Word For the Day, Thursday, August 14, 2003

The Verbivores | 8/14/03 | Teacher

[RikaStrom]

In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of “word for the day”. Rules: Everyone must leave a post using the “word of the day”; in a sentence. The sentence must, in some way, relate to the news of the day. Practice makes perfect.....post on....

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scintilla \sin-TIL-uh\, noun
scintillant; adjective

1. A tiny or scarcely detectable amount; the slightest particle; a trace
2. A spark; a flash.
3. Miniscule

In victory, they must hold on to at least a scintilla of humility, lest they get too cocky -- and ripe for a takedown.
--Bill Breen, "'We are literally trying to stop time,'" Fast Company, May 2000

Etymology: Latin scintilla, "a spark, a glimmer, a faint trace." Also from scintilla is the verb scintillate, "to sparkle."

[Slip18]

Now don't you be putting this into the beer vat!

[Gabz]

I'm not a candidate for contacts, because I only need mine for distance, specifically for driving.

I'm also not vain about what the glasses look like, because I saw rarely wear them in public.

When I went to the eye doc back in February I was expecting she was going to tell me I need bifocals or something because I was having such a hard time seeing. I thought my sight had really deteriorated since the last time I got new glasses. Just the opposite, I couldn't see because my sight had improved and my glasses were too strong.

[Gabz]

If he puts that in I will boycott the vat.

[Slip18]

That is hysterical. Thanks, W!

[Slip18]

Same with me! I was having a hard time seeing. The glasses were way too strong. Who would have guessed?

[honeygrl]

From other stuff i've read, it means actually having intercourse. Especially with the males. With the females, I'm not sure what it entails, and not sure I'd want to! :)

[xsmommy]

i think that you move from nearsightedness to farsightedness in MIDDLE AGE (or vice versa, can't recall which is which) and that is why eyesight seems to improve. i have had glasses since i was 7. i wear gas permeable contacts, that i bought myself when i was working after college.

[xsmommy]

i definitely have to do the head tilt back and hold it out some to see when i am reading ingredients on a can or some other small print. sign of being elderly.

[honeygrl]

Apparently also from his book he says:

"Bruce Bagemihl: Biological exuberance. Animal homosexuality and natural diversity. St. Martin's Press 2000 (USA)*

does not stop putting forward interesting problems.
When more than 450 species have both males and females' homosexual members, we need immediately to deny any genetic responsibility for it, because too many variables into play.
Actions of stress inside the uterus or inside the egg during a particular moment of sexual differentiation of the embryo could have better explained it, but till now there is not any confirmation."

[Conspiracy Guy]

The gay pups will grow out of it.

[honeygrl]

"And it sounds like he has a vested interest in the results. "

So far it looks to me more like the gay community has vested interest in his results, but he just wants to figure out why it happens and find the scientific reasoning for it.

[Gabz]

I always get the 2 mixed up, because the definitions are, IMO, backwards.

[xsmommy]

kids ensconced at pool. that is definitely the advantage to having a teen. : ) she has her cellphone and can call me when they are ready to be retrieved. plus xsboy knows the membership # so they can eat lunch there. xsboy, has eaten at the country club more than the other 4 of us combined, since he basically spent his summer there, with golf camp. luckily he is satisfied with a hot dog and chips! though he saw his golf stud(the college kid that does the clinic with them) eating a chicken salad sandwich there last week, and he has gone through a fixation with chicken salad. NONE Of the 3 of them would ever eat that when i made it. i love a chicken salad with grapes and nuts in it.

[camle]

oh no! i only be putting the good stuff into the beer vat!

[Gabz]

Apparently the club is not far from you - you weren't gone very long. I'd give anything for a swim right now - but the water at both beaches near here is WAAAAY too cold for me to even think about it.

Hubby has made some noises about a pool next year.

[Conspiracy Guy]

I could make it out to me it reads Blah, blah, blah, repeat.

[secret garden]

So much for the "born that way" argument.

[Conspiracy Guy]

They'll grow out of that and chase skirts jest like dad. Sheep in skirts.

[xsmommy]

5 minutes away, which is nice. then you can just go for an hour or so and not feel like it wasn't worth the drive. if i had to drive any distance to get there, we wouldn't go nearly as often. everyone we know has always belonged to a pool of some sort. we never did, til he joined the CC 2 years ago. and that was for the golf aspect, the pool was a side benefit. people pack up their babies and go spend the day there with toddlers and infants. they have a nice covered pavilion portion so they are not burning up in the sun constantly. that never appealed to me when they were that age.

[hobbes1]

i love a salad with nuts in it.

That seems to be your main requirement for most things...