Language, Like Weather, Changes

March rains bring April flowers? (3/25/12)

Idiom: A group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words (e.g., raining cats and dogs).

Thanks to any number of factors (global warming? "weird" atmospheric pattens?), it would seem that some of our common meteorological idioms may eventually need to be revisited and updated. Commonly, the idiom "April showers bring May flowers" is used to remind those annoyed by spring rains that the end result (beautiful, blooming flowers), makes the brief annoyance worthwhile in the long run.

Given the extremely unusual (troubling?) spate of warm and pleasant conditions we've been experiencing in upstate New York, as well as across the country, this winter, a little "inclement" (rainy) weather had to be expected was necessary, right?

Sharp As A Pillow

 Idiom: an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is comprehended in regard to a common use of that expression that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made.

The longer I teach the more a realize how lost the art of wordplay, such as idiom recognition and use, has become. Occasionally during a lesson, I'll crack wise with one slightly tweaked idiom or another, such as "You are as sharp as a pillow," an obvious play on the more common (and inherently complimentary) "sharp as a tack." In almost every case it is greeted with a smile, only rarely following a pause so that the recipient may better understand what is being implied (translation: "that wasn't very smart!").

This morning when one student asked for permission to use the bathroom, I attempted to formulate a similar ironic play on the saying "be back in two-shakes of a lamb's tail." While the original expression is intended to suggest doing something quickly, fully aware that it is rare to have a high school student leave and return from the restroom quickly, I attempted to pull together an appropriate idiom, one intended to imply that he would likely be back only after a lo-o-o-ng trip to the potty. It was at that time that I drew a blank about what kind of animal (other than man) has no tail.

It was at this time that I stifled my initial impulse to say something and signed the hall pass. I also made a note to check on the Internet when I made it home after school to see if I could conclude my idiom. The goal would be to find a tailless "animal" that was common enough to be accessible to my teenage charges.

As is often the case, it was I who was guilty of being "sharp as a pillow."

After a quickie search I was embarrassed to find that the answer was right in front of me the whole time. In fact (depending on your feelings about evolution) it was me. Or you. Primates do not have tails: gorillas, chimpanzees, and orangutans. It is one thing that defines them and us as humans are part of the primate family. Armed with this knowledge I am now fully armed with the following should the situation  (which it most surely will) arises for its use again: "Be sure to be back in two shakes of an ape's tail."

The Elbow Rule & "Running" Comic Books

One "rule" of the English language that I made up (but, really, it's not rocket science so maybe I'm sure someone somewhere had the same idea) is one that I refer to as "The Elbow Rule." I use The Elbow Rule to illustrate for students the importance of context to giving some words there denoted meaning, especially those terms that have multiple definitions, which are implied by their use.

The word "elbow" is one such word. For example, if you are a cook, an "elbow" can be a reference to a type of pasta noodle, while at the same time, for those studying physiology, the same term is used to denote a joint. Likewise, a plumber would see an elbow as a pipe bend... and so on. It's also important to consider the part of speech the word s being used as, as the verb "elbow" is obviously different than the noun.

Exactly what you'd expect to find in the attic office of a
42 year-old professional educator.
Now for a completely different kind of "run".... a comic book one! In comic book collecting terms, a "run" can be loosely defined as a continuous or sustained publication of a specific title. For the completist, such as myself, to acquire or collect a complete, or full, run is a pretty cool thing. It can also prove challenging (not to mention expensive!) if one is a little late to the party with a particular title and doesn't begin a collection until after it has been published for a period of time and found a degree of niche success.

In the past (pre-Internet) this could be insanely difficult. Though a little more costly, in most cases, if it can be done affordably, I still prefer to buy back issues from the local comic shop that I have been frequenting for almost 20(!) years now. Sometimes, especially with those titles published by smaller "independent" presses, it can be very tricky coming across issues that are from a small printing.

Over the past few months I have found myself completing full runs of a number of titles and, in my ongoing quest to find things to write about, I figured I would offer a glimpse into some of my recently completed runs. While some are rather short (8-10 issues), others are more extensive (70 issues).

Though the anticipation is likely killing you, you'll have to come back later to see just what titles have (at least for this month--in the world of comic books, nothing is terminal) run their course...