I have the privilege, today, to present a definition of the word “privilege.”
priv·i·lege
ˈpriv(ə)lij
noun
1. a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group of people.
“education is a right, not a privilege”
synonyms: advantage, benefit
I have the privilege and the right to make these two points:
Privilege” is the only word of all the many words whose definitions I’ve presented over the years in this blog that has had only ONE definition.
Is that an advantage or a benefit, having only one definition? Does that make things simpler and clearer? With all the discourse over “privilege,” I expected more definitions.
What’s your definition of “privilege”?
Dr. Vivienne Ming talks about a certain kind of privilege here:
Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending a 50th wedding anniversary celebration with people I feel privileged to know.
Second guessing is when we doubt a decision we’ve made, assuming we should have chosen differently.
I’m going to second guess my personal definition and see what the internet says about “second guessing.”
sec·ond-guess
verb
gerund or present participle: second-guessing
1. anticipate or predict (someone’s actions or thoughts) by guesswork.
“he had to second-guess what the environmental regulations would be in five years’ time”
2. NORTH AMERICAN
judge or criticize (someone) with hindsight.
“the prime minister was willing to second-guess senior ministers in public”
I never would have guessed that my definition would show up second there. My second surprise about that online definition is that only North Americans second guess the way I do. I’m also second guessing my assumptions about second guessing because I didn’t know you could second guess what somebody else does or says. Every time I second guess, I second guess myself.
Let’s stay with my definition of second guessing for the remaining seconds of today’s post. Second guessing, I’m guessing, is not helpful. When you judge or criticize yourself with hindsight, you are ignoring that you did your best at the time when you made your original decision. Here’s a second way of saying that: Hindsight is 20-20. Hindsight and second guessing have perfect vision because you can include the results of your decision in your analysis of its effectiveness. When you were deciding originally, you didn’t know the outcome of your decision. In order to make perfect first guesses, we’d all need to be psychic.
Does anybody want to guess why I’m writing about second guessing today?
I’m now second guessing asking that question because how could you possibly guess the answer? You’d have to be psychic. I’m third guessing asking that question because I don’t think my answer will be particularly illuminating or useful.
I guess I just want people to know that I think second guessing gets in the way of looking at the pros and cons of our first guessing and then moving on to a more effective next guess.
I’ve stopped second guessing the photos I take. Let’s take a second to look at the first, second, and third picture I snapped yesterday.
Who am I to second guess the quality of my decisions when I’m doing the best I can? And who put that laundry detergent so far out of my reach? I’m guessing it was Michael.
I guess I’ll find out what’s going on with Irma, the second incredibly destructive storm on course to strike North America this hurricane season. I don’t understand people who second guess what professional scientists say about climate change.
I’m not going to second guess my decision to end these posts with thanks to all who help me create them and — second but not least — to YOU.
the imaginative projection of a subjective state into an object so that the object appears to be infused with it.
the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner; also, the capacity for this.
the actions of people I love, and
a license plate from New Hampshire.
Empathy appears in all those places, but not very much in the news lately. Is it non-empathic of me to believe that most people in the news don’t seem to have the capacity for it?
Are any of my other photos from yesterday infused with empathy?
If I were the Queen of Amazing Empathy, I wouldn’t have eaten all those mussels last night.
Any aficionado of this blog knows that I often start by defining my terms.
a·fi·ci·o·na·do
əˌfiSHəˈnädō,əˌfisyəˈnädō
noun
a person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity, subject, or pastime.
“aficionados of the finest wines”
synonyms: connoisseur, expert, authority, specialist, pundit, cognoscente
Yesterday, when we were eating salmon for dinner (prepared by cooking aficionado Michael) …
I announced that Oscar …
… was a fish-ionado. My son, Aaron, who is a comedy aficionado, thought that was a good one. Michael, who is irritated by puns, gave me the fish eye.
I don’t see myself as a photography aficionado, but that doesn’t stop me from taking pictures of other aficionados.
Later today, I am seeing a tooth aficionado (who reads this blog) for some dental work. Tonight, I’m meeting a building aficionado at our new home by the water to discuss some possible remodeling.
