I find words and names to be both interesting and entertaining. Allow me to list four sample words, two familiar words, and two unfamiliar words.
Sommelier – MEANING: A wine expert typically serving wine in a fancy restaurant or club. PRONOUNCED: se-mel-ya-z.
Oenophile – MEANING: A wine aficionado typically drinking a higher caliber wine than my everyday choice, Carlo Rossi – Paisano. PRONOUNCED: ?-ne-f?-el.
Joe – MEANING: A guy’s name. PRONOUNCED: Joe as in cup of coffee; cup of Joe.
Bill – MEANING: A guy’s name. PRONOUNCED: Like the first part of the Canadian goose to cross the US – Canada border while in flight or walking.
With these four words thrust upon me, I will now weave my next Westside Story.
One day, not so long ago, I was in the Stadium District of Tacoma near the historic Stadium High School, which, as a side note, was originally constructed in 1898 as a deluxe Puget Sound marine-view hotel.
I was feeling enthused because I had read another of Suzanne Bacon’s The Suburban Times articles as a part of her series, “Across The Fence”. Because of my appreciation for Susanne’s writing, I felt motivated to make certain Susanne is never cursed with writer’s block. Writer’s block is a psychological inhibition preventing a writer from proceeding with a piece of writing.
It was at this juncture I thought I would be pleasantly outgoing, supportive, and generous with Susanne by sharing my magical secret for avoiding writer’s block.
My first action was to take a deep dive into the wine department of Stadium Thriftway located at 618 N 1st, Tacoma, WA 98403. T: 253-627-8275.
I was contacted by the store’s sommelier. I introduced myself as a prominent Lakewood oenophile with a keen interest in acquiring a bottle of wine with a William Shakespear feeling thematic label design called…are you ready for this? Called… Writer’s Block. I told the sommelier the Writer’s Block wine was for my friend Susanne and that price was of no concern.
Before perusing the shelves for my target bottle of adult magical beverage capable of eradicating any and all fear for Susanne ever being troubled by writer’s block, I asked him his name. He introduced himself as Bill.
I introduced myself as Joe.
That is when Bill told me, “Oh Joe, you must be a good guy. My dad’s name was Joe, and he was a good guy.
That is when I told Bill, “Hey, you must be a good guy. My dad’s name was Bill, and he was a good guy.
For clarity, there are 2 Joes and 2 Bills in this story. Joe and Bill in the photo are not to be confused as father and son. They are sommelier and oenophile.
It is at a time like this that one can be motivated to revisit old high school terminology, statistical probability.
How likely is it two sons and two fathers would have crossed names? Joe and his son, Bill. Bill and his son, Joe.
A few weeks back, I attended one of Susanne’s fun book signing parties at The Topside Coffee Cabin (TCC). I was able to step up like a writer’s hero and as a magnanimous gesture present her my bottle of Writer’s Block wine.
Some of you may be tempted to doubt my story and my proclivity for helping others in a uniquely on-target manner, but consider the facts. Susanne Bacon is still writing both for The Suburban Times, plus her series of popular books. She must be sipping a little Writer’s Block as evidenced by her continuous prolific output of entertaining writing.
I have run out of things to say in this column. I better pour myself a glass of Writer’s Block to lubricate the skids so I can get started word-smithing for my next Westside Story.
Thank you ever so much again, Joe! But I have to repair my image with our readers.
I have kept the Writer’s Block (the bottle) and will treasure it to the end of my days. I’m never dealing with Writer’s Block (the temporary lack of inspiration) as I have too many projects cooking in my mind. If I drank while writing – you are right: It would be a red. Alas, I’m using mainly my index finger (never had an American typing class, and European keyboards are different – not that I had any typing classes there). Which means that after a few sips the precision of my finger in circling over the tabs and then aiming at the one I want would be sorely diminished and end in a bioewsn b;oigp vjhidxfuv[ssjmboi
Oops – see, that’s what I meant. Not a I never texting and driving (try that with a flip phone!), neither am I writing and drinking. Which is why I keep my Writer’s Block safely bottled. To release spirits from a bottle is not always good advice.
“Not am I” – my tabs were slower than my fingers …
For those readers who are detail oriented and who choose to be a part of the Canada goose vs. Canadian goose debate and controversy, let me hasten to inform you that my final draft for paragraph 5 above included the favored correct form as compared below.
INCORRECT –
Bill – MEANING: A guy’s name. PRONOUNCED: Like the first part of the Canadian goose to cross the US – Canada border while in flight or walking.
CORRECT –
Bill – MEANING: A guy’s name. PRONOUNCED: Like the first part of the Canada goose to cross the US – Canadian border while in flight or walking.
It is a small thing for some, a big thing for some, and a nothing for many, but with a self preservation interest in not being chastised for a language arts faux-pas no matter how infinitesimal, I wish to add this comment to my writing above.
Of course for some either form is correct. It is just that one is considered to be more correct than the other.
Joseph Boyle
Thank you so much for the kudos, my friend.
Indeed I have to tell you (and your readers) that the bottle of Writer’s Bloch still exists and won’t ever be opened. It is treasured, believe me.
Also, I don’t suffer from this temporary imaginative plug-up called Writer’s Block – maybe to some our reader’s chagrin.
Above all, as I don’t believe in texting and driving (maybe it’s my flip phone that keeps me from it, maybe common sense), I don’t believe in drinking and writing either. Imagine me sitting there with my index finger circling above the tabs (I never learned how to type in Germany, much less over here), then stabbing at the desired letter – after a few sips this would be the outcome: osdaoi noL:’ ofdgis ok odfsp'[
Exactly. Nobody would want to read this.
As I know from numerous fairy-tales it’s sometimes wiser to leave the spirits inside the bottle. Another reason why I won’t release Writer’s Block …
How much was the Writer’s Block wine, and was it any good?
Okay “A cup of Joe” and “A Guy’s Name”:
Please clue me in on a few English words and meanings: What is?
“Proclivity”
“Faux-pas”
And
“Infinitesimal”
Without going to the Dictionary to your story? Does it matter on BILL which side of the border he is in? “Canada or USA?”
I just enjoy reading your Westside Stories and sometimes I miss a few of them in the Suburban Times.
“WESTSIDE Story JOE” did you attend Stadium High School as a young boy? Is this the reason your in the Stadium High District Territory? My Dad did he graduated in 1936.
Thank you
James H Nichols III
CLC member
Where is the statistics???