Today's word

buttonhole \BUT-un-hohl\ - to detain in conversation by or as if by holding on to the outer garments of

I seem to want to confuse this one with "pigeonhole."  You'd think, as often as this one happens to me on the way out the door from work, I'd keep it straight.

Today's word

ramify \RAM-uh-fye\ - 1. to split up into branches or constituent parts  2. to send forth branches or extensions  3. to cause to branch

I never really understood the etymology of the word "ramifications" until I saw today's WOTD.

Seeing more clearly

Have just realized, practically in the moment and without a moment of conflict, that a "story of my life" incident that just happened in my kitchen is probably more significant for the way I interpreted it in the worst possible light than for the actual thing that transpired.

I'm too old for this, but still

I was really glad when my oldest and her husband asked if I could help them with a tiling project.  They'd been planning it for a while, but the project took on a fresh urgency when they had a sewage backup last week. I've been looking for chances to nurture our relationship together, and I thought this might be a good way to do it.

It worked out great.  I went over there Friday night and we laid out and cut all the tiles, then went back Saturday morning and we installed them.  My daughter grouted on Sunday, and the result looks great.  Professional, even. And they seemed to really appreciate my help; my son-in-law said he couldn't have done it without me.  He gained some valuable experience that he can put to use when he does the other bathroom.

Now I'm a sore puppy, but it was worth it.

(truth-in-advertising moment: sore old dog.)

1 Cor 13, 5c

(Love) is not irritable or resentful. - RSV
It does not brood over injury. - NAB
(Love) thinketh no evil. - KJV
(Love) doesn't keep score of the sins of others. - The Message
(Love) does not impute evil. - Darby
(Love) does not take into account a wrong suffered. - NASB
It keeps no record of wrongs. - NIV

Nor of shortcomings, or not, at least, in the way I tend to.

It has been too long since I've taken a look at various translations of a verse of scripture. This isn't even a full verse, yet it provides plenty of food for thought, and ties in with Fr. Dave's homily of last weekend.

I often correct myself in the middle of making mental lists: things I do, things I'm the only one who can do, things that another doesn't do.  It isn't just a characteristic of my marriage relationship, either - for instance, I generally know who has bought lunch last. Add to that: I also have a tendency to interpret others' actions or omissions in the worst possible light (imputing evil).

From a strictly secular perspective, all of this forms an unhealthy approach to love.  From the Christian perspective, St. Paul seems to be telling me that it isn't how to love at all.

Still growing . . .

That's a good thing, right?

Not an Irving Berlin song

I wasn't exactly dreaming of a white St. Stephen's Day, or a white New Year, but it has been kind of nice.  As long as we don't get more for me to have to shovel, I'm fine with it sticking around as long as it might last. Goodness, it was cold this morning, though!

Today's word

heliacal \hih-LYE-uh-kul\ - relating to or near the sun; used especially of the last setting of a star before and its first rising after invisibility due to conjunction with the sun's rising and setting

I had heard of this word before, and perhaps had seen its meaning, but completely misinterpreted it when I saw it as today's WOTD.