Friday, December 30, 2016

Looking Back at 2016

Reading Plans

This year (2016) I tackled the reading challenge put out by Christian blogger Tim Challies. It was a fun time. Finding a book to fit each category was like a scavenger hunt. And then there was the added layer of being able to share progress with a community of other readers who were doing the same thing (there was a Twitter hashtag, a Goodreads group, etc.).

So how'd I do? Well, I read 83 of the 109, not too shabby. The challenge had different tiers so that comfortably lands me between a "Committed Reader" and an "Obsessed Reader." I read books outside of the reading plan too so I ended up reading 102 in the year, three short of my goal. I've heard of monks intentionally stopping a few feet from the peak of a mountain... anyway, here's the list of books I read (or meant to read):

The Light Reader

X 1. A book about Christian living, An Infinite Journey
X 2. A biography, No Compromise: The Life Story of Keith Green
_ 3. A classic novel, Time and Again
X 4. A book someone tells you "changed my life”, The Love Dare
_ 5. A commentary on a book of the Bible, Colossians and Philemon
X 6. A book about theology, Knowing God by P.I. Packer
X 7. A book with the word "gospel" in the title or subtitle, Renegade Gospel
X 8. A book your pastor recommends, The Christian as Minister by Sharon Rubey
X 9. A book more than 100 years old, Selected Essays of Montaigne
X 10. A book for children, Realm of the Reaper (Everworld #4) by Katherine Applegate
X 11. A mystery or detective novel, Stranger Room
X 12. A book published in 2016, The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson
X 13. A book about a current issue, Welcome but not Affirming

The Avid Reader

_ 14. A book written by a Puritan, on puritan library.com
X 15. A book recommended by a family member, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
X 16. A book by or about a missionary, The Baboon Chase by Don W. Hills
_ 17. A novel that won the Pulitzer Prize, American Pastoral
X 18. A book written by an Anglican, Anglican Vision
X 19. A book with at least 400 pages, Everything’s Eventual by Stephen King
X 20. A book by C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien, The Business of Heaven
X 21. A book that has a fruit of the Spirit in the title, A Separate Peace
X 22. A book with a great cover, Grunt by Mary Roach
X 23. A book on the current New York Times list of bestsellers
X 24. A book about church history, Almanac of Christian Trivia by Steve Wilkens
X 25. A graphic novel, Batman: Death by Design by Chip Kidd and Dave Taylor
X 26. A book of poetry, The House on Marshland by Louise Gluck

The Committed Reader

_ 27. A book from a theological viewpoint you disagree with, The End of Faith
_ 28. A book written by an author with initials in their name, Alternate Realities
X 29. A book that won a ECPA Christian Book Award, Bonhoeffer
_ 30. A book about worldview, How the Scots Invented the World
X 31. A play by William Shakespeare, The Tempest by William Shakespeare
X 32. A humorous book, Yes Please by Amy Phoeler
_ 33. A book based on a true story, The Final Confession of Mabel Stark
_ 34. A book written by Jane Austen, Northhangar Abbey
X 35. A book by or about Martin Luther, On Christian Liberty
X 36. A book with 100 pages or less, Stones in his Pocket
X 37. A book with a one-word title, Mindfreak by Criss Angel
X 38. A book about money or finance, The Man who Quit Money by Mark Sundeen
X 39. A novel set in a country that is not your own, The Sudden Appearance of Hope by Claire North
X 40. A book about music, Mozart’s Last Year
X 41. A memoir, On Writing by Stephen King
X 42. A book about joy or happiness, The Happiness Project
X 43. A book by a female author, The Master by Claire North
X 44. A book whose title comes from a Bible verse, The Unknown God
X 45. A book you have started but never finished, The Know-It-All
X 46. A self-improvement book, 100 Natural Ways to Energize
_ 47. A book by David McCullough, 1776
X 48. A book you own but have never read, Essential German Grammar
_ 49. A book about abortion
X 50. A book targeted at the other gender, She’s Such a Geek
X 51. A book by a speaker at a conference you have attended, Andy Stanley, How Good is Good Enough?
X 52. A book written by someone of a different ethnicity than you, Shake Loose My Skin

