A 2026 Holiday Depressing Forecast

I forecast depression for the 2026 holiday. Forecast, predict, bet, prophecy, or fortune telling. Any future looking verb is valid. I blogged my 2025 holiday depression Good Way Depression And Bad Way Depression on Jan 6, 2026. Some 2025 holiday depression experiences and moments are expected in the 2026 holiday. I played video games, read books, and watched movies as a distraction. I skipped meals. I kept my thoughts to myself. There was nobody strong enough to trust.

The forecast comes true for some people in the history of the holidays. Some people are fathoming today. Some people are preparing. Common knowledge is live the present. Worry about tomorrow on tomorrow. However, preparation is necessary to minimize the pain for a painful 2026 holiday.

New Sights And New Experiences

Blogger's Note: May is pic month. I'm catching up posting pics from my smart phone. Enjoy!

I was lucky I got a free bottle water using my intuition. New Mahjong sights a portable automatic table and English translation Japanese Riichi tiles. Another new sight was apartments and industrial buildings by the bay water. Also, I saw 116 minutes from the home dishwasher for the first time. All workers should read The Peter Principle to minimize incompetence and to maximize worker habits. The family ate at a new Chinese restaurant for the first time for which the inside included a big picture.

Instant Bullets Blog Apr 27, 2026

*Jennifer Lopez. 56 year old New York City native Lopez said she's not going to get married again after four divorces and six engagements. She's choosing herself. The four husbands were Ben Affleck from 2022-2025, Marc Anthony from 2004-2014, Cris Judd from 2001-2003, and Ojani Noa from 1997-1998. The multiple engagements included Sean "Diddy" Combs, Alex Rodriguez, Casper Smart, and Drake. Four divorces suggest she's choosing herself for a long time.

*Endless Potential.

*2026 Winter Olympics Milano Cortina Condom Shortage. Signs were posted in Olympic Village stating, "Celebrate With A Condom." Officials waited for new shipments. Officials emphasized the program's public-health purpose. Sex for celebration. Sex to relive stress. Sex to cure boredom. Sex is a distraction. Young and horny Olympic athletes. One night stands with other athletes.

Condoms have been provided to Olympians since the 1988 Summer Olympics Seoul to raise awareness of sexually transmitted diseases at the height of the AIDS epidemic. 2024 Summer Olympics Paris distributed 300,000 condoms. 2016 Summer Olympics Rio De Janeiro distributed 450,000 condoms.

*gentrified: (of a formerly poor urban area) changed in character by wealthier people moving in, improving housing, and attracting new businesses, typically displacing current inhabitants in the process. Having changed from a poor area to a richer one, by people of a richer social class moving to live there. A gentrified neighborhood has transformed from being a poor, working-class area to one where wealthier people live.

Gentrification is a process where increased investment in a neighborhood drives up property values and rents, displacing lower-income residents. Gentrification often increases the economic value of a neighborhood. It can be controversial due to changing demographic composition and potential displacement of incumbent residents. A poor neighborhood is shifted into a wealthy one; however, the people aren't becoming wealthier. The poorer people are being replaced with wealthier people, the previous residents remain poor, and forced out because they cannot afford the raised prices that the new residents have caused.

*precarious: a state of danger, instability, or insecurity, where something is likely to fall, collapse, or fail.

*Snowplow Parenting. The definition is parents remove obstacles, pain, and difficulties from their children's lives. The intent is increase the probability of success. An easy life without conflicts. Other terms include bulldozer parenting or lawnmower parenting.

*Vehicle Recall. Check car recalls for free at Check To Protect.

*supplicant: a person who humbly, earnestly, or submissively asks for something, usually from a person in authority, a deity, or a higher power. Synonyms: petitioner, applicant, suitor, beggar, or beseecher. Usage examples: kneeling in prayer, pleading for mercy, or requesting a favor.

*The Most Interesting Man In The World is back. And he still prefers Dos Equis. Watch on Instagram At Long Last, He's Back - Dos Equis (2026). Watch on YouTube At Long Last, He's Back - Dos Equis (2026).

*disavow: to formally deny responsibility for, connection with, or knowledge of something, often to distance oneself from it.

*allegory: a story, poem, book, or picture which can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, abstract idea, or moral principle. Parable; fable, apologue.

*Arnold Schwarzenegger from the movie Pumping Iron: The greatest feeling you can get in a gym or the most satisfying feeling you can get in a gym, is the pump. Let's say you train your biceps. Blood is rushing into your muscles, and that's what we call the pump. Your muscles get a really tight feeling like your skin is going to explode any minute. It's really tight. It's like somebody blowing air into your muscle. It just blows up and it feels different. It feels fantastic. It's as satisfying to me as coming is. You know, as having sex with a woman and coming. So can you believe how much I'm in heaven? I'm getting the feeling of coming in the gym. I'm getting the feeling of coming at home. I'm getting the feeling of coming backstage when I pump up, when I pose out in front of 5,000 people, I get the same feeling. So, I'm coming day and night. I mean it's terrific, right? So, you know, I'm in heaven.

*Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus by John Gray: Their relationship is a paradox. They don't want each other. They need each other.

*If in doubt, then edit it out.

*Vehicle Accident. Always file a claim to your auto insurance company when you're involved in a car accident with damage. Create an official record.

*90% of X is caused by 10% of Y. Apply the formula appropriately. Follow the patterns.

*If you can't sleep, then read a book. Choose an easy read such as a book you finished reading in the past.

*He is no longer a returning customer. She is no longer a returning customer. They are no longer returning customers.

English Teacher Jordan Last Night Dream

I dreamed last night I was a student in ninth grade. One of my afternoon classes was in a bank. I didn't know the subject. My desk was a table where customers fill out either deposit slips or withdrawal slips located at the center. The size of the desk was small. The bank setting was a dark 1980s style. I conversed with students talking gossip when class was over. I rushed out of the bank when the bell for the final class of the day rang.

I arrived late for English I. There was an exam on the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The class was in the guest room of my house. The hallway light outside the guest room was the only light source. Half of the guest room was in the dark. English instructor Mr. Jordan was angry before I arrived. I picked up the exam at his desk located in the front of the classroom. I walked to the right side completing the exam in the dark.

The timed exam was difficult. I didn't prepare. Filling out my name was cryptic. Additional information was required to identify the exam paper. The exam questions were true or false and fill in the blank composed of multiple sentences and multiple blanks per paragraph. Mr. Jordan collected all exams at time expired. Almost all of the students did poorly from our reactions. Ironically, To Kill A Mockingbird is my all-time favorite fiction book.

Mr. Jordan taught a brief lesson after the exam. Another student passed around an unverified document showing Mr. Jordan's assigned books. The student likely hacked in the school computer system to print out the document. I received the document from a student behind me. I passed the document to a student in front of me. The too honest student got up from desk to hand the document to Mr. Jordan. He was furious. I woke up.

I Quit Reading A Book

I want to blog a recent event. I stopped reading a book. The reason why I blog quit reading a book is people quit something. Quitting is acceptable. Quitting is a judgement choice. Sometimes quitting is the correct choice. Sometimes quitting is the incorrect choice. Take responsibility making the correct choice or the incorrect choice to quit.

