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February 17, 2011

Yet Another Pleasantly Disturbed Thursday

Ever wonder how old sayings become old sayings? And what they might mean? Who came up with them and why?

How much wood would a wooodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

So you're saying a woodchuck can't chuck wood? If so, why was he named a woodchuck? Is it really a woodcharles shortened?

And if it can't chuck wood, then why would anybody care how much it could chuck? Who thought of this?

Was it some friar looking out the window of the monastery in the 1400s, watching some frolicking woodchucks, who suddenly slapped his head and wondered "God, why am I doing this?" Ummm...I mean, "I wonder how much wood they could chuck if they were able to chuck wood rather than frolic?"

And why are they frolicking?

Do they know something we don't know?

Animals can sense natural disasters, you know. Like earthquakes, maybe tornadoes, or the arrival of Justin Bieber.


Maybe they're frolicking because the Apocalypse is coming soon?

Needless to say, when it didn't come, that monastery was shut down for inflaming the masses, but that's another story.

"Inflame." There's another word that I don't understand where it came from. "He was inflamed with jealousy." Did it start out with somebody literally catching on fire? And if so, why was somebody coming up with a new word rather than putting him out?

It's seriously a conundrum.

What's even more of a conundrum is where "conundrum" came from. Who creates this stuff? And how do they come up with them? It's not like a planet, or a sea, or a baseball team, where you just name it after the guy who discovered it.

Or the gal. I'm not sexist.

I think the guy who came up with "conundrum" should have been trying to figure out his conundrum rather than coming up for a word to call it.

You know?

And this is why you should really keep my mind occupied.

Or I might start trying to figure out who came up with "occupied."

This is yet another entry in the Pleasantly Disturbed Thursdays tradition started by Duane Scott over at his blog, though he didn't post one today, whining about some test or something like that (just kidding, Duane! Love ya!).

Instead, it's being hosted by his friend Helen, over at Random Musings. Head on over and check out the rest of the insanity.

6 comments:

  1. Woodcharles! Hahahahaha!!!

    I enjoyed reading this. I ask myself similar questions all the time. Then I ask my husband. He loves that. Not really...

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  2. Thanks, Helen! And thanks for hosting this week's installment.

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  3. After many years of studying woodchucks, I found that indeed, they CAN chuck wood. Quite far, actually. They prefer to keep it a secret though. They're actually the ones who came up with the little woodchuck ditty you spoke of just to throw everyone off course. As for your question about woodcharles, I did ask a woodchuck that once. He said, "Woodcharles? That's my dad. Just call me Woodchuck." So glad I could clear some things up for you.

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  4. Thank you for clearing that up! I have always wondered that...

    Those woodchucks are obviously secretive, evil creatures with an agenda. Good to know.

    Thanks for stopping by, Wendy!

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  5. Haha!

    Dude, you are VERY talented when you just let your mind free like this. Seriously, this is one of those posts that you want to reread. :)

    I am now going to google WoodCharles. Are you pulling my leg?

    And this one...

    "Animals can sense natural disasters, you know. Like earthquakes, maybe tornadoes, or the arrival of Justin Bieber."

    Priceless.

    I'm quoting you.

    And yes, I aced my test, thanks for asking! Did I mention that I aced it?

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  6. Thanks, Duane! Coming from the master, that's high praise!

    Glad you liked. Feel free to quote whichever you like, but make sure to mention my name. I want to find it on Google. :P

    I am not kidding! You will find "woodcharles" if you look it up.

    But, ummmmm...wait until I do that Wikipedia entry first.

    Congrats on the test!

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