The Obsessed Reader

X 53. A book published by The Banner of Truth. You Must Read
_ 54. A book about the Reformation
X 55. A book written by a first-time author, Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham
_ 56. A biography of a world leader
X 57. A book used as a seminary textbook, Nonviolent Communication
X 58. A book about food, Candyfreak by Steve Almond
X 59. A book about productivity, How Did I Get So Busy?
X 60. A book about or relationships or friendship, Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
_ 61. A book about parenting, Bee Moms and King Pin Dads
_ 62. A book about philosophy, Nook, Kierkegaard
X 63. A book about art, Heart to Heart: New Poems Inspired by Twentieth-Century American Art
X 64. A book with magic, The Color of Magic
X 65. A book about prayer, Listen Praying in a Noisy World by Rueben Job
X 66. A book about marriage, Love Poems for The Very Married by Lois Wyse
X 67. A book about a hobby, So Many Books, So Little Time by Sara Nelson
X 68. A book of comics, Strike Three Charlie Brown
X 69. A book about the Second World War, In the Garden of Beasts
X 70. A book about sports, Can I Keep My Jersey? by Paul Shirley
X 71. A book by or about a pastor’s wife, 
X 72. A book about suffering, Ambiguous Loss
X 73. A book by your favorite author, Kate North Book
X 74. A book you have read before, Of Mice and Men
X 75. A book about homosexuality, Torn by Justin Lee
_ 76. A Christian novel, The Cardinal Sins
X 77. A book about psychology - Snoop: what Your Stuff Says About You
X 78. A book about the natural world, Here if You Need Me: A True Story by Kate Braestrup (about chaplain to Maine Warden Service)
_ 79. A book by or about Charles Dickens
_ 80. A novel longer than 400 pages
X 81. A historical book, Dave Barry Slept Here
_ 82. A book about the Bible, 
X 83. A book about a country or city, Tales of Iceland by Stephen Markley
_ 84. A book about astronomy, Brief History of Time
X 85. A book with an ugly cover, The Dog of the Marriage
X 86. A book by or about a martyr, End of the Spear
_ 87. A book by a woman conference speaker
_ 88. A book by or about the church fathers
X 89. A book about language, A Little Book of Language
X 90. A book by or about a Russian, The Russian Way: Aspects of Behavior, Attitudes, and Customs of the Russians by Zita Dabars
X 91. A book about leadership, Intuitive Leadership
X 92. A book about public speaking, Backwards & Forwards
X 93. A book by Francis Schaeffer, Art & the Bible
X 94. A book by a Presbyterian - Coffee with Calvin by Donald K. McKim
X 95. A book about science, The Science of Michael Crichton
_ 96. A book about revival, Renovation of the Church
X 97. A book about writing, bird by bird by Ann Lamott
X 98. A book about evangelism, Growing Your Faith By Giving It Away
X 99. A book about ancient history, Ancient Puzzles by Dominic Olivastro
X 100. A book about preaching, The Supremacy of God in Preaching by John Piper
X 101. A book about the church, The Church Case Scenario
X 102. A book about adoption, From Ashes to Africa
X 103. A photo essay book, God Left Us Alone Here…
X 104. A book written in the twentieth century - Barrel Fever by Sedaris

Extra Credit

X 105. A book from a library, NPR: The First Forty Years
_ 106. A book about business
_ 107. A book by an author less than 30
_ 108. A book published by a UK-based publisher

X 109. A book you borrow, Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell


Continuing "Life-sized Word Search"

Yes, believe it or not, I'm continuing my silly project of listening/reading for instances of vocabulary words. I started with aa- and am slowly inching further into the dictionary as I cross off finds. Here's some recent hits:

A-line skirts in an episode of Friends (said by Ross). In a Border Control show on Netflix I heard absconded. In a clinic I work at I heard acupuncture (offered for $5) and abscess. The rest are from books: Cardinal Sins had acedia, Influx had abeyance, adhere, and adrift. Klosterman IV had abject, adroitly (he seems to love this word), acquisition, adoring, accentuated, adamantly, and administrative. An article on Street Dependent Culture had aberrant. The Giver had abuzz. Rereading had abetment, adolescent, aesthetic, acuity. Daring Greatly had adoration and addictive.


