Comments on "I've been Calvin's-Dadded!" - Faerye Net

Re: You didn't mention...

2010-08-04T15:53:33+00:00

That’s because I didn’t remember it, Dad. What on Earth does that mean? :P

You didn't mention...

2010-08-03T16:54:32+00:00

Hoojaw-kapivy (from your GGpa Woodley)

Re: Glomulix and et tu, Brute?

2010-07-26T11:40:20+00:00

Yes, I was surprised to find some of those on the noir list. ‘Spondulix’ I have definitely read in Wodehouse as well (as Kelley points out.

In general, my dad is very playful with language. He made elaborate silly monikers for all of our friends when we were growing up, and there are lots of store names he messed with: Inedible Universe, Baco Tell, Radioshackatandy, et c. And that’s overlooking the set-piece phrases and quotes like Jan’s parents had!

When I asked him for comment on this hit piece, he said “I always thought your and your sister’s penchant for playing with language was an inborn thing, but I suppose I may have contributed to it.” I think he’s pleased at the idea :)

et tu, Brute?

2010-07-22T13:36:46+00:00

Okay, so that quote has nothing to do with anything, but I was too pleased that I remembered how to spell not to use it.

My dad invented “rabbit tracks on toast”. Most all the other expressions have known antecedents. But there’s one more: “We’re lost!” that captain shouted as he staggered down the stairs. My mother used it all the time and had no idea what it meant.

Those panels from Calvin and Hobbes are my favorites!

Glomulix

2010-07-20T21:13:40+00:00

“Glom” is a longstanding word in both Kate’s family and mine, being apparently related to “conglomerate” and “agglomerate.” The others don’t strike me as particularly hardboiled, though they’re very 30s-40s. “Spondulix” strikes me as weird in this context, not particularly noir-ish at all. Though it was apparently widely used by Mickey Spillane and company, it’s much older (http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-spo1.htm).