve loved this week’s words, even using a few in my Little Gems short story entries (due next – yikes!)

What this week has taught me however, is I’m ardent about putting a little balance in my life – starting tomorrow!!

But first…my favourites.

argus-eyed: adj. keen-eyed, vigilant

armature: n. protective covering of an animal or plant, or any part serving for defence or offence.

arresting: adj. catching the attention, striking

arriviste: n. social climber, ambitious person

askance: adv. with suspicion, mistrust, disapproval

avarice: n. insatiable greed for riches

aventurine: n. an opaque, brown glass containing fine, gold-coloured particles

avowel: n. frank acknowledgement or admission. 2. Open declaration

babushka: n. 1. A woman’s headscarf; often triangular with ends tied under chin or at back of neck (or a Russian grandmother!)

balance: various. what every good novel needs!

Now for my weekly challenge; using as many words as possible (not recommended if you are planning to write a good novel. Remember – balance and moderation!)

“She yanked the knot on her babushka and looked askance at his avowal to have his way with her. He was nothing more than an argus-eyed arriviste with an arresting smile. She’d need her armature to avoid his avarice.”  🙂

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Week 3: Dedicated to the antinovelist!

 The big word of the week is…

antinovel n. – a novel in which the traditional approach to such aspects as plot, form, character, etc is rejected.

Does that mean those amazing unpubbed authors who struggle with plot, form and character are actually called – antinovelists!!!

Seriously, this week’s read took me from Algeria to arctic, uncovering some great words along the way including:

antiquity: the quality of being ancient; great age

aplomb: 1. self-possessiveness, poise or assurance.   2. a perpendicular position

apophthegmatic:  to speak one’s opinion frankly [pron: ap-uh-theg-mat-ik]

aqueous: watery, of, like or containing water

“Despite the apophthegmatic compliment, she carried her antiquity with great aplomb.”

(Hmmm, okay, you can probably do better!)

Today’s dictionary travels brought me here – to ARCTIC. Join me next week as we travel from ardent to bagatell.

PS Thanks for your mum wishes on my previous post. Given my week, it seems fitting that included in this week’s words included analgesia and anaesthetic. She is ‘better’, although an overnight stop at Port Macquarie Base hospital (two-hours south) turned into four very long days. But we are back home and hoping for the best. Thanks for your wishes and for joining my journey.

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Week 2: A Very Special Year of Words Post: absolution – algebracic

Today’s Year of Words post is for my mum – Shirley. That’s her a few years back.

Why?

Short story – her father (shell-shocked from WW 1) was a bit of a nut case and he made her sit down after school every day and write out the dictionary.

The outcome?

No one ever challenged Mum to a crossword!

Right now though, Mum is in hospital and a little confused (low sodium, liver/kidney disease to name a few) and talking about the nurses playing in a band in the hall at night!!!!

When I visited her today however, telling her about my Year of Words challenge, and sharing a few of my finds from this week, she smiled and started telling me the meaning and putting the words into a sentence. I smiled then too.

So my choices this week, courtesy of my Mum are…

Akimbo: to stand with one hand on a hip and bent outwards.

Ambrosia: delicious, sweet – referring to taste and smell.

Ambit: the extend or boundary (the ambit of his love…)

 

Here’s a few things I learned.

It’s alright to spell alright all right!

Aggro: is the correct spelling for someone with a bad temperament. (For years I’ve written agro, making them a rather rude (but funny) and obnoxious (but cute) puppet!!!!!

Adrift: (just because I like it.)

 So, taking a few of this week’s words….

She stood akimbo, determined to resist the ambrosia of his maleness!

Oh la la (Not sure I’ll be using that in my next novel, but it was kinda fun. LOL)

Hope you all learned something too. Thanks Mum. Until next week…