Plan for 2017

I plan on reading the New Testament. I'm going to use the Youversion app on my phone to go through the Navigator's 5x5x5 reading plan. Every day my phone will have the next reading ready to go. Want to join me? You could also google the 5x5x5 Bible Reading Plan and print out the sheet and stick it in your Bible. (It gives you weekends off, which is nice).

The 5x5x5 means you read 5 minutes a day, 5 days a week, and have 5 ways to go deeper: 1. underline or highlight. 2. Put it into your own words. 3. Ask and answer some questions. 4. Capture the big idea. 5. Personalize the meaning.

Otherwise I'm dropping my book goal down to 27 for the year so the plan is finish a book every 2 weeks. Have a safe and happy New Year. I'll be working in the hospital all day and night tomorrow so feel free to lift up a prayer! Thanks!

Saturday, October 1, 2016

Encyclopaedia Britannica (Life-Sized Word Search #9)

I just finished The Know-It-All by A.J. Jacobs, a book about what it's like reading the entire Encyclopedia Brittanica. The book is a celebration of learning. It's about the randomness and the interconnectedness of things. And it's about the absurdities of history. Each bite-sized entry (to go along with various topics found in the encyclopedia) is funny, interesting, and quick. Great read.

I too enjoy learning new things. I'm determined to brush up on my Spanish this year (because I'm finding opportunities at work to give it a try). We're now in the final quarter of the year so I'm calculating how much catch-up I would have to do to get back on track with the 2016 Reading Plan I started. Anyway, learning and discovery make life more interesting. You agree?

Here are some of the recent finds I've made for my "Life-Sized Word Search" personal challenge:
     Stranger Room by Fred Ramsey: 100 ad hominem, 134 addition and advice, 150 acceptable.
     Know-it-All by A.J. Jacobs: 4 addiction and adult, 5 adversary, 7 a-ak, 9 addled, abolitionism, abominable, 11 aardwolves, abalone, 13 aaah, 64 adornment, 96 absinthe, 268 acne, 292 aback, 293 adrift, 349 abbot, 359 abstruse, 363 aboriginal.
     The Bible: Abound in Philippians 1
     Bible commentary: While reading a Bible commentary I stumbled across the word abrogation
     In hospital setting: abdominal
     In a video game (world of warcraft): Ace

Monday, September 5, 2016

Life-Sized Word Search #8 (starting on ad-)

Did you know that The Hobbit has been translated into Latin? I know that now because I found a copy at a local bookstore. My wife was with me that day so somehow, incredibly, she convinced me not to purchase it. Her argument was that owning The Hobbit in Latin was not a necessity in our lives right now. Hmm, depends on how you define the word 'necessity,' but I begrudgingly agreed with her at the time.

But then over the next few days the thought kept creeping on me -- wait, of course owning The Hobbit in Latin is a necessity! My daughter is 11 months old, if she doesn't hear the sounds of Latin right now then the language part of her brain will turn off and she'll be stuck monolingual like the rest of us. She deserves better. For the sake of my daughter I had to buy this book, if they still had it...



You're not going to believe this but the bookstore still had the book on the shelf! I know, I know, I too was worried that countless people would be interested in grabbing this book. So I snatched it up and have been reading snippets to my daughter ever since. It's been years since I took Latin so chances are high I'm butchering my pronunciations but still, it's a nice motivator to refresh myself on the language I studied through High School.

One of the things I'm enjoying most about reading to my daughter is the music of the sentences. Latin has its own rhythms and beats. That's why I love listening to languages I don't even know, they have ups and downs, lilts and pushes, sentences twist and flow.

The same has also been true for reading children's books in English: the silliness of kid books helps you remember the fun of language. Who can forget those early Seuss rhymes? Or the poetry of Shel Silverstein? All day I've been walking around with a sentence in my mind from one of my daughter's books, "Roly poly on the rug!"

So with all of this in mind, here's my next piece of the "Life-Sized Word Search" list, where I look for real life instances of every word in the English dictionary. I was on the search for words aa- to ac- but I recently found the word adze in a book I was reading, and since I probably won't stumble on that again anytime soon I'm declaring open season on aa- through ad-.

