diatonic
From behind the rocks on the beach, a woman's voice rises and falls in octave scales. I imagine she's a siren, warming up to lure sailors.
edge
The evening is as smooth and comforting as a chocolate bar. (But I'm not good at accepting comfort. I enjoy the moment, while wondering how long the peace will last.)
jingly
One of the moms talks to the kids in a patient sing-song voice. She talks to the adults the same way. There's no off-switch for that voice.
loosened
She talks about her life as if she's read about it in a three-paragraph magazine profile.
outraged
The baby tries to arch out of the stroller, her mouth opening for a cry that she hasn't yet worked up the breath to release.
startling
The shriek that fills the room comes from a bird at the window. It flutters off before we can get a good look at it.
tortuous
We're trying to map out motives as if they follow a straight course from A to B, when what really happens is that they go through hidden tunnels and rebound off secret mirrors and raise echoes in sunken caves before emerging into the light.
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Week in Seven Words #303
discounted
I don't think her sense of humor gets appreciated enough. She isn't the designated "fun one," so in the typical all-or-nothing fashion, her loved ones dismiss her as no fun at all.
disintegrate
The ceiling comes apart in flakes like dandruff across the bathtub and sink.
riveting
By the end of dinner, I'm not sure what color his eyes are, as they were focused mostly on his phone. I should have sent him a text asking.
sets
The tennis ball dimples the net. As the kids practice, their sneakers scritch against the leaves littering the court.
synthetically
The bottle of soda bubbles and glugs as he tips it into his mouth. It looks like he's pouring gasoline into himself, to refuel mid-hike.
visualizing
Confronted by the large rock with the plaque embedded in it, we try to recreate a historic moment in our imagination.
warming
The hike takes us up a steep, leafy incline, on paths baked gold by the late afternoon light. Cloud shadows drift over the cliffs across the river.
I don't think her sense of humor gets appreciated enough. She isn't the designated "fun one," so in the typical all-or-nothing fashion, her loved ones dismiss her as no fun at all.
disintegrate
The ceiling comes apart in flakes like dandruff across the bathtub and sink.
riveting
By the end of dinner, I'm not sure what color his eyes are, as they were focused mostly on his phone. I should have sent him a text asking.
sets
The tennis ball dimples the net. As the kids practice, their sneakers scritch against the leaves littering the court.
synthetically
The bottle of soda bubbles and glugs as he tips it into his mouth. It looks like he's pouring gasoline into himself, to refuel mid-hike.
visualizing
Confronted by the large rock with the plaque embedded in it, we try to recreate a historic moment in our imagination.
warming
The hike takes us up a steep, leafy incline, on paths baked gold by the late afternoon light. Cloud shadows drift over the cliffs across the river.
Thursday, August 4, 2016
Week in Seven Words #302
capacities
It's possible to keep finding out fun things about people you've known all your life. Like how fiendishly good someone is at Connect Four.
carnival
Her dress makes me think of key lime pie and margaritas.
evidently
A "how to be happy" advice piece makes its rounds among people I know. It offers unelaborated suggestions like, "Don't be stressed!" and "Surround yourself with happy people!" Well, if we're all reading about how to be happy, we'll be surrounded for sure. We've definitely got a shot at this.
hit
He scrolls through online comments sections for an emotional charge: outrage, anger, confirmation of superiority.
scripted
Another rigged conversation, weighted in favor of the answers she wants.
stretch
I think the train is going to blow by the station. But it stops, with the sensation of a rubber band about to snap.
swirly
His thoughts travel like a paper airplane that drifts off-course and gets lodged in a ceiling fan.
It's possible to keep finding out fun things about people you've known all your life. Like how fiendishly good someone is at Connect Four.
carnival
Her dress makes me think of key lime pie and margaritas.
evidently
A "how to be happy" advice piece makes its rounds among people I know. It offers unelaborated suggestions like, "Don't be stressed!" and "Surround yourself with happy people!" Well, if we're all reading about how to be happy, we'll be surrounded for sure. We've definitely got a shot at this.
hit
He scrolls through online comments sections for an emotional charge: outrage, anger, confirmation of superiority.
scripted
Another rigged conversation, weighted in favor of the answers she wants.
stretch
I think the train is going to blow by the station. But it stops, with the sensation of a rubber band about to snap.
swirly
His thoughts travel like a paper airplane that drifts off-course and gets lodged in a ceiling fan.
Spotlight (2015): A Look at Abuse Dynamics
Title: Spotlight
Director: Tom McCarthy
Language: English
Rating: R (language, descriptions of sexual crimes)
Spotlight is low-key and intense. Based on a true story, it shows the methodical, plodding, emotionally draining work put in by a team of investigative reporters from The Boston Globe, as they revealed a widespread coverup of child sexual abuse in their city's Catholic church hierarchy.
The movie stays respectful of its subject matter. There's no mindless grandstanding or sensationalism. It presents disturbing details in a straightforward way.
Though the movie focuses on one major religious organization, it highlights some general characteristics of abuse and institutional coverups:
Director: Tom McCarthy
Language: English
Rating: R (language, descriptions of sexual crimes)
Spotlight is low-key and intense. Based on a true story, it shows the methodical, plodding, emotionally draining work put in by a team of investigative reporters from The Boston Globe, as they revealed a widespread coverup of child sexual abuse in their city's Catholic church hierarchy.
The movie stays respectful of its subject matter. There's no mindless grandstanding or sensationalism. It presents disturbing details in a straightforward way.
Though the movie focuses on one major religious organization, it highlights some general characteristics of abuse and institutional coverups:
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Week in Seven Words #301
inventiveness
Trying to figure out how to play with her collection of Shopkins, we come up with a game. I'll pretend I can take only one Shopkins figurine with me on a vacation. One by one, she'll pretend to be the figurines pleading their case. She'll have each one present reasons for why it's the best choice and will address my questions and concerns. ("As ice cream, I'll keep you cool and give you something to eat if all the restaurants serve gross food.") She comes up with creative, funny ideas and also makes some of the figurines self-sabotaging.
luring
Late afternoon shadows make the woods even more inviting. I'm tempted to stay until night, when I'd have a much harder time finding my way out.
restocking
More lungfuls of clean air to take with me to the city.
searching
The tree seeks itself in the leaf-choked stream.
stridulous
During the hike, I hear a faint roar. It's sports commentary, seeping from his headphones.
susceptibilities
Suddenly, we're at the lake. Silky water ringed with colorful trees. It's a view that breaches the hardened places in my mind.
unremarked
After the hours she spends finding and implementing a solution for their Internet outage, they largely ignore her.
Trying to figure out how to play with her collection of Shopkins, we come up with a game. I'll pretend I can take only one Shopkins figurine with me on a vacation. One by one, she'll pretend to be the figurines pleading their case. She'll have each one present reasons for why it's the best choice and will address my questions and concerns. ("As ice cream, I'll keep you cool and give you something to eat if all the restaurants serve gross food.") She comes up with creative, funny ideas and also makes some of the figurines self-sabotaging.
luring
Late afternoon shadows make the woods even more inviting. I'm tempted to stay until night, when I'd have a much harder time finding my way out.
restocking
More lungfuls of clean air to take with me to the city.
searching
The tree seeks itself in the leaf-choked stream.
stridulous
During the hike, I hear a faint roar. It's sports commentary, seeping from his headphones.
susceptibilities
Suddenly, we're at the lake. Silky water ringed with colorful trees. It's a view that breaches the hardened places in my mind.
unremarked
After the hours she spends finding and implementing a solution for their Internet outage, they largely ignore her.
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