Category Archives: Essays

April 7, 2017

Inveterate – Friday’s Word of the Day Haiku

By Kat Myrman

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It’s Friday. Thank goodness it’s Friday! Today’s dictionary.com Word of the Day  is “Inveterate”. It is defined as: settled or confirmed in a habit, practice,  feeling, or the like: an inveterate gambler; firmly established by long continuance, as a disease, habit, practice, feeling, etc.; chronic.The Collins Dictionary also adds an obsolete meaning: full of hatred; hostile.

Dictionary.com gives us a nice bit of history on the word:
Inveterate comes from the Latin verb inveterāre “to grow old,” a derivative of the adjective vet(us) “old.” Latin vet- is related to Greek ét-os (Doricwét os) “year” with its derivative etḗsios “yearly” (cf. “etesian winds”). The Latin nouns vitellus and vitulus “calf, bull calf, yearling” are also derivatives of vet(us). The Latin name for Italy, Italia, has the rare form Vitalia (cf. Oscan Víteliú), both of which are from Greek italós (Doricwitalós) “bull,” because Italy was rich in cattle. Inveterate entered English in the 16th century.

There is not much in the way of backstory that I could find for this word apart from its peculiar etymological link to cattle; bulls in particular. If you ask me, there are quite a few derivatives in the above blurb, which makes me a bit suspect. But for the sake of discussion I can probably squeeze some sort of relevance out of all this. For example, bulls are generally seen as stubborn, immovable, etc. Not exactly following the “because Italy was rich in cattle” part. Um, okay…if you say so…that’s nice to know…not.

As for the “growing old” part, it is true that some old people are set in their ways. Routine and habit are comforting ruts for some. But I would venture a guess that not all elder folk are inveterate; some are quite comfortable with movement and change (including me. And I do qualify as a first person expert. I have my AARP card to prove it!). But that’s about all I could muster on this week’s word. It is what it is. As with all bland, so-so words, use em or lose em.

I did discover that as a ten letter word, inveterate will land you a whopping 63 points in Scrabble. Good luck with that. I am lucky when I can use all SEVEN of my allotted letters, let alone TEN! But you can store that in the “obscure word fact” file in your brain. Never know when you might need it.

Have a great weekend!

Signed,
An Inveterate Optimist 🙂

Truth is elusive
to inveterate liars
fiction is the truth

~kat – 7 April 2017

5 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Essays, Haiku, Random Thoughts and Musings, Word of the Day Haiku

April 2, 2017

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 2 April 2017

By Kat Myrman


It’s a beautiful Sunday here in the Blue Ridge valley. The horizon is wispy white fading upward into a crystaline cerulean cloudless dome. The air is crisp and cool.

I forget to breathe most days, gulping in pitiful bursts only when my lungs complain that the stale air I’m hoarding needs to go. And so it goes, burdened with survival, I dig my 9-5 rut deeper and wider.

I know it’s not healthy. Living for sleep to be savored in that elusive omega-alpha 48-hour threshold called weekends. I sleep in the daylight while others play between brief bursts of energy as I try to make up for everything didn’t have time to do during the week.

It’s exhausting, but I suspect even more exhausting because I forget to breathe. It’s such a simple thing. A mindless, instinctual reflex that when coupled with mindfulness makes all the difference. Breathe. 😊

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 2 April 2017

if only I could rid myself of them
know every rock by name
hidden in the footnotes of history
seeds from muddy crypts
reality, a pity
presence, just a breath away
like a skipped heartbeat
the salty air, the fishy smells and slimy ooze
moments slip away
long past their demise
smile, but remember
the gloaming lingers on

~kat

A shi sai or ReVerse poem is a summary poem with a single line lifted from each entry of a collection of work over a particular timeframe and re-penned in chronological order as a new poem. Unlike a collaborative poem, the shi sai features the words of one writer,providing a glimpse into their thoughts over time. I use it as a review of the previous week. 😊

3 Comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Digital Art & Photos, Essays, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings, Shi Sai, Week in Review

March 31, 2017

Weltschmertz – Friday’s Word of the Day Haiku

By Kat Myrman


It’s Friday in most parts of the world right now. I was going to say as I usually do, “Happy Friday” but I can’t assume to know if it is happy where you are. I’m not even sure if I am happy in this moment. Content maybe, but happy? Happiness takes effort. Which brings me to today’s dictionary.com Word of the Day, Weltschmerz. Leave it to the Germans to fashion a word that captures the day in day out ruts that we find ourselves languishing in.