In the book She's Such a Geek, Edited by Annalee Newitz and Charlie Anders: 16 accessory, 43 accrue, 149 aborted, 158 acquired, 175 accidental and acceptance, 178 action and A+, 184 a la, 187 actually, 188 accurately, 193 acclaim, 206 acquiescence.

So Many Books, So Little Time by Sara Nelson: page 26, above.

Jimmy's Blues by James Baldwin: 7 aching, 22 accomplice.

Parasites Like Us by Adam Johnson: 136 absorbers, 149 absently, 218 accommodation, 258 achromatic, 262 able-bodied, 264 accountant, 293 acute, 294 A-okay, 329 accelerating.

And for ad-: 'added' in Aug 22 post of Elevated Bag Lady, 'adolescent' in 5 and 193 of She's Such a Geek, 8 advantage, address admonition adze and advanced in Parasites Like Us, admit in Growing Your Faith by Giving it Away.


Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Life-Sized Word Search #7

When was the last time language excited you? Perhaps you got a kick learning a new word? Or maybe you heard someone talking in another language and became mesmerized by the music of that mysterious code?

My 11-month-old is discovering the world, and with it, language. I remember the first time I looked at her and shouted "booger booger booger!" and she broke out into a loud giggle. When she hears someone make a new sound, or some new combination of syllables, she often zeroes in and recognizes the novelty. And while she has been saying 'mama' for a while but I'm pretty sure she said 'dada' for the first time the other day. Incredible.

So with all of that in mind, here's a few more finds for my 'Life-Sized Word Search,' which, to remind you, is a challenge to find a real-life instance of every word in the dictionary. You are welcome to join me in the search if you'd like (we're still working our way through aa- to ac-).

Abash - Found in a poem in the book Firefall by Mona Van Duyn
Abed - Page 17 of Nurture by Maxine Kumin
Abstemious (yes, seriously!) - Page 75 of Firefall by Mona Van Duyn
Abstinence - Heard while watching an episode of West Wing (we're binge-watching it these days)
Absurd - Page 443 of All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Life-Sized Word Search #6 (aa- through ac-)


Today I'm sharing the next piece of my will-someday-be-very-tedious word search list. I'm on the hunt for vocab words in the aa- to ac- range! Though in a Stephen King book I also came across the words 'anhedonia' and 'stipplework,' two words that I may never see again in my life (so I better hold onto the page numbers for when my list gets there). 

Aa: The word is from Hawaiian for basaltic lava but does it count to find 'aa' as an abbreviation for Alcoholics Anonymous? I saw some a.a. books at my local thrift store.

Aardvark: from Arthur the kid's show. I'm pretty sure I heard the word. 

A-ha: The video above is from a band called a-ha, their well-known song Take on Me

A-list: in A Sudden Appearance of Hope by Claire North on pg. 75 of Kindle edition

Abracadabra: On page 108 of Mindfreak by Criss Angel. Also 'accomplish.'

Access: Ephesians 2:17-18, "When he came, he announced the good news of peace to you who were far away from God and to those who were near. We both have access to the Father through Christ by the one Spirit." Romans 5:2 is another great one with the word 'access.'

Accusing: On page 223 of Torn by Justin Lee

In the book Everything's Eventual by Stephen King: Pg. 327 ache, 329 accusatory, 331 abysmally, 332 accumulate

I'm thinking I'll dip into ad- for my next post and REALLY get things moving along. 

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Life-Sized Word Search #5 (aa- through ac-)




I can't count the video above for my Word Search (because I found it on the Internet) but what a great find for the word 'abracadabra!'

I've been on the hunt for words starting with aa-, ab-, or ac-. Here's my list:

A-frame: pg. 35 and 36 of Stranger Room by Frederick Ramsay
Accented: The Sudden Appearance of Hope by Claire North. Pg. 33 of Kindle Version.
Accountable: The Love Dare Day by Day (a devotional my wife and I are going through)
Accuser: The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell. This book also had actual, acquired, actors, abhors, and according.
Accustomed: Growing Your Faith By Giving it Away. This book also had acknowledge, accomplishment, according, accustomed, across, accuracy, actively, and act.
Achieved: In a graduation card given to a High School graduate.
Acid: On a cereal box in the ingredients.

