There are a number of words in the english language which exist only when a suffix or prefix has been appended or prepended to them. Of these, there are some which I cannot help but think how unfortunate it is that they don't exist in their own right. For every overly dramatic "superlative" or "resussitate", there is a dispropotionate lack of strong standalone base words for expressing that uniquely human emotion of ennui.
One such word in particular has been marinating on the back burner of my pseudoconsiousness for some time now. We all know the sensory overload associated with being "overwhelmed." We all know the painful dissapointment encountered when being "underwhelmed." But like the proverbial luke-warm, just-right porraige which that greedy slut Goldilocks couldn't keep her grubby little paws out of, often times I find myself face to face with a thoroughly whelming situation. It's not great, it's not awful, in fact you probably wouldn't even notice it but for how unstrikingly bland it is. It is the quintissential by-product of living in such a privaleged society that we are able to cultivate a sustainable amount of daily lethargy to allow ourselves to feel neither highs nor lows ("we're the MTV generation"). So without further ado, I present some examples, or whatever.
One such word in particular has been marinating on the back burner of my pseudoconsiousness for some time now. We all know the sensory overload associated with being "overwhelmed." We all know the painful dissapointment encountered when being "underwhelmed." But like the proverbial luke-warm, just-right porraige which that greedy slut Goldilocks couldn't keep her grubby little paws out of, often times I find myself face to face with a thoroughly whelming situation. It's not great, it's not awful, in fact you probably wouldn't even notice it but for how unstrikingly bland it is. It is the quintissential by-product of living in such a privaleged society that we are able to cultivate a sustainable amount of daily lethargy to allow ourselves to feel neither highs nor lows ("we're the MTV generation"). So without further ado, I present some examples, or whatever.
- Reruns of the 'King of the Hill'. I find myself chuckling through this on commercial breaks from better shows not so much because I find it funny - which I don't - but because I give it credit for having lasted so inexplicably long, and allowing me to nap slightly more often.
- Those weird sandal/slipper shoes that girls wear. I don't know why women seem to like these so much, maybe it's the bland styling, the unchallenging colors, or the way they make feet look shapeless and weird. This basically non-shoe is like the flip-flop's overweight cousin who refuses to wear a swimsuit at the beach.
- James Taylor. Never has so supposedly sensitive a singer inspired so little feeling from me one way or the other. I never realized that "sleepiness" was an emotion, but judging by Mr. Taylor's success over the years, I was wrong. To quote General Patton, "Old soldiers don't die, they just fade away." That's how I feel whenever I listen to James Taylor: that I'm fading away into a deep sleep from trying to impress someone by watching all three hours of the movie Patton.
I've got some other words I'd like to expand upon later on... commentors, any suggestions?
2 comments:
1) King of the Hill is underappreciated; (2) Since when do you care about women's footwear? Has someone been letting you watch Project Runway? Because it will poison your little peanut head; (3) Right on --- James Taylor is a comadose.
2) The shoes are a backlash to a male dominate fashion world that forces our feet into god awful death traps that ruin our arches and hurt out backs. We cannot wear flip flops to work, but these have flown under the radar. But Drew, I have made them record Top Model. That may have something to do with it....
3) What about postpared? There's PREpared, UNDERprepared, OVERprepared. I want either postpared (for the times I'm ready too late) or pared (for the times I'm always ready with no prep required)
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