The book I stopped reading is The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold at page 150. There are people who enjoyed the book. I recognize their positive opinions. The book is not for me. I also stopped reading Pattern Recognition by William Gibson decades ago. I read one chapter. I never read the rest of Pattern Recognition. I finished reading the following books I should have quit reading: The Wind In The Willows by Kenneth Grahame, King Arthur And His Knights Of The Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green, The Adventures Of Robin Hood by Roger Lancelyn Green, Up In The Air by Walter Kirn, Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy, and The Rescuers by Margery Sharp.

I also finished reading for which I should have quit reading Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers. The Disney movie is great. The movie is one of my all time favorites. The adaption is fantastic. The book writing style is boring for me.

Riichi Mahjong

I learned Riichi Mahjong in 2007. I quit learning because it was too hard. A friend challenged me and another friend to learn Riichi Mahjong in 2009. We accepted the one week challenge. I have been playing since 2009. I blame poor resources, low motivation, read a poorly written Mahjong book, and no support for quitting in 2007. I corrected my mistakes when I relearned Riichi Mahjong in 2009.

Sometimes there are second chances after quitting the first time.

Review Mistake Number 14

It's okay to quit is top mistake number 14 "Mistake 14: Quit When It's Not Going Well" from my Finding Raymond Mar blog Top Mistakes Part 5 written on Apr 25, 2012. Top Mistakes The Final Part written on Aug 5, 2012 summarizes my top 18 mistakes plus the final top three mistakes for a total of top 21 mistakes.

Update On A Past Blog

I want to mention the Get Back blog written on Jul 13, 2011 as another growing up blog. I wrote an unofficial official growing up blog I Grew Up The Changes Were Immediate Growing Up On Sat Oct 4, 2008 Grow Up on Jan 20, 2026. The Get Back blog mentioned I must grow up on Sat Oct 4, 2008, the change in clothes, the change in physical workouts, and reading fiction books. Specifically, no more dress shirts, slacks, hiking shoes, and SWAT police boots for casual events. I wrote the last paragraph, "I have a better understanding why some successful people who experience a slump or setback revisit their roots. The roots, the core values, the early successes are what made successful people the best they are. It can be people forgot something and they needed to go back and remember the past."

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog December 2025

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. December was the slowest month of the year. Too many national headlines and world headlines. All respiratory illnesses including COVID-19 were overshadowed. The rain fell during the Christmas holiday.

Mon Dec 1. Shopped at Microcenter for Cyber Monday and Stevens Creek Toyota for Black Friday pickup.

Fri Dec 5. Shopped at Lowe's. Also shopped at Under Armour and ASICS for Black Friday pickups.

Sat Dec 6. Vice President Of Public Health Advocacy at Northwell Health Sandra Lindsay became the first person in the US to receive the COVID-19 vaccine five years ago.

Mon Dec 8. Picked up a Cyber Monday order at CVS.

Tue Dec 9. The Food And Drug Administration (FDA) investigate deaths related to the COVID-19 vaccine for all age groups. An early analysis examined 96 children deaths. 10 of the 96 deaths were linked to the vaccine. The World Health Organization (WHO) said more than 700 million doses administered in the US. Serious side effects are rare. The FDA requires death after vaccination reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) regardless of low probability the vaccine was the cause of death.

Thur Dec 11. Shopped at Sports Basement and World Market.

Fri Dec 12. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) released a study COVID-19 vaccines protect healthy children from severe illness. The vaccines reduced emergency room and urgent care visits due to COVID-19 by 76% for ages 9 months to 4 years and 56% for ages 5-17. 98,000 children were the total count in the study from Aug 2024 to Sep 2025. Immunity levels varied from previous COVID-19 infections and vaccinations. The study concentrated on added protection.

Shopped at Sports Basement. More people shopped today compared to yesterday.

The FDA proposes "black box" warnings on COVID-19 vaccines. The text includes warnings about the risks of death or reactions causing disabilities. The proposal is not finalized.

Thur Dec 18. Dentist appointment in the morning. Shopped for used books at the Saratoga Library and Los Gatos Library. Ate lunch at Chipotle.

Tue Dec 23. Ran errands at O'Reilly Auto Parts, Bank Of America, and Illusive Comics And Games.

Tue Dec 30. I voted. Ate lunch at Panda Express.

Top 2024 Pics

Here are the top eight pictures I took in 2024. They're sorted from the start of the year to the end of the year. The goals delaying one year are relearning from my mistakes, reinforcing my lessons, reminding myself my moments, refreshing acquired knowledge, rediscovering new wisdom, and sharing changes. Enjoy!

Past Lesson Blogs

Today's blog is an update on a past blog.

Update On A Past Blog

Here are 31 blogs with the word "lesson" in the blog title sorted by date in descending order from Dec 31, 2024 and earlier. Choose any blog to review and/or to relearn past lessons.

1. Grown Up Lessons In Second Grade Completing A Word Search written on Oct 22, 2024. Some assignments can't be completed for whatever reasons. People do cheat. And don't take everything seriously.

2. Reading Books Reinforce Centuries Life Lessons written on May 7, 2024. A pic blog from books Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw, Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier, All The President's Men by Carl Berstein and Bob Woodward, and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. Humans deserve kindness. A person realizes life becomes a joke the longer he or she lives. 99.9% of young people are not going to change the world. The word "rat" can be used in joke, metaphors, and anecdotes. Always verify. Give it time; for instance, it was inevitable Richard Nixon resigned. Every human being has at least one redeeming quality.

3. Throwback Blog: The Lesson To Be Successful Rarely Taught written on Feb 28, 2024. I repost timing, luck, opportunity, and chance blog from Sep 12, 2018.

4. A Lesson From The Rich People written on Jun 27, 2023. Understand the true meaning of work more and play less.

5. Life Lessons And Reminders written on May 21, 2022. A pic blog which includes two pages from the book Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden. Remember standard procedures. Narratives can change in minutes.

6. Three Grown-Up Lessons I Didn't Learn When I Was A Child written on Apr 17, 2022. The first lesson is nobody is perfect. The second lesson is actors and actresses don't make one movie and one television show for their entire careers. The third lesson is families change.

7. High School R.O.T.C. Leadership Lesson Another Viewpoint By Rank written on Oct 24, 2020. I rank the leadership attributes and leadership skills by importance.

8. Top Ten Lessons I Learned The Hard Way written on Jun 23, 2019. Never stop meeting new people is number one. Don't take life for granted is number three. Grow up is number four. Earn it is number six. Take care of your body inside and outside equally is number eight. Timing and luck are factors is number ten. These are my favorites.

9. The Lesson To Be Successful Rarely Taught written on Sep 12, 2018. If I can teach timing, luck, opportunity, and chance, then I'm a millionaire.

10. Another Lesson From Never Stop Growing Up Regardless When It Started written on Sep 5, 2018. People come and go in our lives. One reason is we change. People naturally grow apart.

11. Relevant Life Lessons And Trends written on May 23, 2018. Another pic blog. Active parents raise active children.

12. Throwback Blog: Top Ten Life Lessons From The Beatles written on Oct 30, 2017. I repost the Beatles blog from Jul 1, 2015.

13. Never Stop Learning Lesson Emphasized Because One Of The Shermans Past Away written on May 5, 2017. A lesson I repeat. Never stop learning. Innovate infinitely.

14. Top Ten Life Lessons I Learned Watching Sports written on Nov 5, 2016. Support, good coaching, consistency, be professional, and a strong core are some of the lessons.

