Redefining misanthropy for a fresh generation. Standard posts begin with a definition from Ambrose Bierce's The Devil's Dictionary followed by a modern adjustment. Miscellany on Wednesday and storytelling on Saturday.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Reach
REACH, n. The radius of action of the human hand. The area within which it is possible (and customary) to gratify directly the propensity to provide.
This is a truth, as old as the hills, That life and experience teach: The poor man suffers that keenest of ills, An impediment of his reach. —G.J.
2006 Update: The distance within which all are blind and each is invisible.
Reach: an action most Americans are too lazy to accomplish. (example: the guy who drinks out of a dirty glass because he is too lazy to reach for the clean ones in the cabinets or the lady down the street who called the fire department to get her cat out of the 6 foot tree even thought she could have gotten the cat down herself if she had reached for it.)
*after typing the word reach half a million times, it starts to look spelled incorrectly... however reaching for a dictionary to check the spelling is too much work.*
Reach; n. (proper). What Zsa-Zsa (pleadingly) calls Richard Branson at the weekly "Unnecessarily Wealthy People Buying Each Other Drinks and Playing Scrabble"- meeting, when he hasn't been quick enough with the martinis.
i keep hearing the Four Tops. not a bad thing, mind you, but still... makes it hard for me to reach into the vast crevasse that is my brain for a defintion that sounds witty and/or clever and/or coherent. sigh. guess it was a reach to begin with.
What I do when I buy milk. I take out the milk at the front and REACH back to the milk that is behind. The expiration date is almost always a couple of days longer.
reachv. any attempt to make the world around you a better place
"The Impossible Dream"
To dream the impossible dream To fight the unbeatable foe To bear with unbearable sorrow To run where the brave dare not go
To right the unrightable wrong To love pure and chaste from afar To try when your arms are too weary To reach the unreachable star
This is my quest To follow that star No matter how hopeless No matter how far
To fight for the right Without question or pause To be willing to march into Hell For a heavenly cause
And I know if I'll only be true To this glorious quest That my heart will lie peaceful and calm When I'm laid to my rest
And the world will be better for this That one man, scorned and covered with scars Still strove with his last ounce of courage To reach the unreachable star
from MAN OF LA MANCHA (1972) music by Mitch Leigh lyrics by Joe Darion
Reach - what social climbers do. I'm, um, reading a historical romance right now. ;)
Unless I have a ladder or a chair or super powers, I can't reach anything on the top shelf of my cupboards...hence me storing the 'healthy' stuff up there.
I know from past experience - coming to your blog at two in the morning my time in order to post first doesn't work so now I just go by your time dear dawg.
Doug, my comment wasnæt confusing at all...to my mind. I was metaphorically reaching the truth in teh first part. Secondly, giraffes have longer necks becuase they had to relocate there food supply to the upper trees when food down below got scarce. That is what mad etehir necks longer. I am sure you know that, so are you just palying with me? Humor is out of my reach too!
Did it help, Ariel? I do advocate snipery for insomnia.
Puppybrose, always when the object is the pocket.
Cooper, your flexibility is always appreciated.
a4g, the part in parentheses needs to be remembered. That's brilliant.
Minka, thanks for the lesson in intelligent design. I meant that what you take as out of reach of your braincells is, in fact, just grammatically precise mumbling as I believe you once suggested.
I am trying not to reach the end of my patience before I reach the end of the week. Today was the third day in my classroom without air conditioning. The repair man arrived yesterday to fix the clock. I put that work order in the first day of school -- the first day of school 2005-2006. Soon I will reach for someone's throat.
"...in the pocket"? oh, snap! that's two fer two, Dawg. i'm reaching a point *beyond* impressed. (even as i reach for the floor as i fall down laughing.)
Quilly? sounds like you're reaching a boiling point in an attempt to reach the aforementioned "impossible dream". (not having air-conditioning SO sucks... for you *and* your students.)
46 comments:
REACH OUT AND TOUCH FAITH!!!
(guitar)
Reach - that nasty dental rinse that is supposed to help eliminate plaque. Using Reach as a product name was pretty savvy. D :)
I am reaching, where the bloody *&^%$#@ *&^% is my tea??
Its soooo early
Reach: what you gotta do too get at the cookie jar.
Reach: suspension of credibility [see also: Justification for the War in Iraq and/or "I'm going to lose 10 pounds in 6 days"]
Reach: area the scratched itch is within
Reach: an action most Americans are too lazy to accomplish. (example: the guy who drinks out of a dirty glass because he is too lazy to reach for the clean ones in the cabinets or the lady down the street who called the fire department to get her cat out of the 6 foot tree even thought she could have gotten the cat down herself if she had reached for it.)
*after typing the word reach half a million times, it starts to look spelled incorrectly... however reaching for a dictionary to check the spelling is too much work.*
Reach out and connect with someone in a positive way. Reach into your cabinets and take out a can or two to donate to your local food pantry.
Reach for the stars.
(But if you end up touching something like Michael Jackson, wash your hands quick.)
Reach; n. (proper). What Zsa-Zsa (pleadingly) calls Richard Branson at the weekly "Unnecessarily Wealthy People Buying Each Other Drinks and Playing Scrabble"- meeting, when he hasn't been quick enough with the martinis.
Long time no see.
i keep hearing the Four Tops. not a bad thing, mind you, but still... makes it hard for me to reach into the vast crevasse that is my brain for a defintion that sounds witty and/or clever and/or coherent. sigh. guess it was a reach to begin with.
Reach and frequency - the defining measurement for those who make their living in the ad game...how many saw it, how many times?
What I do when I buy milk. I take out the milk at the front and REACH back to the milk that is behind. The expiration date is almost always a couple of days longer.
