Get wordy for Halloween!

Word Catcher by Phil Cousineau

Stephen Turner, Milwaukee Books Examiner
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Would you like to be a "logodaedalus"? If so, you could do worse than Phil Cousineau’s 2010 book titled Word Catcher. The book is, as the sub-title puts it, an amusing and chrestomathic (useful) Odyssey Into the World of Weird and Wonderful Words.

Cousineau is a word lover, a man irremediably stricken with logophilia, a lexicographic-smitten collector of words and word lore, a man with a word hoard second to none. He catches and collects words, etymologies, and connections between words the way boys collect baseball cards. In his own words, a wordcatcher is “an alert reader who is always ready for the coruscating catch of a particularly beautiful, unusual, precise, or eye-opening word . . . [one] equally ready to throw it over to the next reader, a playful act that keeps the game of wordcatching going on, infinitely.”

The 250 or so words gathered in this book are all interesting, some because of what they mean, some because of where they come from, and some because of what they are connected to or what they have given rise to.

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Take the word "write," for example. It’s from the Old English writan, which meant “scratch.” ‘Look that [scratch] up and you’ll find “scratch” is a synonym for “money,” though writing for “scratch” has eluded many a writer trying to “scratch out a living.”’

Or how about the wondrous arachibutyrophobia? That’s the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth. It comes from the Greek arachi, glutinous oil present in peanut butter, plus butyro, to stick, plus phobia, fear. (Back story: phobia comes from “Phobos, son of Ares, god of terror, . . .”)

In addition to being a word lover, Cousineau is a man skilled in apophenia, the ability to make connections where none previously existed. He is also a witty and erudite writer, who makes this odyssey a truly enjoyable voyage. If you love words, you will love this book.

Rating for Word Catcher, by Phil Cousineau:

5
Related Topics

words
etymology
vocabulary
unusual words




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By Stephen Turner
Milwaukee Books Examiner
Stephen is a retired college English professor with a number of publications to my credit including numerous poems, short stories, articles, book...

Want to be in a happy relationship? (and who doesn't?!)

NATIONWIDE CASTING FOR FUN, SINGLE WOMEN & MEN
MAJOR CABLE NETWORK NOW CASTING THOSE WHO ARE MARRIAGE-MINDED!

* Are you tired of dating and ready to commit?
* Do you regularly date the wrong type?
* Are you willing to have your friends and family help you make the biggest decision of your life?
* Are you ready to be a part of a show that aims to challenge America's views on dating and marriage?

Magical Elves, the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning producers of Top Chef, Braxton Family Values and NBC's new upcoming Fashion Star, is currently seeking charismatic and attractive single men and women, 28-42 for a new relationship docu-series on cable's most popular TV network. We're looking for fun and open-minded individuals who are marriage-minded and serious about getting married.

Divorced is fine for us, but for this season we're not accepting applications from parents. Open to all ethnicities.

If you're hoping to help a friend or family member get married, PLEASE feel free to contact us or forward along!

TO SUBMIT:
Please email the information requested below to: casting@magicalelves.com

Be sure to include:
1. Your name (first and last)
2. Age
3. Contact phone number
4. City/Zip where you live
5. Three recent photos (jpg format please)
6. A bit about yourself and where you are with dating at the moment

Introducing "Loving Yourself University"

Welcome to our October newsletter. Autumn is clearly in the air here on the northeast coast of the USA. For many people this change of season, when the autumn leaves are singing is a time when nature captures our attention and the fruits of spring and summer are ready for their final harvest. This month we are thrilled to share with you some of the fruits of the seeds we planted and cultivated during the past year.

And a special shout out to those of you who have written to us about how the information on our site has helped them. Self Esteem Experts articles, lesson plan and activities are now being used in schools, mental health centers, prisons and is being cited in research projects in Universities. Your support of our work motivates and inspires us to create more.
Please keep your emails coming.