15. A Lesson From My Bad Years written on Nov 1, 2016. I share a lesson from my bad years in 2002, 2007, 2008, 2013, and 2014.

16. Life Lessons Learned Playing Mahjong Riichi written on Mar 18, 2016. Skip all the lessons except the last lesson which is luck is part of the game. I'm an advanced mahjong player. My luck is terrible.

17. Life Lessons From Space Brothers written on Aug 17, 2015. My number two all-time favorite anime series. The lessons are part of my Inspiration Cheer Up life wisdom.

18. Top Ten Life Lessons From The Beatles written on Jul 1, 2015. Ten Beatles song titles are life lessons: Let It Be, Get Back, I've Got A Feeling, The Long And Winding Road, We Can Work It Out, Carry That Weight, Something, Here Comes The Sun, You're Going to Lose That Girl, and Getting Better.

19. Top Ten Lessons I Learned Working At My Last Job written on Nov 16, 2014. I worked at a retail startup selling wine. Shipping and receiving require training. There is no such thing as 100% customer service.

20. Top Ten Lessons I Learned Incorrectly written on Jul 28, 2014. I'm happy I corrected these lessons. They're no longer part of my life.

21. Top Ten Lessons My Parents Failed To Teach Me written on May 2, 2013. Parents raising children existed for centuries. Parents raising children exist in today's modern world. Unfortunately, some parents make the same mistakes my parents made when they raised me.

New parents remember some of these lessons from my top ten: communicate with your children, don't take life for granted, be mature, learn how to cook, read, and don't ignore problems hoping they disappear.

22. A Life Lesson I Learned Gangnam Style written on Aug 29, 2012. Ignore the lesson. I communicated incorrectly.

23. Lessons From My Office Space written on Jun 17, 2012. The first mistake was I didn't talk and socialize with my co-workers. The second mistake was I didn't realize people supported me in my second company. I believed I was lonely. I believed I was on my own. I had to be strong. I was a coward.

24. Life Lessons I Learned From Alex Smith written on Feb 15, 2012. The fifth lesson summarized Alex Smith's NFL career. Smith experienced bad luck and bad timing. I add a seventh lesson which is grit. Continue grinding. There was no reason to quit.

25. Another Lesson I Learned From My Grandparents written on Oct 15, 2010. My grandparents failed to meet new people and make new friends. People come and go. It's important to be surrounded with people. Make sure the people are good.

26. Derek Paravicini Teaches A Lesson On Life written on Apr 2, 2010. Begin in a friendly way.

27. A Lesson Learned Tonight written on Feb 2, 2010. There are no guarantees in life.

28. A Lesson From The Ants written on Dec 19, 2009. Don't make the same mistake twice.

29. A Lesson On Life Yesterday written on May 5, 2007. It was a reality check. Times have changed in the workplace from my parent's generation and the years before the Great Recession. Workers were on their own to solve problems. Everyone was too busy.

30. One Lesson Of Life Cosplaying written on Aug 28, 2006. The one lesson was don't rush. Take it slow. I add a second lesson of life cosplaying worth repeating is never stop meeting new people.

31. $100.00 Lesson written on Jan 24, 2006. Read the expiration dates for all rebates.

High School Campus Is A Teenage Day Care Center

I dreamed last night I was a student in high school. One class was like a Reserve Officers Training Corp (ROTC) class. It was taught like a ROTC class. Most of the class material was ROTC. The instructor was like a ROTC who was a retired Marine officer.

The students and I were outside the classroom. The instructor told us to go inside the classroom which was like a mini gym. The ceilings were tall. The classroom was four times bigger than a standard classroom. The students were given a yellow piece of paper with questions. There were a few multiple choice questions. There were two fill in the blank. The rest were short answers.

My dream immediately fast forward to the instructor handing back the yellow piece of paper to the students. It turned out we were given a surprised test. All students did poorly. I scored a 73. The instructor punished the students by telling us to go outside and correct our mistakes. I woke up.

High School Is A Joke

My cynical thinking the ROTC like class was a waste of time. I thought back to my high school years. Many classes were a waste of time. Teenagers need to learn mathematics, learn reading, and learn writing. The deeper question is "How much depth do teenagers need to know US history, world history, geography, science, foreign language, and fine arts?" Parents are told by the government these classes must be taken to graduate with a high school diploma. US citizens should know the civil war, World War II, the capital of the USA, and water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen. I reread a few literature books in high school as an adult such as The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Red Badge Of Courage by Stephen Crane, and Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck. Most of the books stank. Physical education was a joke. I don't know today's physical education curriculum.

My high school is a joke opinion may be weak. College bound high school students must take college requisites. I accept. Otherwise, my opinion has merit. Music, art, and cooking do nothing to get a good paying job in today's Information Age. Students who are lazy may have a point. They're bored. The high school standards and high school policies are a mismatch. I admit they're not perfect.

Start The Conversation

Education is passing knowledge to future generations. Any other definition is probably bullshit.

Update On A Past Blog

I add another lesson learned taking R.O.T.C. in high school. The blog is High School R.O.T.C. Leadership Lesson Another Viewpoint By Rank written on Oct 24, 2020. Here is the lesson on words.

*What is the one most important word? We.
*What are the two most important words? Thank you.
*What are the three most important words? If you please.
*What are the four most important words? What is your opinion?
*What are the five most important words? You did a good job.
*What are the six most important words? I admit I made a mistake.

Live A Productive Life At Best Or Not Waste My Life

Today I shopped for used books at multiple libraries. Libraries donated books for their used book sales to raise money.

I asked the question at one library, "What am I doing?" I'm wasting my time. My life is George Costanza. I'm long term unemployed. I live with my parents. I didn't ask for my current life. I didn't want my present life. I waste a day shopping for used books. I buy books at cheap prices on a weekday mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Waste is relative. I should be earning an income working instead of shopping. I should be living in freedom.

Life goes on. I read books which is an activity today. I gain knowledge for tomorrow. I acquire wisdom for tomorrow. Today is today. Today is it no matter the degree. Tomorrow is tomorrow. Tomorrow can be a life break in my favor.

Inbox

Today I fully understand the inbox is never empty. At least a piece of paper is in the inbox for tomorrow. The email inbox counter is greater than zero at the end of the day. Do it one at a time. Do whatever I can today. Continue tomorrow. Another responsibility is placed in the inbox tomorrow. There are no rushes. There are no emergencies. Choose and prioritize. I can say no to myself with no penalties. Many times I say another yes to myself with no extra rewards. Stop for the day. Rest, recover, and reset the focus to 100% tomorrow.

Top Ten Plus Fifteen Equals Top Twenty Five Favorite Books I Read

I update my Top Ten Favorite Books I Read blog written on Oct 27, 2019. I repeat some of the introduction: Reading books is one of my favorite hobbies. I started reading more fiction books in 2008. I learn life reading fiction books than nonfiction books. Fiction books give me wisdom. Nonfiction books give me intelligence. I read 75% fiction and 25% nonfiction. I was on volume three in the Harry Potter series at the time of the blog. Harry Potter is number five. Here are my top ten plus fifteen equals top twenty five favorite books I read:

25. Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. The author did his research on the Civil War. Some aspects of life exist today such as unfair life, read books, work hard, and despair. A recommendation from my uncle.

