Chillaxing

Good morning!

Is it a good morning because:

a) The first, most difficult week of training is over. It'll only get easier from here,

b) I slept really well last night,

c) Today is my first ever violin lesson,

d) My muscles have ceased to ache quite so much, or

e) All of the above.

If you answered e), you are correct. Reward yourself with a square of rich dark chocolate and a small glass of port. Trust me. It's a reward.

Oh, I do have to tell you, in training last night, we were supposed to do as many chin-ups as we could. I am so ashamed to say, I cannot do a single one. I am very tempted to put a bar up in my doorway and practice at home so I don't look like such a fool the next time around. Oh well, there's only one way to get to doing a chin-up... I'll look the fool a few classes longer, I suppose. Until I can do a chin-up again.

I used to be able to do them. What the hell happened?!

I didn't, sadly, make my daily 3 000 yesterday. I made 2 000 (still a good haul, when I think about it). So today will be spent writing that final 1 000, then goofing off. I'll still be on target, and Monday will see me hit my goal! Yay!

Of course, the book won't be finished. There's the prologue and epilogue to write, and then a cursory format and edit, before I tuck it away and celebrate by goofing off for the rest of the month.

Ahhh.... today is a good day!

Anthropotomist

One who studies human anatomy.

- Sir James Murray's New English Dictionary, 1888

One who cuts up or dissects a man; [from Greek] anthropos, man, and tomis or tomes, one who cuts.

- Edward Lloyd's Encyclopaedic Dictionary, 1895.

Sore and Satisfied

Owie. Owie. Owie. Owie.

Owie.

I am so sore in every single part of my body. I ache all over.

And it's wonderful! These past two days of training have really helped me calm down and focus. And sleep. That's always a bonus.

Writing wise, well, I'm almost there. I just need to keep at it, and I should reach my target on schedule. Go me!

And that is all I have to say. I have to limp away now and do some office photocopying. Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone!

Philopena

Another, and highly reprehensible way of extorting a gift, is to have what is called a philopena with a gentleman. This very silly joke is when a young lady, in cracking almonds, chances to find two kernels in one shell; she shares them with a beau; whech ever firest calls out 'philopena' on their next meeting, is entitled to receive a present from the other; and she is to remind him of it till he remembers to comply. So much nonsense is often talked on the occasion, that it seems to expand into something of importance, and the gentleman thinks he can do no less, than purchase for the lady something very elegant, or valuable; particularly if he has heard her tell of the munificence of other beaux in their philopenas.

- Eliza Leslie's Behaviour Book, 1854.

Back to Training

Last night was the first training session I've had in over two months.

I'm SO glad to be back!

I had thought that this session would be absolute hell, being the first and all, but I had plenty of energy throughout, and was feeling pretty strong. I'm paying for it today though. My arms ache fiercely, and it's only going to get worse.

Tuesday is the hardest night of the week as far as work-outs go. I'll be taking it easy at first, I think. The last Tuesday I attended, I worked so hard I made myself ill. It was pretty disgusting.

I dragged another friend to Kick-boxing class. She may hate me now, but I had fun!

I'm looking forward to catching up with friends again. It was lovely to see A.H. and P.B. once more. They are so much fun to be around.

You know, it only took me until my late twenties, but I'm finally surrounded by amazing, wonderful, absolutely lovely people.

More of that, please, universe!

Writing is going well. I made my daily 3 000 yesterday and hope to do the same today. If all goes well, I'll reach my goal by next Monday. And there will be much rejoicing.

Right, must get a start on it.

Mi-Nabs

A term used when speaking of a third person who is not present... It would appear to be the equivalent of 'my lord,' or 'his lordship,' used sarcastically. The word is evidentally derived from the Scottish word knab or nab which was used derisively for a little laird, or any person of dignity.

- Francis Taylor's Folk-Speech of South Lancashire, 1901

Aching Like You Wouldn't Believe

Ouchies!

I am so very, very sore this morning. The first time on horseback in a very long time has me walking like John Wayne. The muscles on my inner thigh have decided to protest almost audibly. They've stopped working. I literally need to use my hands to help myself cross my own darned legs.

The first two nights of Chinese Martial Arts training has every other part of me aching in protest (though nowhere nearly as strongly as those thigh muscles).

My muscles are in such a state, it took me ten whole minutes longer to walk into work today, making me a couple of minutes late (hence the tardy post today). Oops!

I knew I was moving slower despite working harder, and would thus be late, when a man with a cane overtook me on the footpath.

My pride will never recover.

It's always like this the first two odd weeks back at training. I ache and can't move properly and am constantly tired and grumpy. After about two weeks, I fall back into the routine and everything is much smoother.

For all the aches and pain and difficulty moving, I absolutely adore what I do: Equestrian Archery, Kick-boxing, Kung Fu and Chinese Weapons... If the world ever ends, I'm prepared!

News on Overlord has improved. It took me all day, but I've been through all 407 pages doing a very preliminary edit (spelling, grammar, and plot things that are large enough for me to detect and fix quickly). Today will be spent formatting. Once that's done, I can safely leave the novel and work on something else.

I've downloaded free script-writing software, so I might play around with that for a little bit in preparation for next year's Script Frenzy in April. I'm planning ahead, I know.

Onto today's Forgotten English and thence formatting.

Pay in Cats

To pay in cats and dogs is to pay, not in cash, but in inconvenient or useless commodoties.

- Richard Thornton's American Glossary, 1912.

I should note here that I am copying these definitions faithfully from my Forgotten English 2011 Calendar, and that any spelling errors belong to that calendar. I've been assuming that it is because these definitions were written (mostly) before spelling was formalised. It could also just be a printer's typographical error. Who knows?

TGI ... Th

That's right, thank goodness it's Thursday. Today is the last day of the working week. Wonderful, wonderful Easter has dictated that I require a four day weekend. Can anyone say "squee!"?

Of course, that means that Monday's usual blog post will just be Forgotten English and nothing else, you lucky things. It also means that I won't be writing again until Tuesday. This is a good thing. It's a mini break before the final few thousand words of Overlord. I haven't decided how I am going to celebrate the book's completion. It's usually a bottle of red wine and chocolate. I might just take myself out to the movies. Thor looks like fun...

There isn't much to say. This marked the last week of Kung Fu training. Not that I've gone at all. I'm resting my foot so I can come back stronger next semester. Next semester starts that 3rd of next month. I can't wait to get back at it. I've gotten quite tense since I've stopped training.

Still don't know about my Equestrian Archery lessons yet. I hope I find out soon! I can't wait to get on a horse again. There will probably be pictures and photos to follow (this time around).

Right, I'm just procrastinating now. I should probably get to writing, so here's today's Forgotten English.

Faffering

Of the wind, blowing with cold chilly gusts.

- G. Story's Dictionary of Newfoundland English, 1982

Faff, to blow in sudden gusts; Scotland, English North Country. Hence faffment, nonsense, balderdash; Lancashire.

- Joseph Wright's English Dialect Dictionary, 1898-1905

I think it would be safe to say that yesterday's weather was faffering. I'm not sure I used that in the correct manner. Oh well!