What's New at Self Esteem Experts

While our Self Esteem Experts Lesson Plan is not new, we think it is a good idea to visit is sporadically since healthy self esteem is a journey and not a destination. So this month we encourage you to use our Lesson Plan which offers you a step-by-step approach to boost low self esteem. Go to our Self Esteem Lesson Plan Now

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During the past month we have begun book signings and presentations for our new book,
The Inspired Life: Unleashing Your Mind's Capacity for Joy due out in November. The response has been great and we are inspired by the people we have met who are committed to cultivating healthy self esteem as they say, "Yes" to their inspired life vision.

We have also been busy getting ready from our Inspiration Nation Tour which begins on 11/11/11. Learn more by visiting our Facebook Events Page. Become a fan - like our page - and stay up-to-date with our schedule.
__________

Susyn's Inspired Life Blog - For those of you who are and have been fans of Susyn's Daily Inspiration Message, Susyn's Blog is an expansion of those messages - filled with Inspired Life Practices, Interviews and Resources.

Subscribe to the Inspired Life Blog Today and be the first to receive an excerpt from our new book, The Inspired Life.
__________

Some additional events to boost your self esteem:
Wednesday October 5, 2011 8:00pm eastern time - Loving Yourself University presents a class with Susyn: Developing a Loving Yourself Relationship focusing on:
how your current beliefs about yourself were formed
how to tap into the power of your mind to upgrade your relationship with yourself
how to nourish a loving relationship with yourself everyday
Register Now
October 18th - November 17th, 2011 - Your Career Your Calling a Virtual Teleconference: Claim your no cost free virtual seat for this life changing event. Susyn is joining 15 top experts with ready to use expert advice for women professionals and entrepreneurs to find joy in their work. Register Now

Check our Events Schedule Often - we will be in cities throughout the USA in the next few months and would love to meet you.

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Thank you for your support of Self Esteem Experts since we launched in 2009. We are committed to providing you with the most up-to-date information, inspiration and proven exercises to boost your self esteem, improve your confidence and live your best life.

We encourage you to email us with your questions and topic suggestions so we can offer you the information and exercises that are of most value to you.

In celebration of your ever evolving self esteem,
Susyn Reeve & Joan Breiner

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What inspires you?

I'm Inspired By: Janet Conner
susynreeve | September 7, 2011 at 8:42 am | Tags: empowerment, inspired life, inspiring message, Janet Conner, self love, Writing Down Your Soul | Categories: Books, Inspiration, Inspired Life, Interviews, Personal Development, Self Esteem, Spirituality | URL: http://wp.me/p1HjhW-4N

My guess is that you've had the experience of talking with someone and the moment the conversation begins you feel a deep simpatico with them. It is as though you've known them all your life. Their words inspire you and their kindness, wisdom and presence magnetize you to them. Janet Conner is one of these people for me. Brenda Knight (associate publisher at VIVA Editions and mid-wife of my new book, The Inspired Life: Unleashing Your Mind's Capacity for Joy) suggested that I contact Janet. So out of the blue one day many months ago, I gave her a call. And since that time I am unconditionally a big fan of Janet's. Her generosity of spirit and the wisdom that fills the pages of her first book, Writing Down Your Soul and the companion journal, My Soul Pages, are treasures in my life. I'm thrilled to share this wonderful woman with you.

Susyn: What does living an inspired life mean to you?

Janet: The word "inspired" carries for me a sweet spiritual sense of Spirit entering my being. When I say the word, I hear "in spirit." And that is the way I live. I see my life as having a purpose and I live my purpose every day. So I feel inspired all the time. Everything I write, every decision I make, everything I do is "inspired" that is, directed and guided. Of course, this kind of like makes perfect sense for me. After all I wrote Writing Down You Soul which is about activating that wise loving voice that lives in every one of us.

Susyn: In your daily life, how do you nourish your inspired life?

Janet: I begin feeding myself even before I wake. In Writing Down Your Soul, I share how to write to activate the theta brain wave state. It is the miraculous state in which we have access to break through thinking and real creativity. In fact, according to the brain people, it is the only brain wave state in which we have access to all these good things. Well, each one of us has access to theta first thing in the morning in that in-between state of not asleep, not quite awake. So, I lie in bed with my eyes closed and allow thoughts, ideas, images, and dreams to come to me. This isn’t weird. Turns out artists and scientists regularly do this to take advantage of the rich creative time in theta. I get all my best ideas lying in bed!

