Month: August 2020

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It’s Come To This

So it’s come to this, has it?  See “A Non-Hiker’s Terms And Conditions For Hiking” in the humor section of the current New Yorker – the full article is here – but only if you’re a wuss, or extremely litigious.

 

Not particularly litigious, but not much of a record-keeper either.

 

For those willing to take it up a notch or two, see the article here from the Colorado Springs Gazette about a guy who has hiked an average of 70 miles a week… for the past 27 years!  Hey, I got nothing against hiking that much, honest. But his record-keeping requirements are a wee bit over the top, doncha think?

 

So it has come to this, has it?

Yep, it’s come to this. Ah well, hike on friends.

Whatever your schedule allows…

and your OCD demands!

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Laughable

Next time you find something laughable, give a tip of your hat to ridēre, the Latin verb meaning “to laugh” which gave us “risible” – Merriam Webster’s WOTD today – and also the related “ridiculous” and “deride.”  But here’s the thing, word-nerds:  Why should a root that means simply “to laugh” have come to carry such a laughable weight of negativity? Nothing in there about “gleeful” or “joyous,”  just “ludicrous,” and “worthy of ridicule.”  Why is that, etymologists? Anyone? After all, you’ve also got a set of risorius muscles around your mouth that help you smile. So who says it’s got to be a sardonic smile, full of so much contempt, eh? Why not simply a happy smile? Or even something a bit more – oh, I dunno – mysterious?  Hmm?  Inquiring minds need to know.

 

Laughable - Mona Lisa smile

Mona Lisa, lightly exercising her risorius muscles.

Nothing even faintly risible about it.

What does she know that we don’t?

What says the Peanut Gallery?

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Let’s All Be Careful Out There

Today’s WOTD is “Mayday” – from the French “m’aidez.” This has absolutely nothing to do the the first day of May. Today’s the first day of August, after all.  M’aidez – or Mayday – means literally “help me.” Used in a sentence:  See thread below.  Let’s all be careful out there, people!

 

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A swimmer was reported missing in Chatfield State Park on Friday afternoon.  A dive team tried to recover the body from the lake, but suspended operations at dusk.

The person was reported missing from the park’s swim beach about 3:20 p.m. According to South Metro Fire Rescue and park officials, the SMFR Dive Team searched water on the south end of the Catfish Flats area until about 8 p.m.

According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the swimmer was last seen about 60 feet from the shoreline in about an 18-foot depth of water.

 

West Metro Fire Rescue and park rangers assisted the dive team. Sonar was used in the process. Attempts to recover the body also included the use of a human chain, officials said.

Update – A mayday has been declared at Chatfield State Park. A rescue boat has capsized in gusty thunderstorm winds. All occupants are accounted for and being rescued by other personnel. Updates to follow.

 

At about 5:15 p.m. gusty winds from a passing storm capsized a rescue boat. The dive team searched until about 8 p.m., then called off operations because of darkness. Parks and wildlife continued to use a remote operated vehicle in the recovery effort into the night.