At my home we've been watching a show called Wayward Pines (trailer below). Just started season 2. In the show there are creatures they call Abbies for 'aberrations'

The search continues!


Thursday, May 26, 2016

Gaming Faith

Recently I’ve used this blog to chronicle some ways I’m trying to grow in faith. For example, in 2015 I found a piece of art/media for every passage in the Bible. These challenges may seem silly (because they are) but really it’s just a fun way to spark some creativity.

What challenge could you set for yourself? Do you have any hobbies that you could harness for discipleship?

One of my “games” in 2016 is tackling the Reading Challenge put together by Tim Challies at Visual Theology. We’re getting closer to June so I wanted to give an update on how it’s going. I post reviews of each of these books on my Goodreads account (which is like Facebook for readers).

The Light Reader

✓ 1. A book about Christian living. An Infinite Journey by Andrew Davis
✓ 2. A biography. No Compromise: The Life Story of Keith Green by David Hazard
_ 3. A classic novel
_ 4. A book someone tells you "changed my life”. Any suggestions?
_ 5. A commentary on a book of the Bible. I might do Colossians and Philemon by Murray J. Harris
✓ 6. A book about theology. Knowing God by J.I. Packer
✓ 7. A book with the word "gospel" in the title or subtitle. Renegade Gospel:  The Rebel Jesus by Mike Slaughter
✓ 8. A book your pastor recommends. The Christian as Minister by Sharon Rubey
✓ 9. A book more than 100 years old. Selected Essays: Montaigne.
✓ 10. A book for children. EverWorld: The Realm of the Reaper by K.A. Applegate.
_ 11. A mystery or detective novel. I’m working on Stranger Room: An Ike Schwartz Mystery by Frederick Ramsay
✓ 12. A book published in 2016. The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson
_ 13. A book about a current issue. I’m working on Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate by Justin Lee

The Avid Reader

_ 14. A book written by a Puritan. Any suggestions?
✓ 15. A book recommended by a family member. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
✓ 16. A book by or about a missionary. The Baboon Chase edited by Don W. Mills
_ 17. A novel that won the Pulitzer Prize
✓ 18. A book written by an Anglican. The Anglican Vision by James E. Griffiss
_ 19. A book with at least 400 pages
✓ 20. A book by C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien. The Business of Heaven: Daily Readings from C.S. Lewis
✓ 21. A book that has a fruit of the Spirit in the title. A Separate Peace by John Knowles
_ 22. A book with a great cover
_ 23. A book on the current New York Times list of bestsellers.
_ 24. A book about church history
✓ 25. A graphic novel. Batman, Death by Design by Chip Kidd.
✓ 26. A book of poetry. The House on Marshland by Louise Gluck.

The Committed Reader

_ 27. A book from a theological viewpoint you disagree with
_ 28. A book written by an author with initials in their name
✓ 29. A book that won a ECPA Christian Book Award. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas
_ 30. A book about worldview
✓ 31. A play by William Shakespeare. The Tempest by William Shakespeare.
✓ 32. A humorous book. Yes Please by Amy Poehler
_ 33. A book based on a true story.
_ 34. A book written by Jane Austen
_ 35. A book by or about Martin Luther
✓ 36. A book with 100 pages or less. Stones in His Pockets by Marie Jones.
_ 37. A book with a one-word title.
_ 38. A book about money or finance
_ 39. A novel set in a country that is not your own.
_ 40. A book about music
_ 41. A memoir.
_ 42. A book about joy or happiness.
✓ 43. A book by a female author. Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham.
_ 44. A book whose title comes from a Bible verse
_ 45. A book you have started but never finished
✓ 46. A self-improvement book. Energize, 100 Natural Ways to Recharge by Liz Wilde and Carol Morley
_ 47. A book by David McCullough
✓ 48. A book you own but have never read. Essential German Grammar by Guy Stern
_ 49. A book about abortion
_ 50. A book targeted at the other gender
_ 51. A book by a speaker at a conference you have attended
✓ 52. A book written by someone of a different ethnicity than you. Shake Loose My Skin by Sonia Sanchez.

