http://faerye.net/tag/lecture Posts tagged with "lecture" - Faerye Net 2009-05-24T15:53:35+00:00 Felicity Shoulders http://faerye.net/ http://faerye.net/post/in-praise-of-spontaneity In praise of spontaneity 2009-05-24T15:53:35+00:00 2009-05-24T15:53:41+00:00 <p>Recently, I have found myself being more impulsive. From small choices, like ordering wild mushroom ravioli instead of something more pedestrian, to things like agreeing to go on a writing retreat <a href="http://faerye.net/post/photos-from-vermont" target="links">in Vermont</a> with a friend, I&#8217;ve been making the less comfortable choice. It tends to turn out beautifully. The one time recently I chose the &#8216;safe&#8217; item on the menu, it was downright bland. And when I decided to jump off my comfy chair and take a bus downtown in torrential rain to catch an author talk at little notice, I ended up getting to chat with <a href="http://mollygloss.com/" target="links">Molly Gloss</a> and <a href="http://ursulakleguin.com/UKL_info.html" target="links">Ursula Le Guin</a> (not to mention being treated to fondue by my friend <a href="http://camillealexa.wordpress.com/" target="links">Camille Alexa</a> afterward.) I think we have an instinct for when our reluctance is based in wise caution and when it&#8217;s based in inertia or self-consciousness and would better be ignored.</p> <p>Which is all a long way of saying I spontaneously bummed a ride to Central Oregon with my mom, so I&#8217;m enjoying the high desert and producing little in the way of blog posts. If it&#8217;s any consolation, I&#8217;m missing my yard&#8217;s <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wonko/3560086679/" target="links">most spectacular blooms</a> as well as shirking my communication duties.</p> http://faerye.net/post/new-word-the-partial-disclosure New word: the partial disclosure! 2008-07-22T13:33:56+00:00 2008-07-22T13:34:12+00:00 <p>This one comes courtesy of my graduate program. I scrawled it in a flyleaf during a lecture, and I&#8217;ve been trying to figure out whose lecture &#8211; hence the month&#8217;s delay in posting. Here is the word, robed in its glory and naked of context:</p> <p><b>adumbration:</b> partial revelation or hinting; or, contrariwise, obscurement.</p> <p>These <a href="http://faerye.net/post/new-word-the-excess" target="links">sneaky long Latinate words</a> with their multiple, often contradictory meanings. No wonder writing teachers are always suggesting students use Anglo-Saxon words. They&#8217;re just trying to make it easy on themselves.</p>