24. All The President's Men by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward. The Richard Nixon Watergate history is part of the book. Persistence is another part of the book. Memorizing all the politicians is not necessary.

23. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. The illiterate main character stole books during World War II in Nazi Germany. Read World War II from innocent Germans point of view. Comedy, sorrow, and anger are some of the feelings the reader experiences.

22. Oh, The Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss. I Read Dr. Seuss Books on May 2, 2025. The Places book is a top must read for grade school children.

21. Looking For Alaska by John Green. College students can both be smart and be a prankster. Best John Green book.

20. From The Mixed-Up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg. A random book recommendation from a source I forgot. I thought it's an adult literature. It's actually a children's book. The adventure side of a child may open up after reading the book.

19. The Invention Of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. I purchased a European edition book. The author wrote the story and drew the illustrations. The main character had courage I wished I had when I was a child.

18 The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Everyone must bring a towel.

17. Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. The book is more violent than the movie. The Ian Malcolm character stole the story.

16. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. If you didn't read the book as of the blog post, then don't watch the movie trailer. The movie trailer is major spoilers. I cried three times.

15. The Power Of One by Bryce Courtenay. Teenage boys and teenage girls must read the book. The wisdom is learned at the beginning of the book. The main character practices the wisdom thereafter.

14. Forever . . . by Judy Blume. All teenagers and all parents must read the young adult classic book. The sex scenes and growing up lessons are relevant today.

13. Thinking, Fast And Slow by Daniel Kahneman. Follow the patterns.

12. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. A family lives in multiple cities being in poverty. The reader experiences all emotions in the emotional spectrum. Watch the movie end credits after reading the book to put a face to the family on YouTube. I enjoyed Walls' writing style.

11. The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. A book from My Self-Help Books Recommendations blog written on Jun 28, 2020. Discover core habits. Practice, practice, practice the habits.

10. A Brief History Of Time by Stephen Hawking. I learned more than science reading the book. I learned life.

9. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. How do people become rich? Kiyosaki answers the question how. The answer is not a college degree, an MBA, or working a six-figure income.

8. How To Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie. Readers adapt 20% of his suggestions increases his or her likelihood to meet more new people and create more circle of friends.

7. The Old Man And The Sea by Ernest Hemingway. I loved Hemingway's writing style. Short. To the point. No wasted words. An easy and a quick read to satisfy a quick urge.

6. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. My all time favorite sci-fi book.

5. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. I took me decades to read the book. I read the book three times during the COVID-19 pandemic. My house is Gryffindor. My wand is a white 10.75 inches made of oak with a phoenix feather core. My patronus is a tiger.

4. Moby-Dick by Herman Melville. The last three chapters were the best last three chapters I ever read. I understand all the references in the media.

3. To Kill A Mocking Bird by Harper Lee. Atticus Finch is strong. Atticus Finch is a model for a man.

2. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Gladwell wrote luck and opportunity are the reasons why some people succeed.

Honorable mentions. City Of Thieves by David Benioff, Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden, Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, and Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett.

1. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. Jobs was a genius. Jobs was an artist. I promise everyone who reads the book becomes wiser.

Pencils Are Good

I thought of a silly political movement. Bring back the pencil. There are too many people using pens. There are too many people writing with ink tools. I used a pencil from preschool to 12th grade. The only time I used a pen was English classes. I switched pencils and pens in college. I used pens throughout college. The only time I used a pencil was exams involving numbers including calculus, physics, and economics.

I want people use pencils more. I started using pencils more in Oct 2019. Sharpening your pencils is a positive. It forces people to take a break. Get up from the desk to move. There's something about pencils when people read their own notes in pencils. I can't put it into words. Rough beauty? Pens don't make writing beautiful. Handwriting make writing beautiful. Mechanical pencils are accepted.

Update On A Past Blog

Our past generations were correct regarding exercise and reading books. Prevent physical muscle loss by exercising. Prevent mental brain loss by reading. Exercising and reading are the best ways to maintain strength and intelligence. They maximize transition or application to other activities, functions, and responsibilities. Moreover, aerobic physical exercise benefits mental health, too. Aerobic exercise improves blood flow to the brain. Exercise and reading books can benefit emotional health such as positive behavior, spiritual health such as better sleep, and financial stability such as less time to spend on wasteful goods and services.

The above paragraph applies to three previous blogs on physical fitness and mental fitness. I said more people underestimate physical fitness from the blog More People Must Get Physical written on Oct 13, 2019. Exercise Your Body From Head To Toe Inside And Outside written on Jan 6, 2015 is about use it or lose it physically and mentally. Our bodies are meant to move and to think. The blog title Humans Have The Ability To Improve written on Nov 30, 2009 is self-explanatory for which we can change our physical abilities and mental abilities by exercising and reading.

Here are four blogs related to books for mental fitness. These are My Self-Help Books Recommendations written on Jun 28, 2020. My outdated Top Ten Favorite Books I Read I wrote on Oct 27, 2019 needs to be updated with more favorite books added. I said I prefer printed books which is number eight from the blog Top Ten Old School I wrote on Oct 16, 2019. The blog Read Books For Your Life on Oct 16, 2011 I regretted I didn't read books outside school during my childhood. I also said reading books keep the brain active.

My Vocabulary Dictionary

Words Numbers
4H: Head, heart, hands, health. We learn to do by doing.

