The Bernard Pivot BlogFest

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Today, Nicole Ducleroir at One Significant Moment at a Time is hosting the Bernard Pivot Blog Fest.  This one is easy and so I chose it as my first adventure in blogfest territory. The questions are listed below, along with my answers.

1.    What is your favorite word?

re·cher·ché -     [ruh-shair-shey, ruh-shair-shey; Fr. ruh-sher-shey]
According to dictionary.com , it means

·    sought out with care.
·    very rare, exotic, or choice; arcane; obscure.
·    of studied refinement or elegance; precious; affected; pretentious.

Origin: 1715–25;  < French,  past participle of rechercher  to search for carefully; >

I first came across the world in childhood, while reading Mark Twain’s, The Innocents Abroad.  The book was full of humor and in this instance, he was talking about camels and the demand for them as a means of transportation.

I like swaggerific too, which is a recently-coined local term which means kinda what it sounds like - someone or something that's extra-ordinary.

2.    What is your least favorite word?

batty – In England, it means one thing (crazy, eccentric). In Jamaican parlance, it has vulgar connotations. We use it to refer to the butt and as part of an uncomplimentary term for homosexual men.

3.    What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

Music! There’s music for every mood I’ve ever been in, and the right song/composition has the power to lift my spirit.

4.    What turns you off?


Small minded or insecure people who belittle others in order to feel better about themselves.

5.    What is your favorite curse word?

Don’t have one, but when I do want to let loose, I’ll say, ‘Oh, for crying out loud!’.

6.    What sound or noise do you love?

The racket my son makes when he’s going full-throttle in the shower.

7.    What sound or noise do you hate?


The sound of my neighbour’s grille banging before daybreak, just when I’m enjoying that last sweet leg of sleep. Only the Lord knows why anybody would be up and about at that hour.

8.    What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Teaching. I don’t think I have the patience for kids, but adults might be a lot less challenging. (I can hope, can’t I?)

9.    What profession would you not like to do?

Anything to do with corpses would seriously creep me out.

10.    If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

My child, what took you so long?

88 comments:

  1. wonderful answers-

    the favorite word is really good I took four years of french and noticed it right away. :)

    and corpses- yeah- right there with you. lol

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  2. Super cute blog! I love your owl! Thanks for visiting my blog on your crusade!

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  3. Greetings fellow crusader! Great answers - I love recherché and no, I couldn't do corpses either!

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  4. I love these questions and your answers. Fun!

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  5. Great answers! I'm with you; when my child is immersed in a world of his own, he makes the most amazing racket that gives sound to his imagination. Nothing else like it!

    Thanks so much for playing along!

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  6. HI, J.L. and fellow crusade.

    I finally made it over to say, Hi. You also had some great answers. I'm finding this blogfest very informative. It's a great way to find out about our fellow bloggers/friends.


    Michael

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  7. Summer, Though I read that book ages ago, I've never forgotten that particular word.

    Thanks, Becky!

    Margo, nice to meet you, I'll be over in a bit.

    Cynthia, Thanks for stopping in.

    Nicole, thanks for hosting this super-duper blogfest and yeah, these kids do lose themselves in their own world.

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  8. Gideon, yes, this is also a great way to get to know each other better.

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  9. What's wrong with corpses? Er, just kidding! Fellow crusader, fellow Bernard Pivoter!

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  10. Already a follower but I thought I'd come check out your answers. So funny about the corpses...nasty.

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  11. Hello Fellow Crusader! I liked your answers. I want to know who is grilling first thing in the morning (and what).

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  12. I love your fav words. I didn't know that about batty.

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  13. Great answers! :o) Teaching really aint that great .... tried it. hated it!

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  14. Samantha, good to meet you.I'll be by!

    Hey Diana!

    Kari, because we have a high crime rate, everybody has steel burglar bars, which we call grilles.

    L.A. Thanks!

    Jessica - I know teachers are under appreciated and overworked!

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  15. Recherché! That is my new favourite word ;)
    Music and water are truly wondrous.

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  16. #9, me too. I think maybe I could get used to it, but I really don't even want to attempt.

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  17. Hey, Elaine!

    Bethany - Nine is the stuff of nightmares!

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  18. oh for crying out loud! LOVE IT!!

    I don't think I'd ever want to see a corpse.. i couldn't imagine having to work with them.

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  19. Oooh, ditto on number 9! Love your favorite sound--that's sweet :)

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  20. Fun! I'm a new follower, and a fellow crusader! :)

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  21. oh how I enjoyed your list! I love that you enjoy your son's singing in the shower and I cannot believe that Batty has such a different meaning in your neck of the woods. That could get people into trouble!

