Galen proposes an interesting question in a world filled with wordsmiths! Have you thought about it before? You know you have! See Galen’s blog here! Take it away Galen!
I like words. Indeed, as a lawyer, I made my living from words. When I think of my favorite word, however, it is not a legal word. It is a word, or to be more accurate, a phrase, I learned in a college botany course. In fact, it is the only thing I retained from the course. (I was not destined to be a scientist.) Okay, here it is:
Apical meristem.
You might not know what it means. No matter. Just say it out loud a few times. Isn’t that fun? When I say it, I feel like some happy little sprite is dancing in my mouth. The sound of it surrounds my heart with rainbows.
Beyond the sheer delight of the sound, I love the meaning of it, too. (Forgive me, all you botanists out there. I’m going to describe my own understanding of the term.) An apical meristem is the groups of cells at the tip of a plant shoot. These cells are where the plant grows. They push through dirt. They eat through concrete. They reach ever upward toward the light. I like to think of them as filled with meristem mojo. (Mojo is another of my favorite words.)
The downside of having apical meristem as a favorite word is that it’s hard to work into most conversations. That’s okay. It just makes it that much more special.
What is your favorite word or phrase?
photo credit: Aaron Radford
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My favorite word is "happenstance" - I love the meaning and the way it rolls of the tongue!
@saramac Happenstance! That's an old word, I think? It's a happy word - it means coincidence or a chance circumstance (that's right Sara- I looked it up!)
Lori
Latest blog post: What if Life is Just a Dream?
@Lori It's definitely on my list of happy words! :)
My favorite word right now is 'connected' - that's how I want to be - with my inner self and with people who matter to me.
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@CorinneRodrigues Great word Corinne! It makes me think of community too.
Latest blog post: What if Life is Just a Dream?
My word for today is content. It's not what I always experience, but it's what I am when I allow myself to be still in the moment without dreading the future or resenting the past.
@Steve_Rice That is a lovely word. I felt content just reading your comment, so thank you!
@galenpearl @Steve_Rice Me too Steve!
Latest blog post: What if Life is Just a Dream?
My word@galenpearl, is discombobulated. It sounds just like the situation it is used to describe. It is fun to say also, almost musical!
@barbz.1232 Ha! That is indeed a fun word to say and makes your mouth feel discombobulated when you say it!
@barbz.1232 Galen is off to her Cabin and will be back later. Hi Barb! I love this word! It really does sound perfect for what it describes. I hope your weekend is NOT discombobulated! ;-)
I would have to say thankful.
@grandmabonniescloset I love that word, too. When an interviewer asked me to describe myself in one word, I said grateful.
@grandmabonniescloset Thankful is a great word! Welcome to Life, for instance!
My new favorite word...love it!
@JodiAman That is a great term--positive and accepting and enthusiastic all together.
@JodiAman Hi Jodi! Welcome to Life, for instance!
Dare. Have it a sec to think of something else, but nothing came forward. So Dare it is. Today. ;-)
@Dawn Barclay That is a bold word!
Ha! This is a GREAT conversation starter @galenpearl ! I'll admit I can't choose just one...but my favorite word of the MOMENT is "stuffed." But pronounced more like "stuft." Just because it's so darn fun to say!
@Sabrina at MyMiBoSo I tried it a few times--it IS fun to say! And I'm feeling "stuft" after salmon cakes and cornbread for dinner.
@galenpearl Sounds DELISH! (P.S. That's another favorite word, though I doubt Webster's would claim it ;) ).
@Sabrina at MyMiBoSo Works for me!
Oh boy this is a loaded question. I have to admit to a curse word as my all-time favorite. Followed by a bunch of Yiddish words that I can't spell without asking Jack first. So I'll settle for...serendipity. Closely followed by sychnronicity.
@Julie | A Clear Sign I'm having a great time learning about people through their favorite words. Serendipity and synchronicity are a far cry from curse words--you are a complex person! Thanks for sharing, Julie.
