AmbivaBlog: I've Found A New Name for My Blog

This is the classic children's book, Goodenough Gismo, by Richmond I. Kelsey, published in 1948. Nearly unavailable in libraries and the collector's market, it is posted here with love as an "orphan work" so that it may be seen and appreciated -- and perhaps even republished, as it deserves to be. After you read this book, it won't surprise you to learn that Richmond Irwin Kelsey (1905-1987) was an accomplished artist, or that as Dick Kelsey, he was one of the great Disney art directors, breaking your heart with "Pinocchio," "Dumbo," and "Bambi."

-- at least during its worst attacks of on-the-one-hand, on-the-other-hand: ABOULOMANIA. "Pathological indecisiveness."

This from an item in the Times Week in Review "Reading File" column about a University of Toronto professor's website that lists over 140 manias. Here you will find the beautiful ELEUTHEROMANIA -- "manic desire for freedom" -- sometimes accompanied by ECDEMOMANIA, "abnormal compulsion for wandering." (We had a beagle once who suffered from that . . . )

The column doesn't say much about the website, but does give the URL. Please go there immediately if you suffer from verbomania ("craze for words"). It is a logophile's paradise called The Phrontistery ("a thinking-place; a place for study"). Its proprietor, Steve Chrisomalis, aka "Forthright," is, luckily for us, both a graphomaniac and a philonoist ("one who seeks knowledge"). He exclaims with connoisseur's delight over the sound of a rare or odd word as well as its sense. Here are just a few of the goodies I found in a brief first tour:

from Love and Attraction, a list of "philias" to go with the manias (and of course the phobias):

anemophilous means "pollinated by wind"
apodysophilia is a "feverish desire to undress"
one who is chasmophilous is "fond of nooks, crevices and crannies"
if you are an ergophile, you love to work
and if you are a gynotikolobomassophile you love to nibble on women's earlobes.
People who live in Seattle are ombrophilous, which is to say they are "tolerant of large amounts of rainfall."

from just the letter M in the International House of Logorrhea, "a free online dictionary of weird and unusual words" (and a gold mine for spelling-bee administrators and contestants):

magirics is the "art of cookery" (as a new cook, yes! when it works, it does seem close to magic . . . )
to maffick is "to celebrate exuberantly and boisterously"
malversation is "corruption in office; corrupt administration; misconduct" (hey, all you political bloggers and columnists who are tired of saying the same old things in the same old ways!)
. . . and then there are those of us who are guilty of marivaudage, "preciosity in literary style or expression," or of morigeration, "deferential behaviour" (a euphemism if I ever heard one).
a mumpsimus is said to be a "view stubbornly held even when shown to be wrong."

Gee, I've expanded my blogabulary already!

There's a Compendium of Lost Words, some of which deserve to be dusted off and put back in circulation. (Namelings are people who share the same name; penintime is second from inmost, like the planet Venus, but perhaps also like some secrets.)

A complete list of acceptable two- and three-letter Scrabble words, supplemented by one of rare three-letter words.

A list of Forthright's own "favourite" words, which include Growlery: "A retreat for times of ill humour." (Ah, another great name for a blog! Blogs are almost as much fun to name as bands!)

There's lots more, but since it's now 2:30 A.M., I'll end with:

Lucubration loo'ku-bray'shun, n (Latin lucubrare, from lux light) Study or composition lasting late into the night. This is a fantastic word for the activities of 'night owls' such as myself, without synonym or parallel and having a striking sound. Though it's mostly used facetiously today, I see no reason why lucubration should not be restored to its proper glory. Let's all help take back the night!

Go there yourself. Have fun. This site is really selcouth.

- amba