Take the word “list” and the word “article.” Smoosh them together and you have created a new word, “listicle.”
Listicles are bosom buddies of writers whose muse is napping as their deadline looms.
So I offer you a few gems, in the form of a listicle, of some neologisms – that is, new words – created by combining, blending or shortening existing words. Granted, neologisms may be entirely new words freshly invented from thin air, but somehow they aren’t as much fun as words that smoosh together two tired conceptions to reflect a new aspect of modern life.
- Take a familiar neologism: bingewatch. Nothing quite captures, like it does, the hours spent with your nose glued to the little blue screen in times of stress or obsession. Like, I know someone who bingewatches Dr. Strange and the Multiverses, again and again. Within my earshot. Ok, the music IS good.
- We all know the newish word, smartphone. But have you sometimes wondered about their intelligence? Have you encountered the even newer word, dumbphone?
- Are there days when you just want to stay home and chillax? That’s fairly easy to figure out; a combination of chill and relax.
- You know, of course, that a blog is short for a written “weblog,” but what about a vlog? Aha! A video log.
- A yarn-bomb is a form of street art; needle-art creations that cover selected objects, a telephone pole, maybe. Move over, Christo!
That’s it. A really giant example of a listicle is a dictionary. Credit for these few neo words goes to mentalfloss.com, where you can find a longer listicle giving 53 modern words recently added to the dictionary. Enjoy!
FOOD, MOOD, MEDS
What’s the relationship between food and mood? Nutrition and mental health? See how these three fit together in a free online workshop in English, entitled Nutrition, Mental Health, and Medication, led by Megan Jenkins, registered dietitian. When? Wednesday, November 9, at 7 to 8:15 p.m. To register, contact Emily at Outreach@mentalhealthestrie.com or 819-565-2388.
REMEMBRANCE DAY
On Friday, November 11, will take place the following Remembrance Day ceremonies: at 11 a.m., in Sawyerville at the cenotaph on Principale Street North. At 11:45 a.m., at the Saint-Isidore-de-Clifton cenotaph in front of the East Clifton United Church on Route 253. At 2 p.m., in Cookshire, at the cenotaph in front of the Cookshire Elementary School. And finally, at 2:45 p.m. in Newport, at the cenotaph in front of the Municipal Hall in Island Brook. The ceremonies in Scotstown and Bury took place on November 5.
DEPTHS & BREADTHS
At the Cookshire-Eaton Art Gallery is Profondeurs, a stunning immersive experience created by the collective Osh’n and L’inconnu dans le noir. Osh’n is a sound-performance collective that creates immersive installations inspired by music. L’inconnu dans le noir is a film and video production company. They are the folks who created Murmures du Canton, that after-dark light and video show that was projected onto the exterior walls of the Victoria Hall all summer.
This show is indoors, offering both image and sound. The images are projected on the inside walls of the gallery, a floor-to-ceiling digital surround that brings four seasons of a natural landscape to life. “Through sound spatialization as well as nuanced compositions, where the sounds of nature intersect with those of the composers, two parallel universes overlap,” says the artists’ description in French.
Aha! Our very own multiverses! My eyes and ears are pricked; I plan to go see and hear.
The exhibition graces the Cookshire-Eaton Art Gallery in Victoria Hall, 125 Principale West, Cookshire, on weekends from noon to 4 p.m. It ends on Sunday, November 20. At 2 p.m. that afternoon, the art/sound collective will offer a closing performance that promises to “allow you to dive into their creative process.”
Save me a seat, Gilles.
AROUND THE WORLD
Au tour de la terre is the title of an exhibit at the Galérie Métissage in Lac-Mégantic, and it shows us an intriguing art form that literally comes from the other side of the world, Japan.
Galérie Métissage is a personable little gallery whose space offers both hands-on workshops and exhibitions that marry traditional arts with contemporary approaches. On its Facebook page, Jo Cooper describes it as “A space of creativity allowing us to appreciate and honour the products of the Earth. In short, simplicity in all its beauty.”
This exhibit showcases the work of Yolande Bernier, who has practised the traditional Japanese Nihonga technique for some 40 years, including stays in Japan. This ancient painting technique uses pigments from minerals, earth, and metals. Bernier’s artworks are fluid, subtle, and luminous. In the exhibit are 20 relatively large works and close to 200 works in mini-format.
The gallery is at 6361 Salaberry Street, Lac-Mégantic, and is open Thursday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It closes Sunday, November 27, when the artist will be present.
Oh yes, I will be there too, if our car doesn’t lose its flowers before then.
DEPRESSION & BURNOUT
At the End of My Rope, Understanding Depression and Burnout. That’s the topic of a free Zoom workshop in English with Dr. Camillo Zacchia, psychologist, on Wednesday, November 30, at 7 to 9 p.m. Organized by Mental Health Estrie. Info: 819-565-2388, outreach@mentalhealthestrie.com.
CHURCHES
Baptist. In-person services are in French at 9 a.m. and in English at 11 a.m. For information, please contact Pastor Michel Houle at 819-889-2819.
Anglican. In-person service is November 20 at 11 a.m. at St. Peter’s Church in Cookshire. For a schedule of services, visit deaneryofstfrancis.com and click on the “Calendar” link. Info: 819-887-6802, or quebec.anglican.ca.
United. Because of construction work at Trinity United Church in Cookshire, weekly Sunday services will be at 10:30 a.m., at Sawyerville United Church until further notice. Info: 819-889-2838. For pastoral care, call Rev. Spires at 819-452-3685.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-640-1340 or email rawrites@gmail.com by November 14 for publication November 23 and by November 28 for December 7.