Words A-C
Absence Of Malice: a requirement against defamation in a court of law. In journalism, it brings to attention the conflict between disclosing personal information and the public's right to know.
accursed: infallible. Absolutely trustworthy or sure. Unfailing in effectiveness or operation; certain.
acumen: keen discernment; insight; the ability to make good judgments and quick decisions
adjudicate: to reach a judicial decision on something, to make an official decision
albatross: 1 a large long-winged seabird which spends most of its life in flight. 2 an oppressive burden or hindrance; a burden which somebody can't escape.
algorithm: a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer
aloof: not friendly or forthcoming; distant; disinterested
altruism: the principle or practice of unselfish concern for or devotion to the welfare of others. The principle and moral practice of concern for happiness of other lives.
anecdotal: not necessarily true or reliable based on personal accounts rather than facts or research. Based on reports or observations from unscientific observations. Unreliable; hearsay; unscientific. An anecdote is a brief story, usually told because it is relevant to the subject at hand. An anecdote a short account of a particular incident or event, especially of an interesting or amusing nature. A short, obscure historical or biographical account.
antagonist: a person who is opposed to, struggles against, or competes with another, opponent, adversary. The adversary of the hero or protagonist of a drama or other literary work.
apathy: lack of interest in anything
aphantasia: [a-fan-tas-ia] the inability to visualize images in the brain. Mind blindness.
apolitical: not political; of no political significance
apprehensive: anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen
arbitrage: the simultaneous buying and selling of securities, currency, or commodities in different markets or in derivative forms in order to take advantage of different prices for the same asset. Buy and sell assets using arbitrage.
asinine: extremely stupid or foolish; unintelligent or silly; devoid of intelligence
assuage: to make milder or less severe; relieve; ease; mitigate; soothe, calm
astringent: 1 causing the contraction of skin cells and other body tissues. 2 taste or smell slightly acidic or bitter.
atomic: 1 of or relating to or comprising atoms. 2 of, using, or powered by nuclear energy; a source of immense power. 3 immeasurably small; an extremely small amount of a thing.
atrocious: 1 horrifying wicked. 2 of a very poor quality; extremely bad or unpleasant. Brutal, barbaric, appalling, cruel, awful.
attrition: the action or process of gradually reducing the strength or effectiveness of someone or something through sustained attack or pressure; wearing down; wearing away; weakening
au pair: a young foreign person, typically a woman, who helps with housework or child care in exchange for room and board
austerity: a set of political and economic policies implemented by a government to reduce its budget deficit
autoimmune disease: a disease the body's immune system attacks healthy cells
automaton: a machine moving by itself, designed to follow predetermined sequence of operations
awning: a covering attached to a building or residence
axiom: a statement or proposition which is regarded as being established, accepted, or self-evidently true
axiomatic: [ax-e-o-matic] self-evident or unquestionable; obviously true; accepted. For example, it's axiomatic good athletes have a strong mental attitude. It seems axiomatic people benefit from a good education.
bane: a person or thing that ruins or spoils. A deadly poison. Death; destruction; ruin.
belligerent: hostile or aggressive, ready to start a fight, or ready to go to war
benign: gentle and kindly. Not harmful in effect such as a benign medical condition; no cancer in a condition, tumor, or growth.
bereavement: [be-reav-ment] loss, grief, sorrow, sadness, death in the family, passing, passing away, decease.
blight: a specific symptom affecting plants in response to infection by a pathogenic organism
blithe: 1 happy, cheerful, carefree. 2 casually indifferent.
bravado: a bold manner or a show of boldness intended to impress or intimidate
callous: showing no concern if other people are hurt or upset
capricious: tend to make sudden and unpredictable changes
carnauba: a fan palm with an edible root and leaves that yield carnauba wax. A carnauba tree.
catatonic: purifying. Producing a feeling of being purified emotionally, spiritually, or psychologically as a result of intense emotional experience or therapeutic technique.
catharsis: purification or purgation of the emotions (such as pity and fear) primarily through art, writing, theater, or music; spiritual renewal or release from tension
cay: a small low island; key
chyron: [ki-ron] a text-based graphic caption superimposed on a television screen or film frame; close captioning
cinderella liberty: a Navy jargon which is a shore pass which ends at midnight
cipher: a written code in which the letters of a text are substituted according to a system. For example, to write a text or message in cipher.
cisgender: a person with gender identity is the same as their sex assigned at birth. Opposite of transgender.
clandestine: something planned or done in secret because it is illicit, unauthorized, or forbidden. Kept hidden or executed with stealth and secrecy.
clinch: 1 to settle a matter decisively. 2 to secure an object by beating object down. 3 boxing: to hold the opponent in the arms or body to prevent the opponent's punches. 4 slang: to embrace.
cockamamie: [cock-a-may-mie] ridiculous; implausible; pointless; stupid or silly
cohort: a group of people with commonality being together
compass rose: a diagram on a map displaying the directional orientation north, east, south, and west
concerto: a composition for one or more principal instruments, with orchestral accompaniment
concoct: 1 to create something by mixing or combining various ingredients in a new way. 2 to think up a story or plan.
conniving: given to or involved in conspiring to do something immortal, illegal, or harmful. Scheming, up to no good, conspire with evil intent.
conscientious objector: an individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service
conservatorship: legally defined as a court case where a judge appoints an individual or organization, called the conservator, to care for someone who "cannot care" for themselves or who cannot manage their own finances
contentious: causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial
coolly: in a way that lacks friendliness or enthusiasm
copyright trap: a publisher intentionally places wrong or fictitious information, so that if someone copies from them they can find out. Common examples are made-up cities and words in maps and dictionaries.
cordial: [kawr-juhl] As an adjective, courteous and gracious; friendly; warm. Sincere; heartfelt. As a noun, a strong, sweetened, aromatic alcoholic liquor; liqueur.
cordon: a line of circle of police, soldiers, or guards prevent access to or from an area or building. Prevent access to or from an area or building by surrounding it with police or other guards. The troops cordon around the headquarters. The city center was cordoned off after fires were discovered in two stores.
corollary: 1 a proposition which follows from and is often appended to one already proved. A proposition that follows directly from the proof of another proposition. 2 a direct or natural consequence or result; for example, the huge increases in unemployment were the corollary of expenditure cuts.
cull (verb): to remove as worthless. Remove an inferior thing or person from a larger groups.
culpable: deserve blame. Merits condemnation. Guilty, criminal, blameworthy.
cyclic: occurring in cycles; regularly repeated

Words D-F
daft: 1 silly, foolish British informal. 2 mad, insane British informal.
day of reckoning: the time when one is called to account for one's actions, to pay one's debts, or to fulfill one's promises or obligations
debutante: a young woman making a debut into society
decrement: a reduction or diminution. A gradual decrease in quality or quantity. Becoming smaller or shorter.
delectable: delightful, highly pleasing, enjoyable; delicious
demigod: a being with partial or lesser divine status such as a minor deity, the offspring of a god and a mortal, or a mortal raised to divine rank. Part human and part divine or part human and part deity.
dilemma: a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially equally undesirable ones. A difficult situation or problem. An argument forcing an opponent to choose either of two unfavorable alternatives.
discombobulate: to throw into a state of confusion; upset; frustrate
disintermediate: to remove middlemen from a transaction, supply chain, or decision making process. Reduce or eliminate intermediaries between producers and consumers.
dole: a portion or allotment of money, food, etc.; distributing. To distribute in charity.
dote: 1 to bestow or express excessive love or fondness habitually. 2 to show a decline of mental faculties, especially associated with old age.
dowager: a widow with a title or property derived from her late husband
dox: search for and publish private or identifying information about an individual on the internet with malicious intent. Doxxed is past tense or past participle. Doxing or doxxing is the act of publicly providing personally identifiable information about an individual or organization, usually via the Internet and without their consent to do so; for example, post a drivers license id on social media with contact information. A cyberbullying.
Drinking The Kool-Aid: refers to a person or people believing in something usually negative without examination
dysentery: bacterial diarrhea which is bloody diarrhea. The symptoms are fever, abdominal pain, and incomplete defecation. Causes include contaminated food and contaminated water with feces.
ELI5: explain like I'm 5
elucidate: make clear, explain, clarify
emaciated: [uh-mish-e-a-ted] abnormally thin or weak, especially because of illness or a lack of nutrition; malnutrition
embellish: to make something more attractive, interesting, or entertaining by adding details or features, especially ones not true
embolism: blockage of artery. A condition in which an artery is blocked by an embolus, usually a blood clot formed at one piece in the circulatory and then lodging in another.
endearment: a word or phrase expressing love or affection
engender: to produce, cause, or give rise to
enigma: somebody or someone not easily explained or understood
entailment: 1 a relationship between sentences where one sentence is true if the others are; for example, "Her son drives her to work every day" and "Her son knows how to drive" are related by entailment. Logical consequence.
entropy: a state of disorder or a gradual decline into disorder; chaos
ephemeral: [uh-feh-mir-uhl] anything short-lived. Lasting a very short time. For example, the ephemeral joys of childhood, a passing fancy, youth's transient beauty, and love is transitory yet it is essential.
erudite: having or showing great knowledge gained from studying and reading
esquire: (initial capital letter) an unofficial title of respect, having no precise significance
estrange: to cause somebody to stop feeling friendly or affectionate toward somebody else or sympathetic towards a tradition or belief
exacerbate: to make worse. Make a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling worse. To increase the severity, bitterness, or violence.
excelsior: a Latin word meaning ever upward
exogamy: marriage outside a specific tribe or similar social unit
expedient: [x-pee-di-ent] 1 appropriate, advisable, or useful requires action. 2 an advantage.
extort: to wrest or wring money or information from a person by violence, intimidation, or abuse of authority; obtain by force, torture, threat, or the like
facade: 1 the front of a building, especially an imposing or decorative one; any side of a building facing a public way or space and finished accordingly. 2 a superficial appearance or illusion of something.
fallible: capable of making mistakes or being erroneous
fealty: 2 fidelity; faithfulness
feebly: in a way that lacks strength or force. In a way that fails to convince or impress.
feral cat: a domesticated cat returned to the wild. In contrast, a stray cat is a pet cat lost or abandoned.
fibromyalgia: a chronic muscle pain, fatigue, sleep problems, and widespread tenderness
flabbergasted: greatly surprised or astonished; shocked
fledge: to raise a young bird until it's able to fly.
fledgling: an inexperienced, immature, underdeveloped person
forbear: to refrain or abstain from; withhold. To hold back, to be patient.
foregone conclusion: a result that is obvious to everyone even before it happens. A result that can be predicted with certainty. An inevitable conclusion or result.
fornication: voluntary sexual intercourse between two unmarried persons or two persons not married to each other
fritter: a word describing a wide variety of fried foods

