Words For Today, August 20, 2024

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary’s word for today is propensity. Definition of Propensity is a strong natural tendency to do something.

I have a propensity to read and write daily. My mother started reading to her children as babies and I would follow through and do that also with my younger siblings and later with my children. I read a lot every day.

When I talk about something I have read now, I don’t often remember where I read it or whom to give credit to.

The contributing factor to forgetting where I read something is my age. I can narrow it down to reading on Facebook, Vocal Media, and Medium.com. Then there are the books I am currently reading.

I probably could find it if it was something I just read, but if it is something that I read a week or so ago, probably not. Writing is fun for me. Poetry/rhyme is right off the top of my head and I don’t expect ever to be a poet.

When writing, I would like to write more fiction, but I am not there yet. I say yet because my brother, who is 18 months younger says he remembers the fiction stories I would write as a young child. He says they were pretty good.

Even though there are other words for the day possibilities to write about, my preference for word of the day is the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

The word of the day for dictionary.com for today is Endemic meaning natural to or characteristic of a specific people or place; native; indigenous

As an Indigenous person, my family is enrolled in White Earth and my enrollment is removal Fond du Lac. Which means I have many relatives in both places.

As a Native or Indigenous person, I believe our people have a connection to the part of the country where they grow up, in much the same way others have come to this country. There are thousands more years of history here and oral tradition for the Indigenous.

My husband's family came from Sweden and it has been just over 100 years. When they experienced the mosquitos that are so prevalent at the family homestead where we live now, his grandfather said, “What kind of place did I bring my family to!”

My mother used to say, “The mosquitoes don’t seem to like my blood. They don’t bother me.”

The Britannica Dictionary’s word of the day is embroider.

Definition of EMBROIDER — to sew a design on a piece of cloth

She embroidered tiny flowers on the baby’s scarf.

A scarf embroidered with tiny flowers

I was going to learn to embroider in retirement from my mother-in-law but before we could start she got sick and moved into a nursing home. I had some experience with it as a youngster, but never enough to continue without support.

So now, I have friends who will give me embroidered dish towels and I have purchased some as well.

Wiktionary word for the day is ham-fisted

Lacking skill in physical movement with the hands; clumsy.

(by extension) Lacking skill in general; incompetent.

I have never heard this word used and wouldn’t have guessed it meant this. I would not say this about anyone either as I believe we all have strengths in different areas and I have trouble believing there are incompetent people.

I think some people who have no interest in auto mechanics for example may be called ham-fisted when it comes to changing a tire or doing an oil change while others grew up with the basics of automotive care and repair and have an interest and then no trouble doing this work.

Many years ago now, I took a basics class from a friend on doing a tune-up with her car after she took a ‘powder puff’ class on automotive care and repair. We changed the oil, the plugs, the points, and the filters, some of which are not a thing now.

But if I had to, I believe I could learn to at least do the oil or a tire change. Although, I am probably too old for that too. Especially because I have trouble opening canning jars and other types of bottles for the first time.

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First published by Mercury Press on medium.com