The Obsessed Reader

✓ 53. A book published by The Banner of Truth. You Must Read by Joel R. Beeke
_ 54. A book about the Reformation
_ 55. A book written by a first-time author
_ 56. A biography of a world leader
_ 57. A book used as a seminary textbook
✓ 58. A book about food. candy freak by Steve Almond
✓ 59. A book about productivity. How Did I Get So Busy? by Valorie Burton
✓ 60. A book about or relationships or friendship. Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed
_ 61. A book about parenting
_ 62. A book about philosophy
✓ 63. A book about art. Heart to Heart: New Poems Inspired by Twentieth-Century American Art edited by Jan Greenberg
✓ 64. A book with magic. The Thief by Claire North
_ 65. A book about prayer
_ 66. A book about marriage
_ 67. A book about a hobby
✓ 68. A book of comics. Charlie Brown
✓ 69. A book about the Second World War. In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin by Erik Larson
✓ 70. A book about sports. Can I Keep My Jersey?: Eleven Teams, Six Years, Five Countries, and My So-called Career as a Professional Basketball Player by Paul Shirley
✓ 71. A book by or about a pastor’s wife. I’m More Than the Pastor’s Wife: Supporting Your Husband’s Ministry Without Losing Your Identity by Lorna Dobson
_ 72. A book about suffering.
✓ 73. A book by your favorite author. The Serpent by Claire North
_ 74. A book you have read before
_ 75. A book about homosexuality
_ 76. A Christian novel
✓ 77. A book about psychology. Snoop: What Your Stuff Says About You by Sam Gosling
_ 78. A book about the natural world
_ 79. A book by or about Charles Dickens
_ 80. A novel longer than 400 pages
✓ 81. A historical book. Dave Barry Slept Here: A Sort of History of the United States by Dave Barry
_ 82. A book about the Bible
✓ 83. A book about a country or city. Tales of Iceland by Stephen Markley
_ 84. A book about astronomy
✓ 85. A book with an ugly cover. Love Poems for The Very Married by Lois Wyse
_ 86. A book by or about a martyr
_ 87. A book by a woman conference speaker
_ 88. A book by or about the church fathers
✓ 89. A book about language. A Little Book of Language by David Crystal
_ 90. A book by or about a Russian
✓ 91. A book about leadership. Intuitive Leadership: Embracing a Paradigm of Narrative, Metaphor, and Chaos
✓ 92. A book about public speaking. Backward and Forwards: A Technical Manual for Reading Plays by David Ball
_ 93. A book by Francis Schaeffer
✓ 94. A book by a Presbyterian. Coffee with Calvin Daily Devotions by Donald McKim
✓ 95. A book about science. The Science of Michael Crichton edited by Kevin Grazier
_ 96. A book about revival
✓ 97. A book about writing. bird by bird by Anne Lammott and On Writing by Stephen King
✓ 98. A book about evangelism. Growing Your Faith by Giving it Away: Telling the Gospel Story with Grace and Passion by R. York Moore
✓ 99. A book about ancient history. Ancient Puzzles: Classic Brainteasers and Other Timeless Mathematical Games of the Last Ten Centuries by Dominic Olivastro
✓ 100. A book about preaching. The Supremacy of God in Preaching by John Piper
✓ 101. A book about the church. The Church Case Scenario by Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz
✓ 102. A book about adoption: From Ashes to Africa by Josh Bottomly
✓ 103. A photo essay book. God Left Us Alone Here, A Book of War by John Gaps III
✓ 104. A book written in the twentieth century. Barrel Fever: Stories and Essays by David Sedaris

Extra Credit

✓ 105. A book from a library. NPR: The First Forty Years
_ 106. A book about business
_ 107. A book by an author less than 30
_ 108. A book published by a UK-based publisher

_ 109. A book you borrow

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Life-Sized Word Search #4



Recent finds:

A-Team, A-List, A-Bomb (seen in pictures)

In the book Growing Your Faith by Giving it Away (which I rated 3 out of 5 stars): page 74 abstract, 79 abyss, 90 absorbed, 92 able, 95 & 97 about, 97 abbreviated, 107 absence, 146 absent, 133 abandon, 136 abruptly.

