Thursday, January 25, 2007

Parsimonious dictionaries

I'm perusing a critique of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics work. It puts forward the argument that Aristotle might, just possibly, be "parsimonious" in his discussion on voluntary actions.

Right. I know I should know this word, but I don't. Thank goodness for online dictionaries.

I type it out, checking my spelling: p-a-r-s-i-m-o-n-i-o-u-s. Ah! The virtual wonder recognises that which I do not.

It dutifully informs me that parsimonious is pronounced [pahr-suh-moh-nee-uhs]. And, should I not understand this, I can even click on a speaker icon to hear it out loud. Even more thrilling: parsimonious is an adjective, its origin between 1590 and 1600.

Not why I'm here though. Amongst these frivolities, I finally find the definition.

parsimonious, -adj: characterized or showing parsimony

Uhhhh huh. Thank you, online dictionary, for clearing up the matter. Your insightful definition does not require me to now look up parsimony, further deepening my profound feelings of stupidity. Of course not, because you're a generous online dictionary, with no limit to the amount of information you can hold. Not parsimonious at all.

(Which, I finally find out, means stingy.)

Friday, January 19, 2007

If you dare

So, I've found a five star hotel management traineeship in Kolkata, India. (One of many considerations!)

I was browsing through the AIESEC Kolkata welcome pack. I got to the section entitled "other things to bring", and at the end of the list, I saw this:
  • International student ID - if you have
  • Credit card - if you please
  • International driving licence - if you dare!!

I miss India ...

Monday, January 15, 2007

"Cobblers"

Alexander Frater, former chief travel correspondent of The Observer:

To those who say the excitement has gone out of travel, I say "cobblers". ... All that matters is that it continues to lift the spirits and quicken the senses, and keep us alive to a world which, despite the state we've got it into, remains a place of astounding interest, beauty and variety. We're only here once, and I simply cannot understand why absolutely everyone isn't consumed by an unquenchable desire to get out there and see every last bit of it.

Perfectly put, Mr. Frater.

Friday, January 12, 2007

Sliced bread

I can slice a loaf of bread.

Wonderwoman. Officially.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Run, run, run

I made it to Merifield and back again today.

Merifield is the self-catering complex in Summertown where I lived last year. I distinctly remember a midnight run with Cem last summer, when we joked about the day we would finally be able to run between the centre and the complex without stopping. Neither of us thought we'd ever manage. (Indeed, that was our first, and only run together that term.)

Ha ZAH, today was that day! Dear Cem was still at home so I ran it alone. When I finished I was so pleased with myself that I felt obliged to do a victory dance. I briefly checked for unwilling spectators, but in my dizzy recovery I must have missed the runner behind me. I spun around only to almost bump into her - of course, I then proceeded to emphatically stretch as if that had been my original intention.

I had to stifle a very large giggle, and I'm sure she saw through my ridiculous elongated pose. But who says runners have to be sullen?

Sunday, January 07, 2007

Out loud

I don't like not posting. So I'm removing the subject restriction: this blog is no longer "on what we could be and trying to get there".

It might be. Sometimes. But, sometimes, I want to write about other stuff. I want to record more than the failures and successes ... what about the everything elses?

So right here, now, I'm going to be me. A student, a partier, a thesis-writer. A chocolate biscuit believer. A would-be salsa dancer. An amateur photographer. A Tesco devotee. A world wanderer. A runner. An aspiring self developer. An unashamed internet addict. A 106.7 Lite FM lover. A someday-will-be hotel manager. An eternal grumbler. A jewellery maker. A slim down battler. A home girl. A merciless raspberry lipgloss wearer. A fine men enthusiast. A glitzy-ring lover. An always cheeky, unapologetically pink blogger.

Out loud.