Word-Wednesday for September 25, 2019

And here is the Wannaskan Almanac for Word-Wednesday, September 25, 2019, the 39th Wednesday of the year,  the 268th day of the year, with 97 days remaining.


Nordhem Lunch: Hot Ham Sandwich w/Potatoes & Gravy

Earth/Moon Almanac for September 25, 2019
Sunrise: 7:14am; Sunset: 7:17pm; 3 minutes, 33 seconds less daylight today
Moonrise: 2:41pm; Moonset: 6:14am, waning crescet


Temperature Almanac for September 25, 2019
                Average        Record         Today
High             61                 84                58
Low              40                18                 38


September 25 Celebrations from National Day Calendar

• National One-Hit Wonder Day
• National Comic Book Day
• National Lobster Day
• National Tune-Up Day
• National Research Administrator Day
• Math Storytelling Day
• National Women’s Health & Fitness Day

September 25 Riddle
You throw away the outside. You cook the inside. You eat the outside. You throw away the inside. What am I?*


September 25 Pun
I break into song if I can’t find the key.


September 25 Notable Historic Events, Literary or Otherwise, from On This Day

• 1639 First printing press in America.
• 1789 US Congress proposes the Bill of Rights.
• 1981 Sandra Day O'Connor becomes the first female US Supreme Court Justice.
• 2019 Jackie Reynolds-Helm has photograph featured on today's Wiktel home page.

September 25 Author/Artist/Character Birthdays, from On This Day

• 1683 Jean-Philippe Rameau, French composer.
• 1741 Vaclav Pichl, Czech composer.
• 1897 William Faulkner.
• 1903 Mark Rothko.
• 1906 Dmitri Shostakovich.
• 1906 Jaroslav Ježek, Czech composer.
• 1930 Shel Silverstein.
• 1932 Glenn Gould.
• 1952 Bell Hooks.

Words-I-Looked-Up-This-Week Writer's Challenge
Make a single sentence (or poem) from the following words: 

• acnestis: the part of the back (or backbone) between the shoulder blades and the loins which an animal cannot reach to scratch. 
• biblioklept: one who steals books.
• fallaciloquence: deceitful speech.
• fletton: a clay brick.
• meeple: in some board games, a small figure, typically in stylized human form, used as a playing piece.
• meldrop: a drop of mucus at the nose.
• plaudit: an expression of praise or approval.
• prorogue: discontinue a session of (a parliament or other legislative assembly) without dissolving it.
• thurible: a censer.
• villein: a feudal tenant entirely subject to a lord or manor to whom he paid dues and services in return for land.

September 25, 2019 Word-Wednesday Feature
Musical Words
We explore and learn relevant words when writing about any specific subject, such as history: archive, chronicle, epoch, era, narrative, record; such as etiquette: amenities, bearing, carriage, civilities, convention, courtesy, custom, decorum, deportment, fashion, mannerliness, mein, mode, poise, polish, politeness, posture, propriety, style, and of course, wont; or music. 

Here’s a test of your music word knowledge:

1. In musical notation, which would be the quietest?
(a) piano   
(b) flutisimmo piano   
(c) pianissimo   
(d) mezzo-piano

2. When one "does the fandango" what is one likely doing?
(a) playing a mournful piece of music
(b) participating in a military-style march
(c) chanting to the Olympian gods or the fairies of Mikinaak Creek
(d) performing a fast Spanish dance

3. Which of the following is the lowest vocal range?
(a) baritone
(b) countertenor   
(c) bass   
(d) tenor

4. Which of the following can be classified as a wind instrument?
(a) theremin   
(b) flageolet
(c) mandolin   
(d) pencer

5. Which word means "a musical composition in honor of the dead"?
(a) samba   
(b) canticle   
(c) morticle   
(d) requiem

6. Which word describes a musical performance marked by the absence of instrumental accompaniment?
(a) a capella   
(b) balladry   
(c) rococo   
(d) o solo mio

7. A quaver is an eighth note. What is a demisemiquaver?
(a) 1/4 note   
(b) 1/32 note
(c) 1/64 note   
(d) 1/16 note

8. Someone who has an "excessive or abnormal attraction to music" can be said to have:
(a) melanomania   
(b) melomania
(c) metromania   
(d) methymania

9. Which tempo instruction would result in music played the slowest?
(a) slomoto   
(b) adagio   
(c) allegro       
(d) andante

10. Which word means "a gradual increase in volume"?
(a) accelerando   
(b) turnanabo   
(c) sforzando   
(d) crescendo

11. Which is a synonym of dissonant?
(a) cacophonous   
(b) euphonious   
(c) irritato   
(d) semitonic

12. What was the name of Beethoven's dog?
(a) Sforzando   
(b) Elise       
(c) Heilige Bernard       
(d) Hundmont

Correct Answers:
1 (c); 2 (d); 3 (c); 4 (b); 5 (d); 6 (a);
7  (b); 8 (b); 9 (b); 10 (d); 11 (a); 12 None of the above. Beethoven did not have a dog, but as a creative writing exercise you can submit your answer in the comment section.


From A Year with Rilke, September 25 Entry
My Own Deep Soul, from The Book of Hours I, 39.

You, my own deep soul,
trust me. I will not betray you.
My blood is alive with many voices
telling me I am made of longing.

What mystery breaks over me know?
In its shadow I come into life.
For the first time I am alone with you—
you, my power to feel.

Be better than yesterday,
learn a new word today,
try to stay out of trouble - at least until tomorrow,
and write when you have the time.

*corn on the cob.