New words to find:

accelerate, accent, accentuate, accept, access, accessaries, accessible, accession, accessory, acciaccatura, accidence, accident





Thursday, May 19, 2016

Life-Sized Word Search #3

You're surrounded by great words!

I'm learning that you don't have to look very far for unexpected, interesting word choices. For example, have you ever learned a new word and then started to see it pop up everywhere? There's actually a scientific term for that: the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon. Yesterday I came across a word that was totally new to me (disquisition).

My recent assignment (to be on the lookout for words that start aa- or ab-) is, I admit, a little crazy. At best it's a nerdy and slightly embarrassing achievement. BUT already the result is that I'm slightly more incentivized to acknowledge and appreciate the use of a rare word.

So no, I'm not reading books word for word, looking back and forth between the book and my list of words-to-find. That would be silly. Instead I'm just generally on the lookout, and occasionally I feel a little ping, re-read a sentence, and realize I found a word on the list.

If you're a language/vocabulary nerd then consider joining me. Yes it's a silly project but who cares, it'll itch your completionist side. And it may just cause you to stop and smell the lexicographical roses.


Recent Finds

Abides: John 15:4 and The Big Lebowski movie (haha, what a combo of sources). I didn't actually go through the motion of getting out the movie and finding the scene but I know the word appears in that movie, as in the phrase, "The Dude Abides." https://youtu.be/sYsw0KVRjCM

Ability: page 25 of Growing Your Faith by Giving it Away by R. York Moore.

Abomination: page 15 of Torn by Justin Lee (a book that tries to build bridges between the various sides of the Christian approach to sexuality, written by the founder of the Gay Christian Network)

Absolutely: page 13 of Growing Your Faith by Giving it Away by R. York Moore and page 9 of The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

Abundantly: page 24 of Growing Your Faith by Giving it Away, "It is knowing Jesus and following him on a daily basis that allows us to live life the way it was intended: abundantly, fully and freely."

Academic: page 12 of Torn by Justin Lee. I expect I'll also see/hear this word in the context of High School graduation parties I'll be attending in the next couple of weeks.

Academy: page 28 of Stranger Room by Frederick Ramsay

Seven words found which means seven more are added to the bottom of the words-to-find: acarid, acaroid, acatalectic, acausal, accede, accelerando, accelerant. Though 'accelerando' feels like jargon and my spellcheck doesn't know 'acausal' or 'acaroid,' oh boy.

Monday, May 16, 2016

Life-Sized Word Search #2

My wife thinks I should call this "Living Word Search" instead. What do you think? Either way, I'm doing this vocabulary scavenger hunt where I look for real-life examples of words. This past week I was looking for words that started with aa- or ab-

I should have mentioned last post: I can search for words but I can't provoke/prompt them. In other words, it's not a game of "catchphrase" where I'm trying to get my friends to say bizarre words. Here's how I did:

a capella: This was an easy one to find. The dad of one of my best friends growing up would emcee a cappella events. So I still have one of the cd's my friend made me which has a fantastic mix of songs (from groups like Da Vinci's Notebook, The Bobs, Glad). Oh, and that childhood friend of mine (David Senft) went on to be in a band himself that's definitely worth checking out called Darlingside. Here's my favorite song of theirs called "Terrible Things":


a priori: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. (I'm also counting a posteriori for this one). In High School I went through a phase where I wanted to absorb as much philosophy as I could. At the time this book made a big impact on me. I wonder what it would be like to re-read it now? Hmm.

abduct/abduction: On a recent SNL (with Brie Larson) there was a hilarious skit about alien abduction. Kate McKinnon is one of the funniest cast members that show has ever had. Here is the first time they did the skit this year (with Ryan Gosling):


abnegation: from Divergent the young adult fiction book

abuse: spoken by someone I know as they described a situation

Near hits: mollusk instead of abalone. I almost got 'aboriginal' when I was telling someone I had too many musical instruments at home. They said, "Like what?", I said "didgeridoo," they then asked what a didgeridoo was. So yeah, close one.

