Today's word of the day is "prodigious."

Via Agent M

Prodigious

1. extraordinary in size, amount, extent, degree, force, etc.
2. wonderful or marvelous
3. abnormal; monstrous.
4. Obsolete - ominous.

The reason I don't worry about society is, nineteen people knocked down two buildings and killed thousands. Hundreds of people ran into those buildings to save them. I'll take those odds every fucking day. 

- Jon Stewart

Today's word of the day is "despondency."

via The Daily What

Despondency

state of being despondent; depression of spirits from loss of courage or hope; dejection.

Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you.

- Aldous Huxley

Via Rate My Ink

Today's recommended comic book reading is The Exterminators by Simon Oliver & Tony Moore.

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Today's word of the day is "whimsy."

Whimsy

1. capricious humor or disposition; extravagant, fanciful, or excessively playful expression
2. an odd or fanciful notion.
3. anything odd or fanciful; a product of playful or capricious fancy

Well they are very frightening for me because their stupidity is so flat. You look into the eyes of a chicken and you lose yourself in a completely flat, frightening stupidity. They are like a great metaphor for me... I kind of love chicken, but they frighten me more than any other animal. 

- Werner Herzog on Chickens

DC Pierson's debut book, The Boy Who Couldn't Sleep and Never Had To, explores both the promise and pitfalls of insomnia along with the power and problems of imagination.  Pierson's novel looks at the world of two high school outcasts, united through the fake worlds they create, who quickly find themselves in situations that are rapidly getting out of control.  And while there's a lot of humor in Pierson's book - particularly in his (through the narrator, Darren) observations on human behavior - the book itself isn't just a lark: it's about regret, stupid drama, hormones, first experiences and finding out about who you really are - even when that answer isn't exactly to your liking.  In short, it's about growing up.

Insomnia is a helluva thing.  Your mind rattles on, refusing to let you slip away into the land of fantasy and confusion promised by falling asleep.  And while you may find yourself pursuing some random tangent or another - like finding out everything you can about the long forgotten cartoon show Kissyfur - you rarely get up to anything really productive.  You may read more, or watch more television or movies, but you're not working diligently on a cure for disease or a practical version of the flying car. 

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Today's word of the day is "devotee."

Devotee

1. A person who is greatly devoted to something
2. A person who is extremely devoted to a religion; a follower
3. An enthusiastic follower or fan

Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come.

- Matt Groening

Song: "True Love Waits" by Radiohead

Event: College.  Yes, ALL of college.

"True Love Waits" was the perennial b-side for Radiohead fans.  Performed live for many years, the achingly depressing song of a misspent existence wouldn't be officially released until the I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings EP in 2001.  (Yes, nerds - it was available on various bonus discs in various other countries, but you know the point I'm trying to make)  The song tends to be performed acoustically (as above) and is a much more stripped down number without all of the various production trickeries of Jonny Greenwood that Radiohead has employed since 1995's The Bends.

And when I hear the song, besides noting how heartbreakingly sad and perfect it is, I think of days full of naps, marijuana smoke, bullshit conversations and extensive philosophy readings.  In short, I think of college.

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Today's word of the day is "dread."

via GeekWeek

Dread

1. to fear greatly; be in extreme apprehension of
2. to be reluctant to do, meet, or experience
3. Archaic. to hold in respectful awe.

In the United States, the majority undertakes to supply a multitude of ready-made opinions for the use of individuals, who are thus relieved from the necessity of forming opinions of their own.

- Alexis de Tocqueville

Today's word of the day is "repose."

Via Picture is Unrelated

Repose

1. the state of reposing or being at rest; rest; sleep.
2. peace; tranquillity; calm.
3. dignified calmness, as of manner; composure.
4. absence of movement, animation, etc.