Then, I have a spiritual practice that I follow every day before I start working. I say my Soul Vows (the values I hold most dear) aloud and repeat my Writing Blessing, a miraculous prayer I wrote when I wanted my contract. And guess what happened? My publisher overnight mailed my contract dated May 16, 2007, the day I stood in front of my creative altar and spoke my blessing for the very first time. I also do deep soul writing every day and work with my Intention Mandala. (These are all spiritual tools I teach in my global tele-courses.)

Throughout the day, I keep the channels open. I talk to my angels and guides all the time. I ask for guidance and I know I receive it. Often I reread something I wrote and wonder, “Who wrote THAT!” Any time you have that feeling, it’s a really good sign that your actions were totally inspired.

Susyn: What is your biggest challenge in living an inspired life and how do you approach this challenge?

Janet: It’s taken me a few years to really get into the rhythm of living an inspired life around the clock. At first, I had to remind myself, but now it’s a habit, a way of working, a way of seeing the world. Whenever I feel out of sync, I pick up a pen and have a chat with my Beloved Voice or stand in front of my Intention Mandala and renew my commitments, or pick up an anthology of mystical poetry and read the words of the masters. I do something to pull myself back to my center. When I’m frightened, I ask for help. Actually DEMAND might be more accurate. And help always comes. Always. And when it does, that alone inspires me to continue.

Susyn: Who/What has influenced you in living your inspired life?

Janet: My first spiritual teacher, Charlotte Starfire, introduced me in the early ‘90s to Native American spirituality and the Divine Feminine. On the opening night of the first class she quoted Theilard de Chardin, “We are not human beings trying to have a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience.” That sentence knocked me off my feet and started my life down a whole new path. Today, I carefully choose literature that will help me stay in that awareness that I am a spiritual being having a human experience. At the moment, I’m devouring John O’Donohue’s Anam Cara and Beauty. My heart sings on every page. His Celtic heart is deeply resonating with mine. Looking at the world through Celtic eyes that saw Spirit in everything is a lovely and deeply inspiring way to live. I’m so crazy about these books, I’m going to plan a soul-venture to Ireland and Scotland in 2013. (In 2012, we’re going to see the Monarch butterflies in Mexico and learn from the spirit of the land on The Blacktail Ranch in Montana.)

Susyn: What are you working on now?

Janet: My next book will be The Lotus and The Lily on how to create a life following the simple instructions of Buddha (Lotus) and Jesus (Lily.) Turns out these great masters said the same thing—and it wasn’t get really clear about what you want and ask for it. We’re way off in our understanding of how to create the life we want. The end product of the book and the tele-course is to create an Intention Mandala, utilizing Carl Jung’s wisdom on the mandala as an engine of change. It’s a very powerful tool and I can’t wait to finish this book and get it out into the world. In the meantime, I teach the course.

Susyn: What words of wisdom do you have for someone who desires to live their inspired life vision?

Janet: The first thing I’d say is know that you came here for a reason. As the great mystical poet David Whyte reminds us in a poem called “What to remember when waking,” “You are not a troubled guest on this earth, you are not an accident amidst other accidents, you were invited from another and greater night than the one from which you have just emerged.” (House of Belonging) Your soul brought with it a divine purpose. So take the time to go inside and discover what that is. Then, do something every day to bring it to life. When you serve your purpose, you can fall onto the pillow at night knowing it was a good day no matter what happened. There is a joy that comes with living your purpose that is indescribable. And as you live it, you make the most amazing discovery: every moment is inspired.

watch?v=J9YQEU_LbUk

Learn more about Janet's work at: Writing Down Your Soul

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"Lazy Gourmets" find ways to cook for the whole family!

It’s happened to many of us. Dinnertime, and you’re itching to try some fancy, exotic new recipe to bring out the foodie in you and your spouse. But your kids are refusing to put anything in their mouths that’s not macaroni and cheese. So who wins? Break out the Kraft; this battle was over before it began.

