Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Gruntled, Or Not?

For the most part, my nights in the comm room are uneventful. Unless something gets lost or broken or somebody does something stupid. I just put in my eight hours and go home.

There's seldom any real work to do. And certainly nothing strenuous. When the a/c and/or the heat are working correctly when they need to be, it's not a bad gig.

We had enough people on shift that they stuck DoubleH down at the front desk and I spent a good amount of the night chatting with her. She doesn't smoke but she knows I do so she kept saying "Hey Rev! Come out and smoke with me!" And we'd sit out on the step and I'd smoke and she would clatter on about this and that. A nice lady. A little disgruntled, but nice none the less.

She even came out and said "Hey! You can tell 'em all on your blog that you spent the night with the disgruntled woman!" I laughed and said "Well, I probably won't say it quite like that."

But then I did. Hmm.. She got to me.

Some of us are so disgruntled that I do wonder if we were ever gruntled to begin with. And until right before I started to write this post I wasn't even aware that "gruntled" is a real word. I'm sure it's not in the Webster's or the OED yet. But look it up! It's being used! As a matter of fact, I ran across a picture of this shirt here:


That took me a few moments. Give me some slack. It's late and I've already taken my meds. It meant that the wearer was neither impetuous, inept or disgruntled.

If they gave me the task of going through the list of the 400 or so custody employees and said "Give one of these shirts to each employee that this describes", I might hand out three. Tops. And right now I couldn't name those three. Everybody I know or work with is at least one of those things, if not all three.

I willingly admit that I am in the "all three" category.

But I had a good time talking to DoubleH. She's been on utility forever and is hoping to get a bid in either 10 or 7 house and stay in one place for awhile. Maybe that will help her with her gruntulation. Or Egruntulation. Whatever it is that makes her happy. Fresh coffee usually does it.

Okay. I can tell that my meds are kicking in and I'm getting silly. Soon I'll be typing this with my nose. Time to check the calendar and go to bed. And hope for no more of those fragged up dreams I've been having. I would have mentioned the last one but it gave me the shivers all day. Yuck. I'll bet Chanel would drive all the way here and smack me for mentioning it.

Hmm... It might be worth it.....

Nah.

Thursday (B-yard and near 100 degrees) will be National Milk Chocolate Day. Sweeeet! It will also be Buffalo Soldiers Day and National Chili Dog Day! Yayyyy!!!

9 comments:

  1. I actually looked up 'gruntled' too - after I read it here in your post...too funny.

    Great post.

    I'm reading some of your earlier posts to get a feel of this world you work in and the very interesting names you give areas, building, and even people.

    It's like entering another dimension...but it's quite fun trying to figure it all out!

    Cheers, Jenny

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  2. OED: Pleased, satisfied, contented. (back-formation from disgrunted).

    1938 P. G. Wodehouse Code of the Woosters i. 9 He spoke with a certain what-is-it in his voice, and I could see that, if not actually disgruntled, he was far from being gruntled.

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  3. As for ept, the OED gives this example:

    1966 Time 30 Sept. 7/1 With the exception of one or two semantic twisters, I think it is a first-rate job——definitely ept, ane and ert.

    But it has no petuous.

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  4. Dismantle (v.): to take apart.

    Mantle (v.): to...ummmm.... stick over the fireplace or something. I have no idea. Try another dictionary.

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  5. Jenny- I should go ahead and post another prison words post. I'll be on vacation the next two weeks. Maybe I'll do some reruns.

    Vincent- I had no idea that would be in there, he said with that certain well-what's-all-this-then? in his voice. (grin)

    And I am never ept or ane, but I am occasionally ert. But just occasionally.

    Bryan- I do believe that "mantling" once had something to do with getting dressed. But I could be wrong.

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  6. Ah, so then "Dismantling" would actually be similar to "disrobing"

    How about "predomsm"? (that was the captcha word.)

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  7. Bryan- I hate to admit it, but "predomsm", in my opinion, has only one meaning. It's when somebody beats them self up waiting for the man or woman dressed all in leather to get there. A small pamphlet titled "What to do when your Dom is running late".

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  8. By a strange twist of fate, Rev, your definition of predomsm just happens to provide a succinct plot outline of the movie Fight Club, which features in my forthcoming post.

    Book your seat now.

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  9. Yes, that definition does bear an uncanny relevance to Fight Club ....in multiple ways.

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