bobance
'Puddleglum,' they've said, 'you're altogether too full of bobance and bounce and high spirits.[...]' --The Silver Chair, by C. S. Lewis, written around 1953; p, 76 of the 1994...
In the beginning
I keep coming across new-to-me words, unusual phrases and constructions, and other small items of potential philological interest. And I don't really have anywhere to put 'em. So I'm gonna...
VVV: Srmleacbd Wdors (Reader Comments and Addenda)
I forgot to mention that if you have trouble decoding any of the scrambled words, your best bet may be the Internet Anagram Server. It doesn't obey the restriction of keeping the first and last letters in place, but it does give only results that are real words, so it's usually pretty easy to pick […]
VVV: Srmleacbd Wdors
Aaron forwarded an email message containing a cool effect (I've corrected some typos and grammar problems in the original, though there are still some awkward phrases): Aoccdrnig to rseearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are in; the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat […]
UUU: I’ve Just Seen a Face
(Published some time after the scheduled date.) izarre. I seem to have written nearly four years' worth of columns without discussing typography. I've touched on typography in passing (as in column ddd and column UU), but I haven't said much about it, and I haven't talked about fonts. Fonts are everywhere. I had a minor […]
TTT: Fish, Heads
(Published some time after the scheduled date.) A vaguely connected miscellany. First, some new entries in the title chain game: Dark City of Angels in America in the Outfield of What Dreams May Come Attack of the Killer Fried Green Tomatoes Mya, Beth, and PJ Dirty Dancing With Wolves Alex Jesus Christ Superstarman of La […]
SSS: Out Standing in the Field
(Published some time after the scheduled date.) A few months back, I mentioned some decidedly off-color college cheers, as well as some that sound like they'll be off-color but turn out not to be. (I neglected to mention one apparently by Robin Williams: "Rickum, rackum, rockum, ruckum / get that ball and really fight 'em! […]
RRR: I Laughed, I Cried…
(Published some time after the scheduled date.) Jim Moskowitz recently revived a lovely idea originated (as far as we know) by Debbie Hollander: “Reviews of Movies I Have Not Seen.” Here are Jim’s reviews: End of Days A charming look at twilight, dusk, eventide, and the gloaming. How do they differ, and what do these […]
QQQ: Polychromatic Stockings
(Published some time after the scheduled date.) It occurred to me a while back to wonder why the Oakland A's are called that. I know the name is short for Athletics. And I know that other sports teams abbreviate their names: the Met(ropolitan)s, the Knick(erbocker)s. But how'd the A's end up with such a short […]
PPP: Experience, Memory, and Insight
"Nietzche [sic] said that poetry has turned beasts into men. Perhaps, then, poetry will turn computers into men? Next question." —Racter "Writing poetry with a computer is like eating spaghetti with a fork a yard long. It can be done, but it's not easy." —Kevin McKean Poetry and computers have been at least vaguely linked […]