… Dictionary Dot Com‘s word of the day is Homily and one of the sentences they use is this:

“He launched into a homily about marriage as a garden that requires care.”
– Janet Maslin, “Somehow Form a Family:  Between the Hills and Gilligan’s Island”, New York Times, June 7, 2001.

Hmmm … love and gardens, where have we heard that?  Yes, from C.!  She has a brief passage about it in her book (out in paperback, June 2007).  She’s talking to John about marriage and flowers and gardeners and attributing the theory to M., the gifted director.  Now Janet’s saying that Tony Early’s saying that it came from an unnamed preacher at his wedding. 

Yawn, whatever.  Here nor there.  Your task today is to write a poem about homilies or gardens or both.  On my desk by five. 

“Aphasic”, “aphasic”, my cute new little word “aphasic!” It’s Rebecca Traister this time, at Salon, writing up the Big (aphasic) “O”.   Did everyone already know this word but me?

G. informed me yesterday that, “When I really really like someone I wave at them [she shows me her wave], or I hug them [pinch-closed eyes and happy smile], or sometimes I do both.”

Observe her carefully when your paths cross. Hope for a wave.

… “Aphasic”. Use it in an incomplete sentence, ” … made all the more goulish by the presence of an aphasic gin-soaked Peter Lawford.” [taken from Here, third graph.]

I’ll tell you why it’s such a find. First of all, I hadn’t the slightest idea in the world what it meant, but you know any word shacked up with Peter Lawford and gin is bound to be a delight. Second, it was written down by David Rakoff, who is the sharpest wit of the whole contemporary humorist lot.

Third, well, Peter Lawford — a mild obsession of mine. I’ve a soft spot (morbid fascination?) for the troubled boozy ones — the ones with the charm, the square jaw, all the doors wide-open and still …

Seeing Peter’s name reminded me of Shawn Levy, who wrote a rollicking fun book about Peter and his friends, and also a great one on Jerry Lewis, and most recently a fabulous story about Porfirio Rubirosa, The Last Playboy.

Hmm, didn’t plan that, but I guess this is plug of the day, too.