30 Second Words Podcast Productions

Brevity: Being concise

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:02:41 +0000

Brevity. “Brevity is the soul of wit,” wrote Shakespeare. What does that mean? Simple. Good, clever writing gets to the point; it’s short, concise, brief—that’s brevity. But the line comes at the end of a long, rambling speech from a doddering old man. He’s not concise; he’s verbose! And when does he take his own advice and get to the point? Just in time to tell the king, straight-out, that the prince is off his rocker. Brevity’s good… but some things should be sugar-coated just a little. Brevity: being concise.

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Books about getting into College (or Graduate, Law, Medical or Business School)

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 23:35:02 +0000

For more resources, check the getting into college bookstore.

Smattering: just a little

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:00:41 +0000

Smattering. Having trouble choosing a major? Don’t panic. A broad base of knowledge can be a good thing; science and art leaped forward in the Renaissance, when scholars studied many different fields and explored the connections between them. But, unless you’re as brilliant as da Vinci, you’ll have to focus eventually, or you risk merely dabbling, picking up a little of this, a little of that, a smattering of each field, becoming a “jack of all trades, master of none.” Smattering: just a little; or, superficial knowledge.

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Extant: currently in existence

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:57:37 +0000

Extant. “Beowulf” is one of the most thoroughly-studied works of literature in the world, but we’re missing large pieces of it. You see, over the course of a thousand years, almost every copy was lost or destroyed. In the 1720s, only one complete manuscript survived. Or, still existed. Or, was extant. And what did the British government do with this one-of-a-kind masterpiece? They stored it in a house with the unfortunate name, Ashburnham. One guess what happened to it then. Extant: currently in existence.

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Voracious: Extremely Hungry

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:54:49 +0000

Voracious. Did you ever think about the wolves in fairytales? I mean, an ordinary wolf might eat a pig if he was hungry, but he wouldn’t blow down three houses to get at it. And even if he was starving, he wouldn’t gobble up a Grandma in one bite. The wolves in these stories aren’t just hungry or famished, they’re absolutely voracious—excessively hungry, insatiable. So maybe the real moral of these stories is, feed the wolves! Keep them well-fed, and they’ll leave you alone. Voracious: extremely hungry, insatiable.

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Tyro: A beginner, just starting to learn

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:53:06 +0000

Tyro. When you’ve been playing a sport or participating in an activity for years and years, it can be a challenge to have patience with newcomers. It’s tempting to roll your eyes and grumble about the ignorant rookie, or the bumbling wannabe. But you were there once, right? And you turned out okay. So maybe that amateur has potential, too. Maybe she’s a tyro: a novice, a trainee, a beginner eager to learn. Instead of complaining, maybe you can be her mentor. Tyro: a beginner, just starting to learn.

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Spleen: Unreleased Anger

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 17:17:59 +0000

Spleen. When you lose your temper, you’re said to be “venting your spleen.” Why the spleen? Why not the pancreas? Well, doctors used to think a healthy personality required balancing four fluids, or humours. Too much blood made you sanguine—calm, even apathetic—and you might need leeches. Too much spleen made you melancholy, or bad-tempered, or angry. Modern psychology says venting is good because repressed rage can build up and explode like… well, like a ruptured spleen. Spleen: pent-up anger.

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Serpentine: Like a Snake

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:22:47 +0000

Serpentine. The auto mechanic fixed a squeak by tightening my serpentine belt. Sound technical? It’s not. Instead of having one direct drive belt for the starter, one for the air conditioner, one for the radiator, and so on, modern cars run all of their accessories with just one long belt. As you’d expect, it twists and turns like a snake. It’s serpent-like… or, serpentine. Of course, when I asked why tightening it costs so much, the mechanic’s explanation was also serpentine. Serpentine: Looking or moving like a snake.

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Certitude: Being sure (even if you are not right)

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:31:42 +0000

Have you ever watched little kids? When the teacher asks a question, they don’t just raise their hands. They raise their whole arms, reaching for the ceiling, screaming, “Oh, oh, oh, I know, I know, call on me!” They’re absolutely positive they know the answer. That’s certitude. They’re not necessarily right, but they’re sure. By high school, though, things change. Certitude gives way to doubt, and to the grownup fear of being wrong. And then it’s hard to raise even a fingertip. Certitude: being sure.

Bowler’s Tan: A Lewd Poem

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 06:10:16 +0000

I came upon a man

Who had a case of Bowler’s Tan,

Two fingers and a thumb were white,

it was quite a sight.

So I asked this man,

“How does one get Bowler’s Tan?”

and his answer was quite lewd,

“Simple”, he said, “Go bowling in the nude.”