Words G-I
gallows: a structure, typically of two uprights and a crosspiece, for the hanging of criminals; execution by hanging
garden variety: of the usual or ordinary type; commonplace
gentrified: (of a formerly poor urban area) changed in character by wealthier people moving in, improving housing, and attracting new businesses, typically displacing current inhabitants in the process. Having changed from a poor area to a richer one, by people of a richer social class moving to live there. A gentrified neighborhood has transformed from being a poor, working-class area to one where wealthier people live.
going commando: not wearing any underwear
golden handcuffs: an employer defers payments and benefits to an employee to prevent him or her working at another company
granular: resembling or consisting of small grains or particles. Finely detailed, highly detailed; having many small and distinct parts as in granular reports.
greenwash: a superficial or insincere display of concern for the environment by an organization; the process of conveying a false impression or providing misleading information about how a company's products are more environmentally sound
grift: a group of methods for obtaining money falsely through the use of swindles, frauds, dishonest gambling, etc.
grifter: a person who engages in petty or small-scale swindling. Someone who gets money dishonestly by tricking people. A person who operates a side show at a circus, fair, etc., especially a gambling attraction; a swindler, dishonest gambler, or the like.
gully: a small valley or ravine originally worn away by running water or prolonged rains. (slang) of or relating to the environment, culture, or life experience in poor urban neighborhoods.
haircut: 1 the act or process of cutting and shaping the hair. 2 a reduction in the value of an asset such as a stock or a bond.
harbor feelings: to have a thought or feeling in your mind for a long time
harlot: a prostitute
hedonism: the pursuit of pleasure; sensual self-indulgence
hegemony: leadership or predominant influence exercised by one nation over others. Aggression or expansionism by large nations in an effort to achieve world domination.
hemorrhage: a medical term for heavy discharge of blood from the blood vessels; ruptured blood vessel. A rapid or uncontrollable loss or outflow; the loss of assets.
heuristic: 1 encouraging discovery of solutions; discover solutions. 2 involving trial and error.
heuristicism: a method of solving a problem for which no formulas exist based from methods or experiences
hovel: a small, squalid, unpleasant, or simply constructed dwelling
hubris: excessive pride or self-confidence; arrogance
hygge: a Danish term to relax with good friends or loved ones with food and drinks
hypochondriac: a person who is often or always worried about his or her own health. An excessive preoccupation with or anxiety about one's health.
hypocrisy: a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral, or religious beliefs or principles, etc. that one does not really possess. A pretense of having some desirable or publicly approved attitude.
idiosyncrasy: a characteristic, habit, mannerism, or the like, that is peculiar to an individual
idyllic: [i-dill-ic] serenely beautiful, untroubled, and happy
impassive: without emotion; apathetic; unloved
impertinence: lack of respect; rudeness
impertinent: not showing proper respect; rude. Not pertinent to a particular matter; irrelevant.
imperturbable: unable to be upset or excited; calm. Serene. Steadiness. Free from agitation or excitement.
improv: short for improvisational theater. The actors make up scenes, dialogue, and characters on the spot. An improv time length is short lasting minutes.
incorrigible: a person not able to correct, improve, or reform their bad tendencies; uncontrollable, unruly
increment: Something added or gained; addition; increase. The act or process of increasing; growth.
indefinable: not able to be defined or described exactly. Hard to define. Hard to describe.
indict: formally accuse of or charge with a serious crime. To charge with a crime by the finding or presentment of a jury in due form of law.
ineffable: incapable of being expressed or described in words; inexpressible
inept: lacking the competence or skill for a particular task
infallible: incapable of making mistakes or being wrong; never fail; always effective. Absolutely trustworthy or sure.
inimitable: so good or unusual as to be impossible to copy; unique. Can't be imitated. Can't be copied.
insinuate: suggest or hint in an indirect and unpleasant way. Usually something bad or reprehensible.
insufferable: not to be endured; intolerable; unbearable
inure: [in-nor] to accustom to accept something undesirable. Frequent exposure to something bad; accustomed. Get used to something difficult or unpleasant. Past participle is inured. Law definition is come into operation; take effect.
irascible: having or showing a tendency to be easily angered

Words J-L
jackal: 2 a person who performs dishonest or base deeds as the follower or accomplice of another. 3 a person who performs menial or degrading tasks for another.
jaded: tired, bored, worn out, or lacking enthusiasm, typically after having had too much of something
jewel: a person unique, beautiful, pure, sweet like an angel; a precious possession; a person or thing treasured
juxtapose: to place or deal with close together for contrasting effect; black and white photos of slums were starkly juxtaposed with color images
keel: the longitudinal structure along the centerline at the bottom of a vessel's hull, on which the rest of the hull is built, in some vessels extended downward as a blade or ridge to increase stability. Base. Bottom. Bottom side.
kleptomania: a recurrent urge to steal, typically without regard for need or profit. A persistent neurotic impulse to steal especially without economic motive.
knee-jerk: readily predictable, react without thinking, react by a habitual manner
lame duck: an official (especially the president) in the final period of office, after the election of a successor
latchkey kid: a child left home alone or without supervision for most of the daylight because their parents are working. A child returns to an empty home after school or other activities without supervision.
leeway: the amount of freedom to move or act that is available. An allowable margin of freedom or variation; tolerance.
loath: unwilling; reluctant; disinclined; averse
loathe: to feel disgust or intense aversion for; abhor
lobotomize: 1 surgical operation nerves at the prefrontal lobe of brain severed. 2 make someone sluggish, mentally numb, lack energy, vitality.