Do you ever wonder if this is all there is? Weltschmerz is “the sorrow that one feels and accepts as one’s necessary portion in life.”

It is also defined as “sentimental pessimism”. As you can imagine, many a writer has penned this word.

Weltschmerz (the w sounds like a “v”) even sounds resigned to a certain apathetic resolve. It is what it is…weltschmerz. It’s a combination word that means “world” (welt) and “pain” (schmerz) first appearing in the 19th century by German Romaric Writer Jean Paul, pen name of Jean Paul Friedrich Richter (1763-1825), in his novel Selina (1827). But it also found its way into English 50 years later and into modern literature by such authors as John Steinbeck, Kurt Vonnegut, Ralph Ellison and Henry Miller.

In researching this word it was described as “obscure German sorrow”, which led me down another wormhole to discover a modern English version of this concept.

Created and written by graphic designer and editor John Koenig, the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows is a melancholic writer’s treasure trove of newly created “feeling” words. It’s an amazing collection. If you want to explore more check out his blog here or better yet check out his YouTube entries; beautiful narrations set to music and photos that illustrate these new words.

Back to weltschmerz and my task for today…to write a Haiku poem. While I can’t presume to know if your day is happy at the very least I can wish you happiness in this crazy spinning world. I hope you have a happy weekend too. 😊

moments slip away
mindlessly lost in weltschmertz
no seizing the day

~kat – 31 March 2017

3 Comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Essays, Haiku, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings, Word of the Day Haiku

March 28, 2017

Twittering Tales #23 – 28 March 2017

By Kat Myrman

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About the challenge:  Each Tuesday I will provide a prompt, and your mission, if you choose to play along, is to tell a story based on that prompt in 140 characters or less.

If you accept the challenge, be sure to let me know in the comments with a link to your tale. A final note: if you need help tracking the number of characters in your story, there is a nifty online tool that will count for you at charactercountonline.com.

I will do a roundup each Tuesday, along with providing us a new prompt.

Have Fun!

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Twittering Tales #22 – The Round Up

from Willow at Willowdot21

We saw her every day
Rain, dry she made her way
Never knowing what she carried
Moving fast she never tarried.
Once she smiled at us,like the sun
(140 Characters)

From Mick at Mick E Talbot Poems

Located one thousand one hundred and eighty eighty miniatures. Miss Johnsons satchel is getting extremely heavy. Only eight more then home.
(139 Characters)

From Vaidehi at Young Mind

“There’s still half way to go”-The matron who was acutely into trekking said.Only some have the courage to chase their dreams in senescence.
(140 Characters)

From Michael at Morpethroad

She labours her way to and from the shop.
In all weathers, she plods her way along.
Carrying all that is dear to her.
Head down, mind focused.
(140 Characters)

From Lady Lee at Lady Lee Manila

A woman with a song
And all her belongings
Lost and feeling desperate
She’s searching for love
No more pain
No more heartache
Just love
(129 Characters)

From Ramya at a Logophile’s Corner

The old lady visited the faraway market daily to buy strawberries from the poor girl.Her backyard strawberry garden smiled at her secret.
(Character Count:138)

From Kathryn at Another Foodie Blogger

Best get this week’s delivery over with, Ol’ Nellie muttered to herself. It’s a thankless task, but who else would feed her prisoners?
(134 Characters)

From Di at Pensitivity101

He’d been ill he said, unable to get out.
Could she possibly get him a few things.
Approaching his tent, she understood why he wanted seed.
(137 characters)

From Sangbad at Thoughts of Words

It’s being two years her son and two months her only grandson was taken. A surpassed growl made her smile. The hunter on machan take aim.
(137 Characters)

From Francine at Woman Walking Max

“must tell Kalinka, don’t you marry that boy. His family it’s tainted, bring shame on ours. Stubborn girl she loves him…”
(99 characters)

From Reena at Reinventions

Ugh! The print on your backside, and the patterns on your shape… No wonder, your walk is labored. You need a stylist, before you hitchhike
(140 characters)

From Jane at Jane Dougherty Writes

Baba Yaga dragged the bag into the bushes & scattered the contents. ‘That’ll learn ’em,’ she said to her house on chicken’s legs & cackled.
(139 Characters)

