Dan > Recent Status Updates

I'm enjoying this a lot more than I thought I would. I thought it might be a slog, but I was going to give it a shot to give myself some variety and get out of my literary comfort zone. Now there is a pretty good chance I'll continue with the series.

Beginning book #52 of the year.

Revealed self-evident wisdom*. What a banger of a phrase.

*Made it up

I forgot how fun reading Pratchett was. Shame on me for staying away for so long.

I can't bring myself to blow through this. It's definitely an easy enough read to do that, but the nature of the back and forth letters just makes me feel like rushing it is missing the point.

Dang, Alan didn't mess around with this supplemental diagetic story.

Does Harry ever just get a good night's sleep?

Entheal - (obsolete) Divinely inspired; wrought up to enthusiasm.

Amschapand - German rendering of Ameshaspand, a Middle Iranian variation on Amesha Spenta, divinities of Zoroastrianism who represent "divine sparks" emanating from the uncreated Creator, similar to Gnostic aeons or Christian angels in that they represent active parts of God but are not gods themselves.

Cataphract - (military, historical) Defensive armour covering the entire body of a soldier and often the soldier's horse as well, especially the linked mail or scale armour of some eastern nations.

Fourragere - a military award, distinguishing military units as a whole, in the form of a braided cord.

Philonoist - one who loves learning.

Catachtonian - (rare) of or relating to the underworld

Pseudothyrum - a secret door, back door, private entrance, postern gate; (figurative) a secret manner

Midinette - a seamstress or assistant in a Parisian fashion house.

Sanbenito - a penitential garment that was used especially during the Portuguese and Spanish Inquisitions. It was similar to a scapular, either yellow with red saltires for penitent heretics or black and decorated with devils and flames for impenitent heretics to wear at an auto-da-fé.

Theurgy - also known as divine magic, is one of two major branches of the magical arts, the other being practical magic or thaumaturgy

Deodand - a thing forfeited or given to God, specifically, in law, an object or instrument that becomes forfeited because it has caused a person's death.

Eidolon
1. an idealized person or thing.
2. a specter or phantom.

Ablegate - (Roman Catholicism) A representative of the pope charged with important commissions in foreign countries, one of his duties being to bring to a newly named cardinal his insignia of office.
(historical) An elected representative of a Hungarian royal free city, charged to be a speaker at the Diet of Hungary and to express the opinion of the city.

Gymnosophists - the name given by the Greeks to certain ancient Indian philosophers who pursued asceticism to the point of regarding food and clothing as detrimental to purity of thought.

Donjon - the great tower or innermost keep of a castle

Huanaco - also guanaco; wild South American camelids with slender builds, long necks, and pointed ears.

Starost - Slavic term, meaning "senior" or "elder," historically designating a community elder or official in a leadership position in various civic and social contexts throughout Central and Eastern Europe.

Caique - a light rowboat used on the Bosporus; a small eastern Mediterranean sailing ship.

Gonfalon - a banner or pennant, especially one with streamers, hung from a crossbar.

Jelab - archaic form of djellaba; a loose-fitting, ankle-length hooded robe worn by men in North Africa.

Bartizan - an overhanging corner turret at the top of a castle or church tower.

Zoanthrope - a person who believes himself changed into an animal and acts like one.

Autochthon - an original or indigenous inhabitant of a place