Still counts! + 3 words I've invented in quarantine
The Sternal Journal
If you are in England, I've failed you
Here we are again, my dear, dear Sternal Journalists.
A Sunday evening Sternal Journal! And I even made it in time for the East Coast to still get it before Sunday is over (if you're English or further, I'm sorry. I'll do better).
These are the exciting ones! It means I've been busy and/or put off writing the Journal so long that you're going to get a real robust stream-of-consciousness normally only reserved for my journal and my poor partner Kristen who is cooped up with me in Quarantimes.
For instance! I've come to invent quite a lot of words in quarantine. Have you all? I am rampant word-inventor even in the best of times, but because all two of us in the apartment see so few other people (pretty much 0 to be exact), there is a much higher rate of adoption for words like:
ESQUEECHAMAY! Esqueechamay is uttered in the high upper digits daily in the Layden-Stern household and it dates back to a time when I was watching Narcos Season 2 (loved it!) and kept seeing these serious politicians-and-drug-dealers point someone in the chest and say "Escuchame!"
What a beautiful word. Start with a SSSS, then a quick kuch, round the corner with a refreshing aaah, and then remind them that you mean business: may.
I love the word, but I was misusing it regularly and exclusively as a synonym for "excuse me." This is ignorant at best and a little dismissive of the Spanish language at worst, so after Kristen reminded me of the actual meaning, I said, "Oh, I'm actually saying, 'Esqueechamay,' which in my language does mean excuse me." (I am a million tiny eye-rolls disguised as a person) It can also mean, hello, or where are you, or a variety of other things!
I give it to you, dear reader, to use as you like. As well as...
PEACHASIT. This is pronounced like a baby mispronouncing "Piece a' shit." It comes from real life as (true fact) my first word was shit. I mispronounced it "chit." Peachasit is wonderful for board games. Times when you are angry at someone and want to let your full wrath out in a totally non-harmful and recreational way.
What about portmanteaus, Julian?
I hear you, and I've got you! Recently, during a game of 7 Wonders: DUEL (great game especially if you're trapped with only one other person), I made an especially brutal, but also surprising move and Kristen exclaimed, "Esqueechasit!" I was honored and humbled and I pass it on to you. And also, I think we will be speaking a fully different dialect of English by the time this is all over.
Just two more words.
Dangus Carangus! I don't remember when I said this, or why, but it basically means, "Wow!" or "Woah!" or anything like that. You can also wield it like a shaken fist or walking stick at some sort of reversal of fortunes, to the tune of "Why I oughta..."
And honorable mention goes to YIPSHAW. This is a word I started using before quarantine, and has actually gone way down in usage because it basically means "Let's git!" (It is a rough portmanteau of "yeehaw" and the sound a whip makes when it cracks.) When there is nowhere to git, there is nowhere to shaw.
It's quite possible I didn't actually make up one or any of these words, so if you know of earlier uses, please let me know so I an credit. And do you have any new words? I wanna hear em!
Recommendations!
Music: Kamasi Washington's Becoming soundtrack. Jazzy, nice, uplifting, just a half hour.
Podcast: Endless Thread's mini-series, Madness. It's about MK Ultra. If you'e ever wondered about it (or like me thought it was conspiracy theory hogwash), it's a fascinating listen.
Book: This is How You Lose The Time War. I finished it. It's well worth the read and a quick one. You could devote 20 minutes a day and be done in a week.
TV: FX's Dave. Sure, his raps are great. But his show is also very funny and heartfelt and authentically LA.
Esqueechamay, you peachasits! That's all for now.
Dangus Carangus,
Julian
P.S. Yipshaw!