It happens to me, too. Contrary to popular belief, cookbook authors do not make fabulous, home-cooked, gourmet meals every single night. I try to prepare a “proper” dinner for my family several nights a week, but being the parent of a toddler can make it difficult to move away from boring staples: store-bought chicken sausages, simple roasted chicken, pasta with pesto (possibly my son’s favorite food). Kids are picky eaters by definition, so cooking for them while still maintaining your personal culinary standards can be tough.

What I love to do is to find dishes that are familiar enough that my son is willing to try them, but interesting enough to provide him- and us- with varied taste experiences. That’s why I would recommend this recipe to anyone in a similar situation. It has familiar textures and flavors that appeal to kids (pasta! tomatoes!) but has the sophistication and healthiness that appeal to adults.

Roasting the cauliflower with red onions and garlic brings out the sweet, earthy flavors, and the buttery toasted breadcrumbs add a welcome crunch. Prep is a breeze—you can prepare the rest of the dish while the vegetables are in the oven. Breadcrumbs can be toasted ahead and stored, in an airtight container, in the fridge or freezer. When ready to use, let sit out on the counter until warmed to room temperature. Also, feel free to use another pasta shape- rotelle, orechiette, or small shells would work well- if your supermarket doesn’t carry gemelli.





Photo by Andres Ramirez. Reproductions of this photograph must be accompanied by attribution.

Gemelli with Roasted Cauliflower, Tomatoes and Crispy Breadcrumbs
From www.twolazygourmets.com and The Lazy Gourmet: Magnificent Meals Made Easy by Robin Donovan and Juliana Gallin (Viva Editions, 2011)

1 head cauliflower (about 11/2 pounds florets), cut into small pieces

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2–3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2–1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 pound gemelli or other pasta

cups (about ounces) sourdough bread cubes

tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained (reserve juice)

1/4 cup capers, drained

1/4–1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

freshly grated parmesan cheese for serving

Preheat oven to 450°f.

In a baking dish, toss cauliflower, onion, and garlic with olive oil, coating vegetables thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper, and roast in preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring once about halfway through, until cauliflower is tender and beginning to brown.

While the vegetables are in the oven, heat a large pot of salted water (large enough to hold all ingredients) over high heat and cook pasta according to the instructions on the package.

Whirl bread in a food processor to make crumbs, pulsing, until the largest pieces are roughly the size of peas. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add butter. When butter is melted and bubbling, add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

When pasta is cooked, drain and return to the pot on the stove. Add roasted vegetables, tomatoes, capers, and crushed red pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring, until just heated through. If the mixture looks too dry, add a bit of the reserved tomato juice. Stir until well combined. Serve in pasta bowls topped with breadcrumbs and generously garnished with cheese.

Serves 6 to 8.



Robin Donovan is the coauthor with Juliana Gallin of The Lazy Gourmet: Magnificent Meals Made Easy, and is also the author if Campfire Cuisine: Gourmet Recipes for the Great Outdoors. She is a San Francisco-based freelance journalist, book author, blogger, and editor specializing in food, cooking, travel, and other lifestyle topics. Her food writing has appeared in Fitness, San Jose Mercury News, San Francisco Chronicle, and many other publications. For more receipts from Robin and Julianna visit twolazygourmets.com and follow Robin on Twitter.

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We are meant to love 24/7 -every chance we get!

by Judy Ford

Viva Editions, $15.95, 263 pages

Life is too short not to show those you love how much you care every day. This is the basis of Judy Ford’s book Every Day Love: The Delicate Art of Caring for Each Other. Ford is a family counselor with 25+ years of experience and in her practice she found that it’s easy for people to fall in love. It is sustaining love from day to day that is the hard part.

Ford presents her ideas in a conversational style that is accessible and non-threatening. Each idea is followed by a love lesson – suggestions you can implement now to make important changes in your life. These lessons aren’t just meant for couples, but can be utilized to strengthen any relationship you want to improve. Each section is no more than a few pages so the book is perfect for browsing or reading on the go. But don’t be surprised if you read the book in one night. There are exercises for every type of learner. Ford suggests journaling, reciting daily mantras, and meditation, just to name a few. With this book, you’ll learn about yourself and your ability to love and be loved.

Reviewed by Kathryn Franklin