That's your free tip for the day.
reach v. any attempt to make the world around you a better place
"The Impossible Dream"
To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go
To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star
This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far
To fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell
For a heavenly cause
And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest
And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star
from MAN OF LA MANCHA (1972)
music by Mitch Leigh
lyrics by Joe Darion
ha! Zsa-Zsa is from Hungary. not the piece of export we are the most proud of but we are happy to give whatever we have.
REACH, v.
1. At a cash register, to expect.
2. At a street corner, to beg.
3. At a revolution, to demand. See WEAPON.
Reach - what social climbers do. I'm, um, reading a historical romance right now. ;)
Unless I have a ladder or a chair or super powers, I can't reach anything on the top shelf of my cupboards...hence me storing the 'healthy' stuff up there.
Hey a Depeche Mode earworm! I'm a fan so thanks, Ariel. :)
Reach: The path to a verdict.
reach: what my near one year old does at all times when working so damn hard to obtain that stuff she just shouldnt!
Ariel, that's not Johnny Cash' best song but its a good one.
Brian, so you define it as the length to the elbow.
Feline Frisky, we have the smartest marketers in the world.
Logo, you're about three hours early today. Plenty of time to make a quiz.
At your age, S.A.C.A.D.A., yes.
Puppybrose, you can lose that in a day in Iraq. I link the second definition. Sentences are even more fun to torture than children.
Solace, try "Riche"
TLP, you're scary positive today. The coffee must have been goooooood.
A. Spo! Too long. You're probably a married woman by now.
Puppybrose, I've been there.
Joel, the worst part is they probably know.
Thanks, J.D. I'm like that with battery acid.
Quixotic, Quilly!
Haha, Ariel. America thanks the great Hungarian people.
O Ceallaigh, and in society to blog.
Jenna, by "Historical Romance" you mean with foreplay?
Sar, that's obsolete. Now it means to a trial.
CJ, they're graspy at that age and above.
reach: as far as the mind can see
you outdid yourself on this one, dougie. *taking my hat off to YOU.*
What if it exceeds grasp? xoxo
My, my, Doug. That's a lovely shade of blue you're sporting.
reach:
to make it to a place you never wanted to be in the first place
a thing which lack of ambition prevents
what i have done here today my arriving before midnight Pacific Time
Your definitions is beyond the reach of my braincells today...ok soemtimes...quite often actually ...almost always come to think of it.
reach: that which gave giraffes longer necks! Ain´t evolution just grand?
I forgot to mention that I was 25th...in case somebody was keeping scores!
First Nations, that's a great definition and you sure outdid me yesterday.
Mireille, then you're probably swimming.
Sar, call it "Antique Red."
Alice, are you on Pacific Time?
Minka, I've learned the secret of oracles. Incoherence is wisdom.
Oh Doug. You were reaching with that one.
i don't think i'm overreaching when i say "I've been there" may be one of your all time *best* comment retorts.
*applauds*
This keyboard has been just out of my reach today. There, I feel much better!
Reach: the distance of my despotism.
Haha, it took me a minute to figure out "ritche," but I got it now. Yes, that is much more fitting. :)
Reach out and pet someone
Probably, Jenna.
Welcome, Soother and good start.
Thanks, Puppybrose, I really hoped you'd catch it.
There ya go, G. Stretch your fingers.
Very good, Mule and true. For some it's "earshot."
Solace, :)
Brian, please pass the salt.
Icy, always glad to. Good girl!
that's why I cannot sleep lately! *shoots out of the window*
reach: that which is found at the core of preaching and/or treachery.
no but I like to accomadate the blog owners.
I know from past experience - coming to your blog at two in the morning my time in order to post first doesn't work so now I just go by your time dear dawg.
Doug, my comment wasnæt confusing at all...to my mind. I was metaphorically reaching the truth in teh first part.
Secondly, giraffes have longer necks becuase they had to relocate there food supply to the upper trees when food down below got scarce. That is what mad etehir necks longer.
I am sure you know that, so are you just palying with me?
Humor is out of my reach too!
Brian, thank you sweetie! *blushes*
Brian, I ain't never been we.
Did it help, Ariel? I do advocate snipery for insomnia.
Puppybrose, always when the object is the pocket.
Cooper, your flexibility is always appreciated.
a4g, the part in parentheses needs to be remembered. That's brilliant.
Minka, thanks for the lesson in intelligent design. I meant that what you take as out of reach of your braincells is, in fact, just grammatically precise mumbling as I believe you once suggested.
I am trying not to reach the end of my patience before I reach the end of the week. Today was the third day in my classroom without air conditioning. The repair man arrived yesterday to fix the clock. I put that work order in the first day of school -- the first day of school 2005-2006. Soon I will reach for someone's throat.
"...in the pocket"? oh, snap! that's two fer two, Dawg. i'm reaching a point *beyond* impressed. (even as i reach for the floor as i fall down laughing.)
Quilly? sounds like you're reaching a boiling point in an attempt to reach the aforementioned "impossible dream". (not having air-conditioning SO sucks... for you *and* your students.)
"You're probably a married woman by now"
In spirit only, dear Doug.
I am wise and worldly, though.
the dancers are dead and in the silence I remember I wanted to say you that your definition was beautiful.
and sad too
Reach: The substitute for staying in touch.
Quilldancer, I'd have reached out and choked someone on Monday and been working through the kids by Wednesday. I commend you for your patience.
Puppybrose, every Dawg has his day.
Sponge Girl, wise and worldly are two virtues. We'll take you as you are.
Thanks very much, Ariel. Beautiful and sad are usually out of my reach.
Indie, nice.
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