X is for Longhorns?

X is always the most difficult letter. So few words start with X and working them into a sentence requires great patience.

In trying to write this intro, so many times I started to type a word, only to realize it started with the "X" sound, but not with X. Exciting or Ecstatic, for Example. It was exasperating.

It seems most words that start with X are either scientific terms, or names of prescription drugs.

But X has a colorful history. (for example the prefix "Xan" generally refers to the color yellow).

We use it in life to denote the things we want out of our life, like our former mates, or Ex's, who presumably live in Texas, (per the country song All My Ex's Live in Texas, George Strait, 1987).

I can't hear that song without picturing a bunch of longhorn "X's" running around.



The red X in the corner of your screen right now would simply shut this page out of your life temporarily, (so please dont click it right now.)

X is used in cartoons to show poison and to indicate the proof of moonshine. A string of XXX's indicates Porn. In fact, the letter X has become synonymous with the "Bad Boy" dangerous or wild side image.

X no longer marks the spot for treasure, but more likely in modern times marks the spot for trouble.

Let's see what you can come up with for "X" and let's see if you can do it and still stay out of trouble.

Well, well, well! We are already to W!

Wow, we are whizzing our way through the alphabet!  Welcome to another week on ABC Wednesday, the week of W, the double “u,” actually double “v,” letter.   Don’t be a worrywart!   No whining!  You do not have to be a wunderkind to join the weekly ABC meme.  Just walk on in and whisper or shout out your favorite word beginning with W, no matter how you say or spell it – double yew, dubya, ve.

The where, and why, and, of course, The Who are what you can write about when working with W words.  While away a wee minute or two, working your way through to a wise or witty but never wimpy contribution to ABC Wednesday   Did you have some winnings this weekend playing whist?  Maybe you have read Wuthering Heights?  When did you last enjoy a whiskey sour?  Were you watching the US Open golf tournament, all the while wishing you could golf as well as Rory McIlroy?   Do you love the Wookies of Star Wars?  Are you interested in World War I or World War II?   Of course, you can find something on the world wide web!

You can brainstorm and it is always worthwhile to wander through the dictionary.  Looking at words that begin with W in my American Heritage Dictionary, I was struck by the lack of words with a single “u” following the double “u.”   It made me wonder why.  There are a couple minerals, some rivers, a mountain range and cities from China and Germany and then just  four words – wunderkind, wurst,  wushu and wuss.  The first two are German in origin, wushu is a Chinese martial art, and wuss is modern slang whose origins were sometime in the 60’s or 70’s of the last century.  (an aside: doesn’t it sound weird to be talking about the last century?  For most of my life, it meant way long ago!)

So it was time for me to hit the web and check out another modern phenom, Wikipedia, and its submission for W.   It turns out that only central western European languages from Cornwall to Poland had words that used the “w” and beginning in the 7^th and 8^th centuries Old English and Old High German writers began to use the double “u” to represent the “w.”  For much more on the evolution of W,  please consult the OED  or Wikipedia. 

I am not just whistling Dixie here!  I am wishing you the wonders and wisdom of the world of W!

V for Visitors

Hello dear Visitors! It's time for ABC Wednesday!

Wednesday, a day that we all love because we get to share so many great things with each other. Time to lift the Veil of secrecy and come up with a Variety of items, ideas, words or even food that begins with the letter V. 

You may have a photo of a great looking Vase or a crawling Vine in your garden, how about a great Verse from a poem that you wrote? All of these things are welcome, so come play along and show how many Varied items start with this letter of the alphabet.

Just another Voice of reminder. Please make it easier for everyone to View your entry by using the exact link of your post when you enter it in the Linky Tool.

If you don't know where to find the exact URL, please follow these steps:

>After posting your entry, click on the link that says "View Post"
>Go to the address bar of your browser
>Copy everything that you see there and paste it on Mr. Linky

Oh, please don't be shy, grab one of our Very cute buttons and post that in your entry.

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Uniquely U!

Umber is lovely until you find yourself underneath a sky this uninviting.
What a happy coincidence that the U clouds came to the party!

I'm going to go spare you my list of U words. UGH! They were ugly and unbefitting of this ubiquitous meme.

If you're unfamiliar with how this works, here's some really bad haiku to help you navigate ABC Wednesday.

share your unique view—

poems, short stories, photographs—

must be U-inspired

use the correct link

not sure how? it's explained here

please be sure it works