Words M-O
macabre: to include gruesome and horrific details of death and decay
magnanimous: generous in forgiving an insult or injury, especially toward a rival or less powerful person
magnolia: any shrub or tree of the genus Magnolia, having large, usually fragrant flowers and an aromatic bark, much cultivated for ornament. Also the state flower of Louisiana and Mississippi.
maintain: to keep in existence or continuance; preserve; retain. To keep in an appropriate condition, operation, or force.
masticate: to chew
maven: an expert or connoisseur. A person who acquires knowledge.
melodramatic: behaving, speaking, done, or said in a way which is more dramatic, shocking, or highly emotional that the situation demands
microcosm: a little world; a world in miniature
mimosa: a cocktail drink composed of champagne or sparkling wine and citrus fruit juice
misassembled: to put the parts of something together in an incorrect manner; to assemble wrongly
misogyny: dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women
morbid: an unusual interest in disturbing and unpleasant subjects such as death and disease. A curiosity in grisly or gruesome matters
morose: gloomy, unhappy, bad-tempered, miserable, unwilling to speak
mundane: lacking interest or excitement; dull. Very ordinary. Common, unimaginative, unexciting.
mutually exclusive: two or more things can't happen or exist at the same time. Or things which contradict each other.
myopia: lack of foresight or long-term planning
myopic: lacking in foresight or discernment; narrow in perspective and without concern for broader implications. Lacking tolerance or understanding. Nearsighted.
mystic (noun): a person who claims to attain, or believes in the possibility of attaining, insight into mysteries transcending ordinary human knowledge, as by direct communication with the divine or immediate intuition in a state of spiritual ecstasy
mystic (adjective): involving or characterized by esoteric, otherworldly, or symbolic practices or content, as certain religious ceremonies and art; spiritually significant; ethereal
nebulous: hazy, vague, indistinct, or confused; hard to define
nefarious: a wicked or criminal action or activity. Crime. Villain. Evil.
nepotism: the unfair practice by a powerful or influential person of giving jobs and other favors to family and relatives
nihilist: a person who believes life is meaningless and rejects all religious and moral principles. Nihilism is a philosophy negating knowledge, the meaning of life, and morals.
non sequitur: a conclusion or reply which doesn't follow logically from the previous statement; a reply which has no relevance. A statement containing an illogical conclusion.
normalize: to make something normal or return something to normal, or become or return to normal. Make conform.
nothingburger: something that is or turns out to be insignificant or lacking in substance. Not deliver in promise. Nothing, nobody.
nubile: 1 (of a young woman) suitable for marriage. 2 (of a young person, usually a woman) sexually developed and attractive.
odious: deserving or causing hatred; hateful; detestable. Highly offensive; repugnant; disgusting.
oligarchy: a small group of people having control of a country, organization, or institution. Government by the few. The government in which power rests with a small number of people.
omnipotent: having unlimited power or influence; supreme; powerful
omniscient: knowing or seeming to know everything. I'm the omniscient narrator.
op-ed: short for opposite the editorial page. Also opinion editorial.

Words P-R
pagan: [a broad definition] a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main or recognized religions
pageantry: elaborate display or ceremony. Spectacular display.
palimony: a form of alimony awarded to one of the partners in a romantic relationship after the breakup of that relationship following a long period of living together
panacea: 1 a remedy for all disease or ills; cure-all. 2 an answer or solution for all problems or difficulties.
panache: flamboyant or grand confidence of style or manner. Verve; style; flair. A stylish, original, and very confident way of doing things which makes people admire you.
pander: a person who caters to or profits from the weaknesses or vices of others
parasite: 1 an organism that lives on or in an organism of another species, known as the host, from the body of which it obtains nutriment. 2 a person who receives support, advantage, or the like, from another or others without giving any useful or proper return, as one who lives on the hospitality of others.
parenthetical: relating to or inserted as a parenthesis
parity: the state or condition of being equal, especially regarding status or pay. (of a number) the fact of being even or odd.
parlay: turn an initial stake or winnings from a previous bet into a greater amount in gambling. A cumulative series of bets in which winnings accruing from each transaction are used as a stake for a further bet.
parochial: 1 of or relating to a church parish. 2 confined or restricted; limited or narrow in scope or outlook.
partisan: a strong supporter of a person, group, or cause. A resistance fighter.
patrician: an aristocrat or nobleman. High social rank. A person of high birth. A group of ruling class families in ancient Rome.
pauper: a very poor person
pedantic: of or like a pedant. Pedantic describes a person who annoys others by correcting small errors, caring too much about minor details, or emphasizing their own expertise especially in some narrow or boring subject matter.
pedestrian (adjective): lacking uninspired or excitement; dull. Lacking in vitality, imagination, distinction.
penchant: a strong or habitual liking for something or tendency to do something. A strong inclination, taste, or liking for something.
pensive: engaged in, involving, or reflecting deep or serious thought
peregrine: coming from another region or country; stranger; wanderer
perfidy: treachery or deceit
perpetual: lasting forever, lasting indefinitely, occurring repeatedly
perverse: willfully determined or disposed to go counter to what is expected or desired; contrary; disobedient
phallocentric: focused on or concerned with the phallus or penis as a symbol of male dominance. Dominated by male attitudes. Having the male, or male sexual feelings or activity, as the main subject of interest.
phallus: a penis. An erect penis. Used to reference male potency or male dominance. An object resembles a penis.
philanderer: a person who frequently enters into casual sexual relationships or affairs; a womanizer
pinnace: a small boat, with sails or oars, forming part of the equipment of a warship or other large vessel
placate: to make someone less angry or hostile. To pacify by concessions or conciliatory gestures. Stop someone from feeling angry. Appease, soothe, pacify, comfort, calm.
plinth: a slab-like member beneath the base of a column or pier. A square base or a lower block, as of a pedestal.
pliable: flexible and easily bent. Easily persuaded or influenced.
polarize: to break up into opposing factions or groupings; divide into two sharply contrasting groups or sets of opinions or beliefs
polymer: a natural or synthetic compound that consists of large molecules made of many chemically bonded smaller identical molecules; for example, starch and nylon
pompous: excessively elevated or ornate; having or exhibiting self-importance or arrogance. Characterized by an ostentatious display of dignity or importance. Conceited. Inflated ego.
posh: sumptuously furnished or appointed; luxurious; very classy or sophisticated
posthumously: after the death of the originator
Potter's field: slang for an unmarked burial ground. Pauper's grave, common grave. Unknown, unclaimed, or indigent people are buried.
precarious: a state of danger, instability, or insecurity, where something is likely to fall, collapse, or fail
precipice: a very steep rock face or cliff. Close to a bad situation or dangerous situation.
premeditated: an action thought out or planned beforehand. Full conscious willful intent and a measure of forethought and planning. Thought of or planned before being done. Planned in advance with a purpose; no accident. Done deliberately. Planned in advanced. Planned. Calculated. Deliberate.
proselyte: a new convert to a religious faith or political doctrine
protagonist: the leading character, hero, or heroine of a drama or other literary work. A proponent for or advocate of a political cause, social program, etc. The leader or principal person in a movement, cause, etc.
punitive: inflicting or intended as punishment. Extremely high taxing or charging.
purgatory: in Roman Catholic, a place or state of suffering inhabited by the souls of sinners who are explaining their sins before going to heaven. Having the quality of cleansing or purifying.
putative: generally considered or reputed to be. Commonly accepted or supposed. To be known as something by reputation or generally accepted.
QED: Latin for quod erat demonstrandum. Translated as that which was to be demonstrated.
quagmire: 2 an awkward, complicated, or dangerous situation difficult to escape
quorum: the smallest number of people who must be at a meeting for official decisions to be made by voting
reckoning: count; computation; calculation. The settlement of accounts as between two companies. Bill. An accounting, as for things received or done. An appraisal or judgment.
red herring: something intended to divert attention from the real problem or matter at hand; a misleading clue
regurgitate: bring swallowed food up again to the mouth. Repeat information without analyzing or comprehending it. Taken in at least partially digested and then spit back out. To bring back swallowed food into the mouth or back up through one's throat and out the mouth. Repeating facts.
remunerate: to pay, recompense, or reward for work, trouble, etc.
resonant: strong and deep in tone; echoing, as sounds
revenant: a person who returns; a person who returns as a spirit after death
rhetorical question: a question asked for effect that neither expects nor require an answer
rue: to feel sorry over; repent of; regret bitterly. To wish that something had never been done, taken place, etc. To feel sorrow, repentance, or regret. Sorry, repentance, regret.

