Searching for words costs me hours daily. Today, for some apparent reason, I had my first choate idea in weeks:
Write "gruntled" and move along. I abused myself of the notion that placeholder words work fine. Thanks to my inelegant new nomers, searching for words became a tame goose chase. I sat there at my desk, my clothes shevelled, my hair kempt and in a state of utter array. I was completely capacitated even if my prose wasn't fully-baked. Writing became a bominable task.
I was off the lam. When I advertently saw my advisor, I wore a short face and he gave me the warm shoulder. He told me I've spent my time to much avail. "You've finally brought a gun to the gunfight," he said. It was concerting.
I returned home and stopped working at a godly hour. And now that I look at it again, what I've written is really quite trocious. I'm at my wit's beginning now that I've bitten off only as much as I can chew. This really was an easy nut to crack once I woke up those sleeping dogs.
[I blame this book for this post. Handler has a quietly self-conscious style which makes the world of words a strange place. Hence tonight's offering.]
The Opposite of "Disgruntled"?
Hmm...I'm not sure. I haven't been anything but disgruntled for a while now. Let me know how the 'gruntled' works out.
Posted by: History Geek | Wednesday, 10 May 2006 at 08:07 PM
The opposite of disgruntled might be contented.
This is message has been brought to you by 'me being an ass'.
Posted by: eM | Wednesday, 10 May 2006 at 08:26 PM
Very clever.
You are playing with a full deck of cards, and I am in full possession of my marbles when I say that.
Posted by: | Wednesday, 10 May 2006 at 11:52 PM
Okay, so I while I had my marbles, I obviously lost my cookies. The previous comment was mine.
Posted by: Belle Lettre | Wednesday, 10 May 2006 at 11:53 PM
Hey, at least you didn't have a screw come losse.
Posted by: History Geek | Thursday, 11 May 2006 at 03:14 PM
Hey, so did you know that "gruntled" isn't the opposite of "disgruntled," but the same? Apparently the "dis" is an intensifier. I looked it up in the OED once long ago, but I admit I haven't done a deeper search.
Just thought you'd be interested. I know, I'm being pedantic. I'll stop now.
Posted by: Dr. Virago | Friday, 12 May 2006 at 07:38 PM