Something that came up while reading email

Illegitimis non carborundum.


"Yes, this means "Don't let the bastards grind you down", but it
is not real Latin; it is a pseudo-Latin joke.

"Carborundum" is a trademark for a very hard substance composed
of silicon carbide, used in grinding. (The name "Carborundum" is a
blend of "carbon" and "corundum". "Corundum" denotes aluminium
oxide, and comes to English from Tamil kuruntam; it is related to
Sanskrit kuruvinda = "ruby".) "The "-ndum" ending suggests the
Latin gerundive, which is used to express desirability of the
activity denoted by the verb, as in Nil desperandum = "nothing to
be despaired of"; addendum = "(thing) fit to be added";
corrigendum = "(thing) fit to be corrected"; and the name Amanda,
from amanda = "fit to be loved").

Illegitimis is the dative plural of illegitimus =
"illegitimate"; the gerundive in Latin correctly takes the dative to
denote the agent. Illegitimus could conceivably mean "bastard" in
Latin, but was not the usual word for it: Follett World-Wide Latin
Dictionary (Follett, 1967) gives nothus homo for bastard of known
father, and spurius for bastard of unknown father.

The phrase seems to have originated with British army
intelligence early in World War II. It was popularized when U.S.
general Joseph W. "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell (1883-1946) adopted it as
his motto. Various variant forms are in circulation."

I was potentially complaining to my mother (potentially, because I didn't mean it as a complaint, just an observation) .... about my husband and realized that I probably have a breadwinner complex. I want to contribute (financially) to the family and feel that I am sucking us dry rather than giving anything substantial to the household.

I mean, I don't even properly run the house. He does quite a bit of the housework, pays the bills, keeps track of things ... he makes a much better housewife than I do. Is there something wrong with this picture? All I do is make dinner, and sometimes not even that. *sigh* I don't think I was cut out to be a stay at home parent.

I have the most loving and caring son in the world today (yes, this is the same one that usually drives me crazy). He brought me breakfast in bed this morning. Eggs, donuts and a glass of milk. Even remembered to put the salt and pepper shakers on the tray.

And all he wants in return is a little snuggle time. That's a great deal I think. Now to get off my bum, sitting for too long seems to start contractions these days.

The White Stuff

New word for the day Potemkin . I couldn't find a satisfactory meaning at the Miriam Webster site ... anyone else have any ideas?

It's worth it to subscribe to the Times or try to find this article elswhere ... and you can always unsubscribe. It's free BTW.

The Baby Bust By MAUREEN DOWD

At the opening of "The Sweet Smell of Success" last month, a successful New York guy I know took me aside for a lecture that was anything but sweet.

He said he had wanted to ask me out on a date when he was between marriages, but nixed the idea because my job made me too intimidating.

Men, he told me, prefer women who seem malleable and overawed. He said I would never find a mate, because if there's one thing men fear, it's a woman who uses her critical faculties. Will she be critical of absolutely everything?

PEEVE!

I *don't* want to pay *whine*. Blogger hasn't posted my blogs in a few days and I don't have the $$$ to upgrade. This is sooooooo unfair!