From Susmitamukherjee at Uniquesus

The old gypsy fortune-teller

She trotted back home gloomy holding her satchel. What she prophesied today was ill-fated.”Fancy a better day of luck tomorrow,” she hoped.
(140 characters)

From Martin at Martin Cororan

‘I don’t understand it,’ said the Russian doll, ‘These shopping bags are getting bigger and home is getting further away!’
(123 characters)

From Kirst at Kirst Writes

Humans saw our alpha-numeric system as floral patterns, my map as eccentric clothing. The portal was around the corner. I was nearly home.
(138 characters)

From Peter at Peter’s Ponderings

Hildegard scanned the track again. Yesterday she found 27. Today maybe more. If she could find just 35 she’d be able to escape at last!
(136 characters)

From Irena at Books and Hot Tea

Every day she walks through their words.
Witch! Hag!
Misplaced hate. Her herbs healed, never caused pain. Witches are misunderstood healers.
(138 characters)

And my weird tale…I added the title after first posting it so as not to confuse anyone. My take on this interesting lady was bright and joyful helping souls pass from this life to the next. ❤

Eternity’s Midwife (Dedicated to some compassionate Hospice volunteers I have known.<3)

Miss Nellie had a way with birthin’. “Laboring takes long as it takes,” she’d say. When time came she’d sigh, “go on now, heaven’s awaitin.”

(140 Characters)

There were some interesting tales this week. A few of you told me that this one was a bit more challenging. Thank you so much for jumping in and giving it a try. If this prompt challenged you, I could not tell. Well done!

For the coming week, I found this interesting photo on Pixabay. These things can be seen and heard buzzing overhead everywhere. I’m thinking there a quite a few tales just waiting to be told. What do you think? Is it an alien canvassing device or it a spy’s tool of the trade. Maybe it’s just some guys very expensive “toy”.  Of course there is more. What image is it capturing? Oh the possibilities! Tell me what you think in 140 characters or less, of course. And have fun!  Alas, I am droning on…(I hear you groaning!) I’ll let you get to it!  Here’s mine…

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Drone – Photo From Pixabay.com

After the coup each person was assigned a tracking drone. Privacy was a novel concept from the past, hidden in the footnotes of history.
(131 Characters)

kat – 28 March 2017

54 Comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Essays, Flash Fiction, Twitter Tales

March 26, 2017

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 26 March 2017

By Kat Myrman


Another week, another Sunday. It was an emotionally exhausting week. I realized late on Friday that I have been holding my breath since November. Well, not literally of course. That’s not something I would recommend. But I have been holding my breath, figuratively, watching the world crumble with each executive order, congressional bill and lie that has gone unquestioned and unchallenged.

Some of us dodged a bullet this week. We, as in 24 million people still have healthcare; we, as in senior citizens, immigrants, the mentally ill, refugees, women, mothers, and those who hope to be. It was a tiny victory, but the battle rages on. While I was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief, the world lost innocent souls to terror from radicals as well as from coalition forces. “Bombing the hell out of them…” as our fake president likes to boast, is not a sustainable nor advisable foreign policy, especially when innocent victims are part of the collateral damage of such actions. It only makes things worse.

I breathed on Friday. For the first time in months I didn’t feel helpless or hopeless. Resistance to this speeding runaway train is not futile. Still, those wielding power in the name of privilege, greed, hate and yes, even religion, will not let go of the reigns willingly. But they mustn’t win. It’s personal. It’s important that those who are suffering know that they matter. It’s important that they feel loved and that they know there is a seat at the table for them, for all of us. Because we’re in this together; because…Love is all. ❤

Shi Sai Sunday’s Week in ReVerse – 26 March 2017

what are your intentions?
it is the sweet things
heaven’s awaitin’
selling love over death
death disguised herself in fleeting sweetness
sometimes what you search most for
(is) first to root in frosted earth
breeze by, nose upturned,
they whisper in soft kisses
sleeping with me, then leaving,
what was it with these people
proving they are fools
especially one whose gentle nature informed her conscience early in life
Love is all

~kat

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A shi sai or ReVerse poem is a summary poem with a single line lifted from each entry of a collection of work over a particular timeframe and re-penned in chronological order as a new poem. Unlike a collaborative poem, the shi sai features the words of one writer,providing a glimpse into their thoughts over time. I use it as a review of the previous week. 😊

10 Comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Digital Art & Photos, Essays, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings, Shi Sai, Week in Review