So a slow first week, five words. Which means 5 new words join at the bottom of my search list: acacia, academe/academia/academic, acajou, acalculia, acanthamoeba. (Hmm, should scientific words count as 'jargon'?)

Saturday, May 7, 2016

Life-Sized Word Search #1

Do you love scavenger hunts AND adding words to your vocabulary!? No? Well, either way I'm going to share about a new challenge I'm giving myself: I call it "Life-Sized Word Search" and basically it means I'll be finding a real-life instance of every word in the dictionary.

In some ways this idea started back when I was growing up and my mom would give my brother and me a "word of the day." That new word would broaden our horizons and keep us on the lookout for new things. Without a doubt this world is a big, strange, wonderful place.

So here are the rules:
1. Find every word in the dictionary. (I'll be using the New Oxford American Dictionary primarily because it's the one sitting on my Mac desktop, easy).
2. Words on websites don't count. Otherwise I could google everything, that would be lame.
3. Only one conjugation of a word needed. No proper nouns, phrases, jargon, archaic words, or abbreviations.
4. When I find a word I cross it off the list and add a new word to the bottom. At any given time I'll be looking for like 100 or 125 words.
5. Have fun! Life is a game so enjoy.

Hopefully this little "project" will lead me on mini-adventures, remind me of how delightful language is, and stave away a wee bit of boredom.


The challenge begins today and I'm already pleased with what I've found. I found the word "abutment" when I was reading a book on basketball of all places! That just goes to show that you never know where a word is going to pop up.

a: It's been fun to fill my daughter's bookshelf (she's 7 months old) with books for her to enjoy. I grabbed a few of the alphabet books for a quick photo.

abacus: Stumbled across in a book I'm currently reading. Pg. 80-81 of Ancient Puzzles: Classic Brainteasers and Other Timeless Mathematical Games of the Last 10 Centuries by Dominic Olivastro. He references the publication of Liber Abaci (The Book of the Abacus) by Leonardo Pisano (or Fibonacci). 

ablative: I happened to shuffle around some books on my bookshelf today. I peeked into my old Latin Grammar book to find an instance of the word 'ablative.' [I'm pretty sure I also stumbled across the word last week when I was peeking through a German grammar book?]

abutment: Not every word has to come from a book but here you go, from pg. 236 of Can I Keep My Jersey? by Paul Shirley. He is writing about driving in Russia: "First of all, the streets have no markings. No lane lines, no turning lanes. The roads are one big racetrack, with the added obstacle of cars choosing entirely new directions of travel at a moment's notice. It is not so bad when the streets are confined by some boundary, such as buildings, a canal, or a bridge abutment. However, when a widening occurs -- near an intersection, for example -- all hell breaks loose."

These finds were just in the short lead-up to this post. But now the real search begins! The hunt is on for words starting with aa- or ab- . If you think I am missing or skipping a word I shouldn't, let me know. Below is my starting list:



a cappella, A-frame, aha, a la, a-line, a-list, a-okay, a posteriori, a priori, a-shirt, A-side, A-team, A1, aa, aardvark, aardwolf, aargh, abs, abdabs, abaca, aback, abaft, abalone, abandon, abase, abash, abate, abates, abattoir, abaxial, abaya, abbey, abbot, abbreviate, abdicate, abdomen, abduct, abecedarian, abele, abelian, abelian, aberrant, abet, abeyance, abhinaya, abhor, abide, ability, abiotic, abject, abjuration, ablate, ablaut, ablaze, able, able-bodied, ableist, abloom, ablush, ablution, ably, abnegate, abnormal, aboard, abode, abolish, abomasa, abominable, aboral, aboriginal, aborisation, aborning, abort, aboulia, abound, about, about-face, above, above-board, above-mentioned, above-named, abracadabra, abrade, abrasion, abreaction, abreast, abridge, abroad, abrogate, abrupt, abscess, abscise, abscissa, abscission, abscond, abseil, absence, absinthe, absolute, absolution, absolutism, absonant, absorb, absquatulate, abstain, abstemious, abstinence, abstract, abstruse, absurd, abubble, abulia, abundance, aura, abuse, abustle, abutilon, abuzz, abyss