    Great list!

    PS - loved 12 Red Herrings. :)

    Corinne

    www.corinneoflynn.com

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  22. Kristin - yeah, grisly stuff.

    Rachel - My son provides me with non-stop 'musical' entertainment.

    Margo - coming by soon!

    Corinne - one day I should do a post on the many words we've corrupted in Jamaica. :D
    Twelve Red Herrings was gooood!

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  23. I seriously LOVE your answers, esp. the one about your son in the shower! :-)

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  24. Interesting how the different cultures use the word 'batty.' And I'm with you when it comes to music uplifting creativity! Great answers.

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  25. In my fantasy, teaching sounds admirable but I don't know if it really would be that great these days--a lot of kids and parents are pretty disrespectful.
    "Oh for crying out loud" is a tasteful curse--good for you.

    Lee
    Tossing It Out

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  26. LOVE that you say, "for crying out loud." That was one of my late father's favorite sayings. My curse word is shoot, because of those three sons I have.

    Lots of fun reading about you here. And I'm a fellow crusader!

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  27. I like your answers. Noisy neighbors can make us start our day on an extra challenging note. Ah, but payback is so much fun.

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  28. We have music in common on our lists. It can cure the common cold as far as Im concerned. :)

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  29. #4 is right on! I dated someone like that. It was terrible.

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  30. Wow! So educational as well as entertaining!!! Batty... hmmm... We both like music and our #4s are practically the same--and ew, I hope that bangy husband doesn't go fire up the lawnmower when he's done... ;p good stuff! <3

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  31. Shannon, some woman will have a constant source of amusement if he keeps this up 'til adulthood.

    Lynn, I found out today just how integral a part music plays to creativity by reading other people's responses.

    Arlee, teachers do have to put up with a lot.

    Good to meet you, Wendy.

    Julie, funny, but 'shoot' used to be one of my faves too.

    Normar, unfortunately, I have no noise-making tools. Sigh. ;)

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  32. Yours were fun.
    I taught French - love recherche...

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  33. DL - Yep, music is powerful stuff!

    May, people like that usually don't realize they have a problem.

    LTM - the lawnmower would push me over the edge. lol

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  34. Jolene,

    We do have some very interesting words that originated with the French.

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  35. I like swaggerific...don't know if I could pull that one off at my age, but I still like it.

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  36. Hello there! You're on the crusade list...AND the blogfest that I'm on...so I'm following you now. =)

    Love your curse word...wow--harsh!

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  37. Good to know about the Jamaican connotations for batty! Great answers.

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  38. Just dropped by to say Hi to a fellow crusader, but I loved your answers!

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  39. Thanks, Racquel!

    Alison, we do tend to do our own thing with words.

    Nas, good to meet another crusader!

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  40. Greetings from a fellow crusader. I've followed your blog.

    Fascinating the different usage of 'batty'! It really is a mild word here, and not offensive at all. Curious how the same words crop up meaning completely different things.

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  41. What a great list. Music always inspires me, too. I assume that the "racket" your son's making is singing (or he thinks it is)?

    I agree with Tony. Interesting use of "batty". It's not a term I generally use, and I'm feeling okay about that right now :)

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  42. Tony, thanks. I used to like the word before the meaning changed, but I wonder how we get the butt to be 'batty'.

    Rosie, yep, my son does 'sing' at the top of his lungs in the shower.

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  43. Greetings fellow crusader. Great to meet you, and I loved your responses! I'm adding swaggerific to my vocab. It's got attitude.

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  44. Hi J.L.! Ooh, I have the same feeling about corpses--nope, no thanks! Love my music, too. I so agree with you that we are blessed with so many kinds of music for whatever mood we are in (or for us writers, need to be in!). Great answers! :)
    ~ Noelle

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  45. VR - You're right, swaggerific has lotsa attitude.

    Thanks for stopping in, Noelle!

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  46. Ew...corpses, yeah. I love the reminder that slang terms can mean very different things, depending on what country you're in. Batty is commonly used in the States as well to mean crazy - I'll think twice now before using it. :)

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  47. Great answers:). I appreciate you explaining the "grille," I assumed he was one for barbequeing early and I got a tad confused. Thanks for stopping by my blog. I really like your writing style, you put a lot of yourself in those questions. I plan on stopping by your blog again:).

