Cosmology

It's odd that this should be the WOTD, because this morning I sat in bed gazing at the early-morning heavens, using my skyview app, and I could see planets and stars and the International space station, without stirring out of my warm bed. 
Now that is hardly cosmology, but I do love anything to do with the stars and planets. 

Maybe that's why my all-time favourite piece of music is The Planets (by Gustav Holst) and if you haven't heard it, you could find it a rewarding experience to shut yourself in a room and listen undisturbed. I have (somewhere) a film of the Fantasia ilk, where someone had made a film to go with The Planets. I have looked online, and I don't think the one I saw is the Ken Russell film, although it might be.  I will have to look for my DVD recording. 

A mild weekend is forecast, so we are looking forward to a bit more clearing-out of garage, although I have to work tomorrow morning.

Tonight I had a delicious fish and salad dinner, and a rare indulgence of a small glass of cider. Music from Steve Hackett, Steelye Span, The Doors, David Bowie, Wings, - a nice mixed bag. 

Maybe I should ask Neil to theme the music to the WOTD. He could have found quite a few for cosmology (indeed, we had Life on Mars). Now there's a thought for another day. 

Autodidact

I LOVE this word, it sounds so grand and important! An autodidact is a person who is self-taught, and my family is full of them. There's Ruth, who learns foreign languages for fun! There's Christopher, who delights in learning about English history, and always makes it sounds fascinating, not dull like it was at school. Paul loves to learn about long and complicated words and, what's more, can remember them and their meanings and will rattle off a few at the slightest prompt. 

Jacob has taught himself about running, and passes on his knowledge in an excellent blog 'Running Man' where he shares some of his excellent opinions. I suppose we all make an effort to teach ourselves what we can about the subjects that interest us - Julia and her sewing, KC and his breweries, although whether this would count as auto-didactic is open to question.

I can't think that autodidact applies to me in any way, but the word has made me think about my lovely family once more. And that has to be a GOOD THING

Most enjoyable day at work, achieving my goals. Happy to hear that my parcel reached its destination and looking forward to another successful week of food management.

Amative

Hey,  I'm back! WOTD today is 'amative'  which means amorous or disposed to love. I suppose this was bound to happen,  it being St Valentine's day.  But I have always hated the outrageous commercialisation of these traditional dates and Neil and I have never celebrated the day, believing that you don't need to wait until roses cost twice as much as normal and all the restaurants are full in order to declare your love. 
In fact,  today has been productive in a more mundane way.  Jacob spent a few hours decorating and I can see that the bathroom will be finished in a few more days.  We took a drive out with Dad and Tesco delivered my shopping.  I stuck to my diet and cleared up some paperwork.  
Neil made my dinner and loaded the dishwasher,  a surer way to my heart than with a card. So we are not particularly amative, but love is always present.  

Zenith

At last, a WOTD that is easy; we all know what the zenith is... the highest point in the arc of a celestial body, or the culmination or high point of an endeavour.
So as I started writing this blog, with the word 'Zenith' in large letters on my phone in front of me, Neil put on the 2nd side (we're talking vinyl here) of 'Drama', the Yes album that I want to get familiar before it is performed in full at the gig in June. And as ayou know, the first song on side 2 of Drama is 'into the lens' in which you will notice the oft repeated line 'I am a camera'. Zenith make cameras; I love  coincidences like that, I said to Neil. What model did you have?

 

And so it was I came to realise that the cameras are made by ZENIT, not Zenith. I am hoping that zenit is Russian for zenith and I won't seem quite so foolish.
Regular readers of this blog will know how excited I was to be going to see Steven Wilson in concert. I will now own up to being rather disappointed. His album Hand.Cannot.Erase. was based on a news item about a woman who had died in her flat and only found after 2 years. The album imagined her life and the events leading to her death. He had made a film to accompany the music and this was playing on a large screen behind the band. I'm afraid I found this most disconcerting and distracting. It took away much of my enjoyment of the music. Still, we met some nice people and were glad we had decided to book into the Premier Inn - just 5 minutes' walk from the Dome, and a decent night's sleep instead of having to rush home.
Tonight we are enjoying the album without the visuals, as well as the mandatory Yes and more SW.  

Selenology

Today's WOTD - Selenology - is the name given to the branch of astronomy that 'deals with the nature and origin of the physical features of the moon'._from the Greek for the moon - Selene) I am no astronomer (more astrologer!) and have never even possessed a telescope, but I do love the moon. Maybe because it's so close; maybe because human beings have actually stood there, the only extra-terrestial body to have felt our presence.In one sense, I would love to know all there is to know about the moon; another part of me wants to preserve the magic and mystery of its power over us. 

I hope that trips to the moon don't become commonplace in my lifetime.
I have been busy today, I have done Lift Man invoices, all our laundry, paid some bills, tidied the bedroom. Now it is time for a Steven Wilson night, trying to get familiar with his new album!
Weather has been warm and damp, even some sunshine later. So it is with astonishment that I see the pictures of the snow in America. Keep safe everyone!