My sister Ellen, who is an aficionado of fun videos, showed me this last week:
I assume the talent aficionados appreciated that.
I am an aficionado of blog comments and expect to be seeing some great ones soon.
I hope you’re an aficionado of gratitude and know I am sincerely grateful for all the aficionados who helped me create today’s post and — of course! — for you.
Lately, I’ve been encountering lots of human behavior I find inexplicable. Indeed, I’ve been inexplicably signing emails
Confused and confusing,
Ann
If “inexplicable” is inexplicable to you, let’s explain it:
in·ex·pli·ca·ble
ˌinekˈsplikəb(ə)l/
adjective
unable to be explained or accounted for.
“for some inexplicable reason her mind went completely blank”
synonyms: unaccountable, unexplainable, incomprehensible, unfathomable, impenetrable, insoluble.
Actually, when I encounter inexplicable human behavior, my mind CAN go completely blank. That’s why I like to talk to people I love and trust about the inexplicable, to try to make sense of it.
Last night, my inexplicable boyfriend Michael and I walked around our neighborhood, inexplicably talking, talking, talking about politics, murder, greed, cruelty, and other inexplicable inhumanity. I said to Michael, “We are trying to make the inexplicable splicable.” That got an inexplicably big laugh out of him.
Are any of my photos from yesterday inexplicable?
Am I letting myself be successful in this post? Or is success itself inexplicable?
Let’s see how inexplicable YouTube can be this morning.
Here and now, I am splicably grateful to all who helped me create this inexplicable post and — of course! — to you.
SO TO SPEAK
as one might say; said a certain way, even though the words are not exactly accurate. “John helps me with my taxes. He’s my accountant, so to speak.” “I just love my little poodle. she’s my baby, so to speak.”
How would you use “so to speak” in a sentence?
People sometimes use “so to speak” as just another conversational place-holder, like”that being said,” which is often said by Michael, my boyfriend and house husband, so to speak.
Since I am a daily blogger and photographer, so to speak, here are my pictures from yesterday, when I walked around my neighborhood, so to speak.
So to speak with my son, Aaron, who’s studying (so to speak) in Scotland, we use FaceTime on my phone, so to speak.
“So To Speak” is also a song that speaks to many people.
So to speak to me about this post, you can leave a comment below.
Thanks to all who helped me create this so-to-speak post and to you — of course! — no matter how you speak.
“Impulse control” is a phrase we use in the psychotherapy biz.
I now have an uncontrollable impulse to share a definition.
Impulse control disorder (ICD) is a class of psychiatric disorders characterized by impulsivity – failure to resist a temptation, urge or impulse that may harm oneself or others. — Wikipedia
I am impulsively and uncontrollably thinking about impulse control this morning, probably because
the President of the United States demonstrates impulse control issues on Twitter and
some people I know have not controlled their impulses to share their doubts with me about a decision I recently made.
I hope I control my impulses in responding to people who do not control theirs.
I had photographic impulse control yesterday — I took only these four:
Please share your thoughts about impulse control in an impulsive and/or controlled comment.
As always, I shall not control my impulse to express gratitude to all who helped me impulsively create today’s post and to you — OF COURSE! — for impulsively reading it.
My regular readers — especially those who experience sonder (“the realization that each passerby has a life as vivid and complex as your own”) — may have the unsettling awareness that I’ve been having rubatosis since my open-heart surgery on September 21. And awareness of your own heartbeat IS unsettling, especially if it intensifies when you’re trying to sleep.
I’m now experiencing jouska (“a hypothetical conversation that you compulsively play out in your head”) about vemödalen (“the frustration of photographing something amazing when thousands of identical photos already exist”).
I shall now overcome any monachopsis (“the subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place”), kenopsia (“the eerie, forlorn atmosphere of a place that is usually bustling with people but is now abandoned and quiet”), exulansis (“the tendency to give up trying to talk about an experience because people are unable to relate to it”), and occhiolism (“the awareness of the smallness of your perspective”) to share this song.
I am not feeling mauerbauertraurigkeit (“the inexplicable urge to push people away, even close friends you really like”), so I invite you to make a comment with no fear of anecdoche (“a conversation in which everyone is talking but nobody is listening”).
