Light has been around for a long time.  Consider the quote:  “Then God said: ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”  (Bible, Genesis 1:3.)  Once created, light filled the universe quickly.  Physicists calculate that light travels approximately 186,000 miles per second, and functions as part of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity; i.e. energy equals mass time the speed of light squared.  (Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, Space.com) 

Everyone hopes to shine a little light into the world whenever and wherever we see an opportunity.  Obviously, Some of us shine more light than others, while some remain in the dark.  Historically, during the daylight hours, the principal source of light came from the sun; but during the night time hours, most humans relied on some kind of fire to brighten their surroundings. 

In about 600BC, Ancient Rome created candles by dipping into various forms of fat, tallow and wax.  Candles continued to be the prime source of night light until the twentieth century with the discovery and implementation of of electricity.  The world illuminated the night through candles (or oil lamps) for over 2,600 years. 

To be sure, light has been a frequent topic of poets, writers, composers and philosophers.  Some thought inspiring quotes follow:

— “There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle, or the mirror that reflects it.  Edith Warton (1862—1937) 

— “To light a candle is to cast a shadow.”  Ursula K. LeGuin (1929–2018).  I suppose one cannot see some light without some darkness. 

— An optimist may see a light where there is none, but why must the pessimist always run to blow it out?  Rene Descartes (1596–1650)

— My candle burns at both ends; it will not last the night; but ah, my foes, and oh, my friends — it gives a lovely light.”  Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892—1950)

— There are two kinds of light — the glow that illuminates, and the glare that obscures.”  James Thurber (1894–1961)

— “Light tomorrow with today!”  Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–1861)

— “As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being.”  Carl Jung (1875–1961)

— “Sometimes that light at the end of a tunnel is a train.”  Charles Barkley (b1963)

A recent television commercial refers to Keister, a Minnesota town, having a population of about 500 people.  A woman on a bicycle rides around the town, coasting by a market, a fire department, and a marching band, referring to the town name each scene.  Then, while sitting on that hard bike seat, she refers to her own “keister,” remarking:  “And if I can get comfortable talking about this Keister, then you can get comfortable using Preparation H.” — an ointment to relieve the pain and itching caused by hemorrhoids.   

Every television viewer would have associated “Keister” immediately as a slang word for Gluteus Maximus or buttocks, the correct anatomical words for one’s posterior.  Actually, many other dictionary words exist to differentiate one bum from another.  Some viable candidates:  

Rump, 

Tush, 

Tooshie, 

Ass (vulgar), 

Bum, 

Bottom, 

Behind, 

Butt

Derriere,

Keister,

Fanny, 

Duff, 

Hiny (heinie), 

Booty

Other terms exist, of course, so the above list is not intended to be an end-all.   At bottom, Ancient Greece concocted some interesting distinguishing terms to differentiate various rump characteristics, thus demonstrating that Derriere watching is older than the Acropolis. Some examples: 

Callipygian (kal-uh-PIJ-ee-uhn):  having a shapely (well-proportioned and pleasing shape) buttocks.  Its origin comes from the Greek, referring to a statue of  Aphrodite, as beautiful (calli) + pyge (rump.)  What would one call a terrible shaped buttocks?  

Cacopygian (ka co PIJ ee-uhn), Having an ugly buttocks.  as the “caco” root is the opposite of “calli.” 

Dasypygian (da see PIJ ee-un)  Having a hairy buttocks.

Steatopygian (Ste-at-o-PIJ-ee-uhn:)  Having an accumulation of large amounts of fat on the buttocks; ie, a fat rump.  The build is not confined to the “gluteal” regions, but extends to the outside and front of the thighs and tapers to the knee.  (Steatopygia, wikipedia.com)  

I could go on — butt, I must bring this post to an end.  

Some readers believe that reading and writing a blog rises to the level of “nonsense.”  Really?  What part qualifies as nonsense, as even the most trivial subject addressed on blogs may shed new light on something unknown.   Let’s take a look at the widely popular field of nonsense — a popular subject these days.

Since I have written a post about “nothing,” (see my 11 Dec 2017 post) I feel qualified to write about “nonsense.“  Everyone, who knows a bit of English, understands what “nonsense” comprises, but may be unfamiliar with the wide range of terms that are available for one’s choosing.  Considering the rich compendium of nonsense meaning words, the subject of nonsense must be taken seriously.  Let’s look at some of the more interesting “nonsense” terms, defined in dictionary.com,  which may enrich your nonsense vocabulary.  

Nouns:

Balderdash —senseless talk or writing, nonsense.

Claptrap — absurd or nonsensical talk or ideas. 

Codswallop — nonsense (British slang)

Drivel — nonsense 

Flapdoodle — nonsense (American slang)

Folderol:  trivial or nonsensical fuss. 

Gibberish — unintelligible or meaningless speech or writing; nonsense.

Gobbledegook — language that is unintelligible by excessive use of abstruse technical terms.