@galenpearl
It's my Italian and Jewish heritage and East Coast upbringing. I also talk with my hands :)
@Julie | A Clear Sign I do, too! I did a Skype interview with Evita Ochel for my book and even on Skype, my hands were flying all over the place!
I myself have been liking the word Burlap. Sounds like I have gas.
Simon, that's funny! Some of us like words for their meaning, some like works for their sounds, I like my word/phrase because of how it feels in my mouth when I say it. Love your humor!
Not sure why Galen but your choice of words is making me giggle. Yeah, i do giggle, so sue me! Oops... lol, sorry about that reference. ;-) Gosh, I have so many words I love. Hard to pick out one. Most are Italian words. Actually, I love to listen to Italians when they are talking in hushed but animated voices. There's a lilt to their tone. Totally different story when Sophia Loren is tossing kitchenware ;-)
Okay, i'll succumb (oh, i like that word) and pick "sultry"
@Carmelo Sultry and Sophia Loren definitely go together! And Carmelo, giggling about apical meristems seems entirely appropriate to me.
Love the word enigma!
Latest blog post: An Exercise in Resourcefulness
@Sandi Amorim That makes me think of another great word Sandi - conundrum!
@Lori That's definitely a word that makes me think of Miss Marpole or Hercule Poirot! I did say I was a Masterpiece theatre addict, right? ;)
Latest blog post: An Exercise in Resourcefulness
@Sandi Amorim @Lori Yes, you did!
@Sandi Amorim Nope, but you did now. Say more about that Sandi! Where do (did?) you watch it?
@Lori @Sandi Amorim That is a great word, too! There is a hot springs near Aspen that I hiked to years ago called Conundrum Hot Springs. It was at a high altitude (13,000 feet!) and quite an experience. Oh, I guess I'm getting off the topic of words, but that brought back memories.
@Sandi Amorim Sandi, that's a word that draws you into mystery!
@galenpearl Could explain my love of mystery novels and Masterpiece theatre ;)
Latest blog post: An Exercise in Resourcefulness
@Sandi Amorim I love mystery novels, too. In fact, I'm going up to my cabin tomorrow for the weekend and hope to get in some good mystery reading!
Precious
"This above all to thine own self be true."
Cheers! Kaarina
@KDillabough A good word and a good phrase, too! A few simple words can carry so much inspiration.
@galenpearl @KDillabough Kaarina - that is one of my most favorite passages from Shakespeare! Love it! You are both precious to me.
@galenpearl @Vidya Sury I'll chime in on that!
@Vidya Sury @KDillabough Vidya, you are precious, too!
Hi Everyone! Galen is a few time-zones earlier but she will be along soon! I wanted to jump in with my (one of my) favourite word; lingering. It speaks of relaxing, enjoying, taking just a little more time at whatever the activity. LIke lingering on the porch, visiting with friends ;-)
It popped into my head when Galen first suggested the topic and it's still there.
@Lori Someone was just telling me about the idea of pausing to appreciate something beautiful that we pass by, and lingering for a count of 10. I like the image of lingering on the porch, too. I'm already more relaxed just thinking about it.
@galenpearl @Lori Linger....has a slow relaxed feeling. How lovely to appreciate words. Ah, there's another - appreciate!
@Vidya Sury @Lori Appreciate--also a good word!
"Delicious" ~ Brian Meeks' writing lately reminded me how much I love that word. It's so sensual and can be used everywhere with everything to make you fall in love with whatever you're talking about!!
@BetsyKCross Mmmmm, this makes me think about being in love with my life. And cheesecake!
@galenpearl @BetsyKCross @Lori Delicious cheesecake - yum. I am going to make cheesecake tomorrow! And how I wish I could send some over!
@Lori @Vidya Sury @BetsyKCross I had some pumpkin cheesecake last week that was soooo good! My son Dan loves to cook and bake, and he makes the most wonderful cheesecakes. Yummm.
@Vidya Sury @galenpearl @BetsyKCross I'll take a couple of slices! :-)
@BetsyKCross Delicious word Betsy!