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Post-its and Spelling and Cheap Wine—Oh My!

Posted Tue, 09/06/2011 - 11:07am by Brian McGuigan

post-its!“Wow!”

I said this to myself last night as I was looking over my calendar, squirreling in an assortment of baby classes (My wife and I are expecting in December.) with names like “Car Seat Safety” and “Post-Partum Preparation” between the oh-so-many readings and events (With far better names!) at Hugo House this fall.

Welcoming Tara Hardy to Hugo House

Posted Thu, 07/28/2011 - 3:12pm by Brian McGuigan

Tara HardyI am very excited to announce Tara Hardy as the new writer-in-residence at Hugo House. Tara has been a fixture in Seattle’s writing community for many years. She’s the founder of Bent, a writing institute for LGBTIQ people and has riveted so many audiences with her amazing performances as part of Seattle’s spoken word and slam communities.

Word of the Day: Prattle

Posted Fri, 06/17/2011 - 2:16pm by Brian McGuigan

Prattle [prat-l] -verb (used without object) 1. to talk in a foolish or simple-minded way; chatter; babble.

Jacob, a stay-at-home dad, didn't fit the June Cleaver stereotype his mother Delores wanted for her grandson, preferring to read the baby David Foster Wallace than let him listen to the incessant prattling of morning talkshow hosts while feeding him a bottle.

All definitions are courtesy of Dictionary.com.

Word of the Day: Perambulate

Posted Thu, 06/16/2011 - 10:39am by Brian McGuigan

Perambulate [per-am-byuh-leyt] –verb (used with object) 1. to walk through, about or over; travel through; traverse. 2. to traverse in order to examine or inspect.

On the hunt for morels, Gus perambulated through the forest looking under downed trees and brush.

All definitions are courtesy of Dictionary.com.

Word of the Day: Contretemps

Posted Wed, 06/15/2011 - 9:05am by Brian McGuigan

Contretemps [kon-truh-tahn; Fr. kawntruh-tahn] –noun an inopportune occurrence; an embarrassing mischance: He caused a minor contretemps by knocking over his drink.

When introducing the CEO, Mr. Ball, an older gentleman with a well-manicured combover, at the company's annual banquet for shareholders, Michael called him Mr. Bald, causing a contretemps that ultimately cost him his job.

Word of the Day: Sine Qua Non

Posted Tue, 06/14/2011 - 10:30am by Brian McGuigan

Sine qua non [sahy-nee kwey non, kwah, sin-ey; Lat. si-ne kwah-nohn] –noun an indispensable condition, element or factor; something essential: Her presence was the sine qua non of every social event.

Despite having never eaten at more than a Taco Bell, Martha knew the sine qua non of a smokey salsa was roasting the habanero peppers.

Word of the Day: Effete

Posted Mon, 06/13/2011 - 1:11pm by Brian McGuigan

Effete [ih-feet] –adjective 1. lacking in wholesome vigor; degenerate; decadent: an effete, overrefined society. 2. exhausted of vigor or energy; worn out: an effete political force. 3. unable to produce; sterile.

The effete cat lounged in the sun on the front lawn after chasing the birds away from the blueberry bushes.

All definitions are courtesy of Dictionary.com.

Word of the Day: Welter

Posted Fri, 06/10/2011 - 4:21pm by Brian McGuigan

Welter [wel-ter] –verb (used without object) 1. to roll, toss, or heave, as waves or the sea. 2. to roll, writhe, or tumble about; wallow, as animals (often followed by about ): pigs weltering about happily in the mud. 3. to lie bathed in or be drenched in something, especially blood.

After rigorously fetching a tennis ball at the park, the puppy weltered wearily in the pile of blankets waiting to be washed.

Word of the Day: Scrofulous

Posted Thu, 06/09/2011 - 11:13am by Brian McGuigan

Scrofulous [skrof-yuh-luhs] –adjective 1. pertaining to, resembling, of the nature of, or affected with scrofula. 2. morally tainted.

The scrofulous defendant smiled widely as the prosecuting attorney described in complete detail the horrifying crimes he committed for the jury.

All definitions are courtesy of Dictionary.com.

Word of the Day: Inviolable

Posted Wed, 06/08/2011 - 1:39pm by Brian McGuigan

Inviolable [in-vahy-uh-luh-buhl] –adjective 1. prohibiting violation; secure from destruction, violence, infringement, or desecration: an inviolable sanctuary; an inviolable promise. 2. incapable of being violated; incorruptible; unassailable: inviolable secrecy.