Words S-U
sanctimonious: making a show of being morally superior to other people. Acting as if morally better than others. self-righteous; moralist; righteousness.
satire: the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices
sea grape: plant native to coastal beaches throughout tropical America and the Caribbean
secular: of or pertaining to worldly things or to things that are not regarded as religious, spiritual, or sacred
sentient: capable of feeling and perception. Capable of responding emotionally rather than intellectually.
shill: an accomplice of a hawker, gambler, or swindler who acts as an enthusiastic customer to entice or encourage others; one who acts as a decoy. To act as a spokesperson or promoter.
skibidi: [skip-pity] comes from a series of extremely popular YouTube videos titled "skibidi toilet." A nonsense word which means nothing.
skittish: 1 nervous or easily scared. 2 lively or playfully unpredictable.
sobriquet: a person's nickname
sportswash: an individual, group, corporation, or government using sports to improve their tarnished reputation hosting a sporting event, the purchase a sports team, or by participation in the sport itself
subsequent: 1 occurring or coming later or after. 2 following in time or order. Something that comes after something else.
succinct: short and clear; short and to the point
sundries: items, especially small, miscellaneous items of little value
sunset clause: a sunset clause is a provision in a contract, law, or regulation that automatically expires on a specified date or after a certain event. It essentially puts a time limit on the agreement or law, requiring renewal or modification to keep it in effect beyond that deadline.
superficial: existing or occurring at or on the surface. Appearing to be the true or real only until examined more closely.
superfluous: being more than is sufficient or required; excessive. Unnecessary or needless.
suprarational: beyond rational comprehension; based on or involving factors not to be comprehended by reason alone
sycophant: a person who tries to win favors from wealthy or influential people by flattering them up; a flatter; a suck up. A servile self-seeking person.
taciturn: [tass-a-turn] habitually uncommunicative or reserved in speech and matter
tertiary: third in order or level; in geology, the first period of the Cenozoic era
Timbuktu: slang for a place or location too far away. Timbuctoo is the incorrect spelling.
tonic immobility: can cause humans to be involuntary paralyzed during a trauma moment
transcendent: going beyond ordinary limits; surpassing; exceeding; exceeding usual limits
trepidation: tremulous fear or alarm; perturbation. A feeling of fear or agitation about something that may happen.
trope: a word, phase, expression, or image that is used in a figurative way for rhetorical effect
tumescence: the quality or state of being tumescent. Ready for sexual activity marked especially by vascular congestion of the sex organs. The normal engorgement with blood of the erectile tissues, marking sexual excitation, and possible readiness for sexual activity.
tumescent: swollen or becoming swollen, especially as a response to sexual arousal
turd: a lump of excrement. A person regarded as obnoxious or contemptible.
uncanny: strange, mysterious, or unfamiliar, especially in an unsettling way. Being beyond what is normal or expected.
unequivocally: in a way which leaves no doubt. Clear and unambiguous.
ungodly: irreligious or immoral. Unreasonably. Denying or disobeying God. Extremely unacceptable.
uppity: self-important, arrogant, superiority, presumptuous

Words V-Z
veranda or verandah: a roofed, open-air hallway or porch, attached to the outside of a building. A veranda is often partly enclosed by a railing and frequently extends across the front and sides of the structure.
vicarious: performed, exercised, received, or suffered in place of another. Taking the place of another person or thing; acting or serving as a substitute.
vicariously: in a way that is experienced in the imagination through the actions of another person
vindictive: having or showing a strong desire for revenge motivated by a feeling of injustice or hurt; unwilling to forgive
virile: [ve-ril] having strength, energy, and a strong sex drive. Strength. Full of energy.
visceral: 2 relating to deep inward feelings rather than to the intellect; emotions over intelligence; instinctive. 1 relating to the viscera or internal organs in a body.
vitriol: something highly caustic or severe in effect as criticism
voir dire: the questioning of prospective jurors by a judge and attorneys in court; jury selection. French for to see and to say.
wallflower: (slang) someone who could be called shy, someone who doesn't feel comfortable around other people. They don't like to have attention on them because it makes them uncomfortable.
watershed: a turning point, or historic moment; e.g., the day you got your braces off might have been a watershed moment in your life. A turning point, the exact moment that changes the direction of an activity or situation. A watershed moment is a dividing point, from which things will never be the same. A critical turning point in time where everything changes that will never be the same as before.
whitewash: to gloss over or cover up an error, a fault, or some wrongdoing. In sports, it's to hold an opponent scoreless.
winsome: charming, especially with a naive and innocent quality
wistful: having or showing a feeling of vague or regretful longing. Melancholy. Sad longing. Sad appearance. Thinking sadly about something. Full of yearning.
yule log: a large log of wood that traditionally formed the backlog of the fire at Christmas

The Amazon eCommerce Is A Factor For Small Businesses Demise

I went to a local bookstore to purchase a book for a graduation present. The book was not in stock. The book is a New York Times Bestseller in the triple digits weeks on the list. I needed to special order. The wait time was one week.

The one week wait was a small deal because I shopped early before the graduation date. On the other hand, if I needed the book immediately, then I shopped at Barnes & Noble. The local bookstore lost a sale and lost a customer due to lack of inventory.

No Benefit Of The Doubt

Today's blog I call out the ownership and management of small businesses. The big box stores and the big eCommerce retailers attract many customers due to lower prices, greater inventory, and fast shipping. No excuses for the small businesses. Any businesses struggling is ownership and management fault. Any businesses in bankruptcy ownership made bad choices. There are exceptions. Small businesses can't control the market. Small businesses can't control the economy.

I want to support small businesses. Small businesses keep cities alive. If ownership and management practice competence, then customers continue utilizing small businesses goods and services.

A Bonus Pic On Good Habits Three Pics Total

Blogger's Note: May is pic month. I'm catching up posting pics from my smart phone. Enjoy!

An afternoon view of cars on a freeway after driving on a freeway. Another batch of pictures of first times. The first time I saw a cigarette disposal and a freeway workers memorial; labels telling customers to microwave their food; repair sunglasses; and soap, shampoo, and conditioner dispenser secured in a hotel room shower. There are eleven pictures in today's blog because I needed an 11th picture to mention the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. Spoiler alert: if you didn't read In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, then skip picture number seven. Not spoiler alert: a quick lesson on oral sex involving the vulva.