Piffle — nonsense 

Poppycock — nonsense  

Taradiddle — nonsense (British slang)

Twaddle — Trivial or foolish speech or writing; nonsense.  

Tommyrot — nonsense; rubbish 

Verbs:

Babble: to talk rapidly and continuously in a foolish, excited or in-comprehensive way. 

Blather: to talk long-windingly without making very much sense. 

Blither:  to talk in a long-winded way with no real substance.same thing.

Chatter:  to talk rapidly or incessantly about trivial matters

Jabber:  to talk rapidly and excitingly but with little sense.

Palaver:  to talk unproductively and at length

Prate:  to talk foolishly or at tedious length about something

Prattle: to talk at length in a foolish or inconsequential way    

All the above words are aptly defined in an official dictionary, and used in modern parlance.

There you have it!  Nonsense at its best — a delightful collection of modern usage vocabulary words on your lips.  To be sure, more nonsense words exist, but I wished to avoid such “crapola” — American slang for nonsense.     

doppelgangerMy eleven year old grandson informed me that he had seen his “doppelgänger” at an amusement park.  After a suitable pause, and a bewildered look, I bit:  “What’s a doppelgänger?”  With a pleased smile, presumably for putting one over on the old man, he had the good manners to explain, avoiding a suggestion to look up the word in a dictionary, as I may have done to him:  “A doppelgänger is a person who looks just like you.”  What an interesting concept — and name!  A review of some dictionary definitions for the word doppelgänger confirms the concept:     

— “An apparition or double of a living person.”  (Dictionary.com)

— “A ghostly double of a living person; either of two people who physically resemble each other.  (The Free Dictionary by Farlex.)

— “A non-biologically related look-alike or double of a living person . . . often used in a more general sense, and in slang, to describe any person who physically resembles another person.”  (Wikipedia, Doppelgänger)

To round out the definitions, and to embed the word in our minds, let’s review some synonyms:  Alter ego, carbon copy, double, facsimile, look-alike, replica, spitting image. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary.)

That does it!  the lengthly word stems from the German language, literally meaning  “double goer.”  Originally, doppelgänger carried a ghostly sense. (dictionary.com.)  According to German folklore, all living persons have a spiritual double, which are distinct from ghosts, adding an eerie aura to the word, doppelgänger.

Technological advances have begun utilizing facial recognition, by focusing on several facial characteristics; such as eye locations, nose type, cheek bones, chin and jaws. These features are captured in a face template, which is used to search against similar database templates to find a match.  As this technology becomes more prevalent, people indubitably will search facial recognition to find their doppelgängers.  Obviously, facial recognition biometrics will prevent a person from seeing themselves as someone they are not. After all, how many doppelgängers could claim Cary Grant or Paul Newman?

All in all, I do not recall ever seeing someone who closely resembled my persona, though I have received many opined comments that my looks or actions remind someone of someone else —  Perhaps close, but no doppelgänger.

When a writer faces a crippling writer’s block, he or she fervently hopes for some saving inspiration. When it finally arrives, writer’s often will describe the moment as having found their muse.  So, what is the muse?

Greek mythology produced nine Muses, known as the patron goddesses who ruled over the arts and sciences of ancient Greece.  Each Muse protects and inspires a particular discipline.  Seven of the nine focus on poetry and the theatre; the two remaining, on history and science. (Wikipedia, Muses)  

Four Muses qualify as patronesses for inspired poetry forms:

— Erato (“desired” or “lovely,”): love or erotic poetry  

— Calliope, (“beautiful voice”):  epic poetry; 

— Euterpe, (“giver of much delight”): lyric poetry, as well as music and song; 

— Polyhymnia, (“many praise”): sacred poetry, as well as oratory.  

Of the four Muses noted above, the best known is Erato, who guides a poet though lines of love, platonic or lustful — frequently erotic, but rarely erratic.  Poets even had written poems to Erato for continuing inspiration, or perhaps, for wishful thinking.

Calliope may also look familiar.   Not as the Muse, however, but as the musical instrument that frequently accompanied a traveling circus.  It produced an incredibly loud sound by sending steam or compressed air through large whistles that could be heard for miles.  The sounds emitted were anything but a “beautiful voice,” but certainly gained attention, inspiring people to attend the circus.  (Wikipedia, Calliope)   

Three Muses rule over the theatrical arts, inspiring stage performers, an important discipline in ancient Greece:

— Melpomene, (“to celebrate”);  patroness of tragedy;

— Thalia, (“joyous, flourishing”):  patroness of comedy.

— Terpsichore, (“delight in dancing”): patroness of dance

Rounding out the field: 

— Clio, (to make famous”): patroness of history;

— Urania, (”heavenly”):  patroness of astronomy.

There you have it!  As a society, we have progressed a long way from ancient Greece, but during the writing process, we often await some needed inspiration from a Muse when we most need it.  Like the old saying: a Muse in time may save nine!