Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia
Do you ever enjoy your job so much that you feel guilty getting paid?
I feel so damn lucky that I get to play with words all day. Sometimes, I catch sight of myself in a Collins Street shop window, stilettos and briefcase full of books, hair piled up and black secretary glasses, and think “I have a PAID reason to dance through dictionaries…..life is SWEET!”
Today in class I fell in love with collective nouns…..the words for a group of animals. Did you know these terms?
a glaring of cats
a smack of jellyfish
an exaltation of larks
a quiver of cobras
a storytelling of ravens
and my personal favourite….a murder of crows
Or how about the charming practicality of Tok Pisin in Papua New Guinea?
I laughed my arse off about the word for beard – try not to smile at mausgras explained as “mouth grass.” There was a rumour in my Linguistics class that the Tok Pisin word for helicopter was mixmaster bilong jesus. Say it out loud and try not to snort coffee out your nose when you understand.
Finally, we discussed phobias, so of course I did some research as to the weird and wonderful range out there, but when I came to anatidaephobia I almost had to be resuscitated – I laughed so hard I frightened small children and think I cracked a rib (mine, not theirs).
The fear that somewhere, somehow….a duck is watching you.
What a GLORIOUS way to earn a living!
Didge
Jealous!!!!
bellmusker replied
I know; I’d better not make a show of it…they might ask me to pay them! And there’s a chance I just might :-)
flower68
oh no..that’s what those ducks that hang around my front yard have been doing all this time…draws curtains
anyone for scrabble…:-)
bellmusker replied
I know! I laughed, but have been looking over my shoulder all day….
latinluvleee
LOL u are too funny!
Matthew Dalton
Jellyfish? Gives the term “talking smack” a whole new dimension.
mychaelalchemy
I, too, wallow in words etc, and, lately those of phobias, which i have been posting here and there
Ariane
That is sooooooo funny – I just have to tell everyone about anatidaephobia!
greeneyedlady
but, the ducks do watch me….don’t they??? :D
Robert Reeves
I personally believe the ducks are plotting to overthrow us and I, for one, welcome our new web-footed overlords.
bellmusker replied
You made me laugh out loud – not a bad way to begin a morning!
Michael Alesich
Sounds wonderful. I am glad that the ducks are watching us. Someone needs to be.
Flic Manning
Wish i was there with you!
berndt2
“Do you ever enjoy your job so much that you feel guilty getting paid?” Not the job, not for a little while… but certainly the location. (Then again.. I have a lifestyle to maintain). You have a very cool job, though!
friartuck
At a party one night we decided to make up some new collective nouns. The guys came up with a brace of breasts. The girls retorted with a clutch of testicles...
bellmusker replied
The latter in particular had me giggling for some time…..what would the collective noun be for Red Bubblers?
This could go on for some time….
Holly Ringland
a storytelling of ravens? a clutch of testicles? a Rorschach of Red Bubblers? oh for the love of collective nouns, bell! how fabulous that every day you get to send yourself off on an adventure you love (minus the HK convention factor). i love this post – it’s always wonderful when you’re completely alone, in your pyjama’s, and sit in front of your computer laughing out loud. fear of our new web-footed warlords? oh stop…
Erin Lyall
Haha.. what a specific phobia. I know a girl with a genuine bird phobia but only if they’re near her or if she might get touched by one.
By the way I like a merlot of Red Bubblers, and if not that, it should definitely be fine wine related.
bellmusker replied
By the way I like a merlot of Red Bubblers
Me too sweetheart, me too!
Katrina De'Vries
Right now I want to be you!
mischief of mice
I love it!
Do they have and job openings where you work?
darbyland
came to anatidaephobia I almost had to be resuscitated – I laughed so hard I frightened small children and think I cracked a rib (mine, not theirs).
The fear that somewhere, somehow….a duck is watching you. -
this is a gary larson cartoon! i did some research on it a while ago! haha. its sooo good.