While I may have rubatosis, I also have the comforting awareness of gratitude in my heart for all those who helped me create today’s post and for you — of course! — no matter what emotions you’re feeling but cannot explain.
It’s part of my DNA to Define, Now, Any concept that Definitely Needs A definition, like DNA.
DNA
noun BIOCHEMISTRY
1. deoxyribonucleic acid, a self-replicating material present in nearly all living organisms as the main constituent of chromosomes. It is the carrier of genetic information.
2. the fundamental and distinctive characteristics or qualities of someone or something, especially when regarded as unchangeable.
“diversity is part of the company’s DNA”
It’s part of my DNA to Duly Note Anything that inspires my blog posts.
My Downstairs Neighbor’s Attire shows that loving dogs is part of her DNA.
While it’s part of Karen’s DNA to love dogs, it’s part of my DNA to love cats.
It’s part of our cat Oscar’s DNA to Duplicate Numerous Attempts to use my laptop.
It’s part of our cat Harley’s DNA to Decidedly Notice Anywhere my boyfriend Michael is.
It’s part of some people’s DNA to Display Accumulations, Naturally.
It’s part of my DNA to share things that catch my Discerning and Naive Attention.
It’s also part of my DNA to Definitively and Naturally Adore
creative teaching and
music.
If those DNA songs Do Not Appear directly above, they Do Now Appear here and here.
Decidedly Natural Appreciation to all those who helped me create this DNA post and to you and your DNA (of course!) for being here, now.
Let’s celebrate the beginning of the weekend with a definition of celebrity (probably written by some non-celebrity):
ce·leb·ri·ty
səˈlebrədē/
noun
a famous person.
synonyms: famous person, VIP, very important person, personality, newsmaker, name, big name, famous name, household name, star, superstar, movie star
the state of being well known.
“his prestige and celebrity grew”
synonyms: fame, prominence, renown, eminence, preeminence, stardom, popularity, distinction, note, notability, prestige, stature, repute, reputation
“his celebrity grew”
What do my celebrated readers notice about that definition?
celebrity
noun ce·leb·ri·ty \sə-ˈle-brə-tē\
Popularity: Bottom 50% of words
Simple Definition of celebrity
: the state of being famous or celebrated
: a person who is famous
Full Definition of celebrity
plural ce·leb·ri·ties
1: the state of being celebrated : fame
2: a famous or celebrated person
Examples of celebrity in a sentence
The actress lived a life of celebrity.
There were many celebrities at the party.
First Known Use of celebrity
14th century
What made you want to look up celebrity?
This non-celebrity would like to celebrate and answer the question I found in that Merriam-Webster definition of celebrity. That is, what made me want to look up celebrity?
Yesterday I took a picture of somebody who is a celebrity to me.
That, my celebrated readers, is Bah, who works at the garage where I park my celebrated yellow car. Bah told me he is also the head cook at the hospital where I work, which means that, thanks to him, every Friday I can celebrate THE BEST MACARONI AND CHEESE I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE (featured in previous, perhaps celebrated posts here, here, and here).
Bah also told me, yesterday, that he is one of the celebrities in this celebrated flu-fighting video (appearing at 0:23, 1:07, 2:49, and 3:42):
Perhaps, like Bah, I’ll be a YouTube celebrity one day, too (especially since I’m working on a theme song for my team at work).
Do any of the other photos I took yesterday fit today’s topic of “celebrity,” to you?
Now it’s time to celebrate your thoughts and feelings about this “Celebrity” post. If you leave a comment below, you’ll be celebrated (if not a celebrity) at The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally.
Celebratory thanks to Bah, to Carl Jung,* to THE BEST MACARONI AND CHEESE I’VE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE, and to everybody and everything else that helped me write today’s non-celebrity post. I am now officially celebrating you — of course! — for visiting here, today.
* Yesterday morning, when I was driving into work, I heard beloved Boston celebrity Laura Carlo announce on WCRB classical radio that it was “National Take Your Action Figure to Work” day. Isn’t that something else to celebrate?