Presenteeism

I have been a long time without a WOTD, mainly because I have been unwell and haven't felt inclined to chattiness; also I have had a busy time both in and out of work. 
Now today's word - presenteeism - is very appropriate to how things have been. The word means 'the practice of coming to work despite illness, injury, anxiety, etc, often resulting in reduced productivity' or a second meaning of 'working long hours without the real need to'.
We have a philosophy in our office to cover minor ailments; 'take a pill, come to work'. Clearly this isn't designed to cover broken limbs or nasty things like chicken pox, but if at all possible, you come to work. The admin team is only 4-strong and each of us has a vital role to play, which would have to be filled if anyone was absent. I have working conditions that allow me to have any time necessary for GP/hosptal/dental appointments, but I come to work if at all possible. I am proud to say that I coughed and sneezed my way through work for the last 2 months, without taking time off. I can't have been very pleasant company, but I WAS there, and yes, my productivity may have been reduced, but I was still functioning in the team.
I am pleased to say that I am feeling much, much better. Full speed ahead!
Curry and salad for dinner (really!) and music from Steven Wilson (gig in 3 days!),deserves to have the picture slot today  - taken when he visited Music's Not Dead

Yes, Lifesigns, Fish - all have upcoming gigs that we have tickets for, also Genesis and Anathema. 

Cineaste

Hey Ho! Another WOTD that I have never heard before; Cineaste, any person, especially a director, associated professionally with film-making.

Clearly that doesn't apply to me, but it got me thinking (but not too deeply on a Sunday night) about film-making and watching. Neil is much more likely than I both to make short video, and to watch them. I have probably watched 1/2 dozen YouTube clips in my life and somehow think I prefer the photograph, that frozen moment that you can scrutinise over and over again. There are some things, however, for which only a video will do. Here is Neil's Ice Bucket challenge (if you have forgotten, people had cold water poured over themsleves, put the video on facebook, then gave money to charity. Really)

 That was the highlight of my film-making.

Today it has rained almost constantly, after a hailstorm in the night. I have spent the day catching up on sleep and paperwork, and seeing the Wilkinsons to pass on the family's Christmas presents. I feel 60% better, whether this is due to the antibiotics or getting better anyway one will never know. TV, bed by 10pm

Sybaritic

This WOTD relates to those who love sensuous pleasure or luxury. Sybaritic, I am told, comes from the Greek town of Sybaris where the inhabitants were renowned for this type of pleasure seeking:- 

The city was founded in 720 BC by Achaean and Troezenian settlers. Sybaris amassed great wealth thanks to its fertile land and busy port. Its inhabitants became famous among the Greeks for their hedonism, feasts, and excesses, to the extent that "sybarite" and "sybaritic" have become bywords for opulent luxury and outrageous pleasure-seeking.

Now, this really isn't me and it would be hard to see how I can weave this in to my day. Maybe I should give it a go - maybe a bit of opulent luxury on a Friday night would relieve the stresses of the working week, and set me up for the weekend. Except that bathing my mind in great music is more my style than bathing in a diamond-encrusted pool. I have been watching a series of programmes on TV about the lifestyle of billionaires. Many have a lifestyle that appears to be luxurious and carefree, but doesn't bear close scrutiny as it seems to be hollow and all about impressing others with gross excess. Real luxury isn't just about what you own, but is about being able to walk your own path and having time to enjoy the people and experiences you meet on the way. This was my luxury  

At the moment, luxury is being able to sleep through the night without a coughing fit. 
Chicken & prawn curry, ice cream. Music from Steven Wilson (only 17 days until that gig), Steve Hackett, Steve Rothery, Genesis. Ahhhhh, prog bliss.

Prepossessing

Dictionary.com sometimes fails to inform as well as it should and describes the origin of today's WOTD as 'prepossessing entered into the language in the 1600s'. That's not very illuminating. In fact, the online etymological dictionary agrees, but said that it originally meant 'to get possession of beforehand' in the idea of predjudicing you against someone. The current meaning 'causing an agreeable first impression' didn't start until 1810, and shows how words can completely change their meaning over time. 
Prepossessing is not an adjective you would apply to me at the moment as, not only am I as round as a football, but this evening one of my bridges fell out, so I am possessed only of a gappy smile. On top of this is the cough that I have had for a month and I feel quite wretched. 
I read my nephew Mark's blog (Brooklyntrek) and sometimes wish I had a dog to take for a walk, as I am sure that it would help me feel a bit more healthy. Unfortunately, it would have to be this dog, Rodeo, who already is much loved by Suzee & Allen.

I am finishing off the holiday season by a visit to the Panto tomorrow with Evie & Max, an inspired last-minute decision for an (almost) sold-out event. Then it's back to work and normality. 
Music tonight from Steven Wilson (got a gig to go to soon, so I need to do my homework), Police, Marillion. Early night.