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  48. Great answers. Sorry to inform you, I taught adults to dance and coached completion couples. They can be as bad kids. The only difference is you have to look up to scold them and keep them in line.

    Glad to meet you,
    Pamela Jo
    http://theresjustlifeyaliveit.blogspot.com

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  49. Ewww...corpses. Yeah, that's a deal breaker right there. I cou'dn't handle that. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog. You look like you have some steamy romances going on here--nice.

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  50. Laura - I'll say as a Jamaican that unfortunately we can take anything and turn it upside down.

    Carolyn, thanks. Glad to have you back anytime.


    Pamela - You had to burst my bubble, didn't you? That's life, I guess. :D Thanks for dropping in!

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  51. Angela, too much NCIS and other such fare has made dead things way off limits for me.

    I do like romance. Thanks!

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  52. You blog is so much fun! I need to take my son to karate soon, but will be back to visit and poke around some more.
    LOL about #7. There are some interesting characters walking about in the world :-)
    Thanks for dropping in at my blog, too.

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  53. Hey hey better late than never! Lovely to meet you fellow crusader and to read your 10 things. Great stuff.

    Denise:)

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  54. I like recherché. It’s a new one but I like the way it rolls of the tongue. Next time I’m in Jamaica I’ll remember not to use the word batty. Yikes!

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  55. Hi, J.L.! Nice to meet you. And I have to agree: Recherche is one cool word!

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  56. Susan, yes, sooo many interesting characters. My husband thinks the neighbour is haunted for getting out of bed that early to potter around in the cold morning air.

    Thanks L'Aussie, pleased to meet you too.

    Holly - people might look at you strangely and wonder how you know that's what locals call a butt. Now if you refer to b**** men, you won't be in trouble, but because ours regrettably is a homophobic society, homosexuals are targetted by those who refuse to live and let others live.

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  57. I learned a new word..LOL...Great interview....

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  58. Enjoyed your comments and your website. Thanks for dropping by my blog.

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  59. Finally making my way over for the blogfest! Sorry I'm late visiting.

    Great answers! =)

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  60. Batty has the English meaning down here. But it is barely used. We'd say something like "he carries on like a galah."

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  61. Sweet list. Fellow crusader stopping by to say hello.

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  62. No problem at all, Shannon. I'm still visiting people.

    Al, now I've got to find out what a galah it, that might be my new word of choice.

    Hey, Regina. Nice to meet you!

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  63. I love your answers - and agree with so many!! I couldn't work with corpses either - kind of a wimp that way :)

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  64. I love your answers! Listening to your son in the shower - how precious!

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  65. Great answers, especially your favourite word and #10. Never knew there were two meanings to 'batty'.

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  66. Jemi, thanks for popping in.

    Susan, my son does enjoy his morning-time yodel.

    J.C., Thanks!

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  67. Oh for cryin' out loud! Hee hee, I say that about twenty times a day - always under my breath :-)

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  68. that's a great favorite word, both in the way it's pronounced and in its meaning.

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  69. I love your favorite sound - haven't caught my kids singing in the shower yet, but that would be fun! And your #10 too. Following you back, crusader

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  70. Hi, J. J., nice to meet you via this blogfest. Thanks for visiting and following me. I enjoyed all your answers. Lovely word: recherche (can't do the accent thing on my computer yet.) Have a nice day.

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  71. Many thanks for visiting. I look forward to reading more of your thoughts.

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  72. I love your favorite words! Hello from a fellow crusader.

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  73. We have lots of similar answers. :)

    Sorry I'm just now getting here...between Nic's blogfest and the crusade (and real life/family, etc) I'm still making the rounds.

    Have a lovely weekend,
    Lola

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  74. Thanks, Lola. It did take me a few days to do the rounds too!

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  75. Ah, neighbors. Gotta love 'em!

    I'm running a little behind on the blogfest, but glad to meet another crusader. Talk to you soon!

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  76. I love listening to my son sing as well. He's so bad but it sounds great!
    Thanks for sharing your answers.

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  77. Heather, I see you know all about this stuff. :D

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  78. Hi, fellow crusader. Love your answer to #4. I'm a follower now.

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  79. Thanks, Ciara, coming round to visit!

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  80. Great answers! I loved what you put for #10.

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  81. Loving your favourite word. It's one I've never heard of, but love it.

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  82. Hi J.L
    Love your fav words. Laughed about your fav sound :) My son (and now daughter) make a racket when in the toilet. Number twos seem to create the need for singing!
    look forward to following you!!

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  83. Kerrin,

    Thanks for coming by. Your comment made me chuckle.

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