I live
in Northern Virginia, often abbreviated NOVA, so NOVA this week is a review of
things that amused or bemused me this week. It’s a play on words, as Nova also
means “new” and so it can mean “New this week” or “Northern Virginia this
week”.
Sort
of a – what I saw on Mulberry Street this week. It might become a weekly thing
– might not. We’ll see. Some of these items may be regular elements of NOVA,
some will be one timers.
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Scripture
verse: I’m reading The One Year Chronological Bible (NIV). A portion of a verse
that resonated:
I
desire mercy, not sacrifice….Hosea 6:6 (words of God, delivered by the prophet
Hosea)
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New
vocabulary: You know how you think reading classic lit, or anything really,
improves your vocabulary, and I’m certain it does, but often I read a new word
(check the meaning on my Nook…love that feature), and think “Good word, I’ll have to remember it.” But
most often, I don’t. I figure by writing a few down, it will reinforce them.
Pedant:
person who makes excessive display of learning
Scabrous:
indecent or scandalous
Querulous:
full of complaints
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Vanity
Plate: Virginia is the land of cheap vanity plates (I think that may be the
state motto). So, I see a lot of vanity plates. Some are pretty cryptic and I
like to try and figure out what they mean. Some are silly, or stupid, or astonishingly
vain (they are vanity plates). This week’s VP: YUDUFUS
Really?
This
person said to themselves, “Hmmm…what could I spend a little extra of my income
on…I got it, insulting everyone I meet.”
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I work
in a building guarded by U.S. Marines. No, I’m not a felon, they are not
guarding me, they are protecting me, that’s what I call job security. When I
drive through the gate in the morning, and they check my I.D. I’ve taken to
saying “Thank you Marine” when they let me in. It’s amazing what that little
thing, adding “Marine” to the statement, seems to mean to them. I think there’s
a basic human itch satisfied there somehow.
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At
work, if we are arriving late, or leaving early, or out for an appointment,
etc. we annotate it on a shared calendar so everyone is accounted for. People
usually abbreviate: LA-10:00 (late arrival, 10 Oclock), MA-Medical appointment,
etc. But I noticed one thing the guys, in particular, don’t abbreviate. They
always spell out, Early Departure. They never put…John – E.D.
.
