Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Kvetch & Kvell


Don't ask me why I think this illustrates the title of this post. I have no idea. I guess, if you're Dorothy, you'd kvell, and if you're the WW of the W, you'd kvetch? Both terms are Yiddish, of course.

Kvetch: to complain or grumble
I have a kvetch today, which is that this damned soil around here is good for making bricks but not gardens. All went well until last week when suddenly we had 100 degree heat on the heels of way too much rain. Nice soft soil turned into cracked clay. I just pulled up a bunch of now-dead fleurs, poor fleurs.

Kvell: to be extraordinarily proud : rejoice
I have a kvell today, which is that I just got an advance copy of an anthology of "year's best" short stories, and one of mine is in it.
Do you have a kvetch or a kvell to lay on us today?

19 comments:

Nancy P said...

Be thou not shy. Bitch 'n' Brag to your heart's content. And ours.

Eep! Is tomorrow Wednesday already? Okay, that's another kvetch, cause I need at least one extra day this week.

maryb said...

N. Congrats on the short story!

kvetch - got back from vacation tonight. It was 72 degrees this morning when I flew out of International Falls. It was ... REALLY HOT when I landed in St. Louis. sigh. But the major thunder storms we just had might have cooled it off some.

Nancy P said...

Maryb! Thanks. I missed you! When you get a chance kvell about all the cool--in both senses--stuff you saw or did. It must have been sooo nice to get away. Was it hard to return?

AndiF said...

Hi Mary. My sympathies for the end of vacation. I'm verklempt at the thought of your having to leave that wonderfully cool vacationing for hot, humid lawyering.

It's hot, humid, and storming here. Feh on summer.

Anonymous said...

I have a short story coming out in the Beacons of Tomorrow anthology. I can kvell about that. This weekend I also take my son down to Rolla for graduate school. I can both kvetch and kvell about that.

Maria Lima said...

Congrats to Nancy & Paul re: short stories!

I'll just kvell today because I'm still psyched about this whole screenplay idea. I think it's going to be fun. :)

Plus, it's less than 3 weeks until my Vancouver birthday trip! Whee!!!

Off to the workplace!!

Larry Kollar said...

Kvetch: I can't find my freeking glasses! I feel like thisguy at the moment (and Lordy does that date me). I'm wearing my old pair, which don't quite focus right anymore, but it's better than nothing. I'll be hurtin' for certain by this evening though.

Kvell: I've got the next two episodes of FAR Future completed, the third mostly drafted out, and that will take me into the next major cycle… so I'm feeling pretty confident about finishing it up.

Nancy P said...

Andi, lol, we share a brain. I was trying to fit verklempt in there somehow, but finally decided it was one "v" too many.

Paul, great news about the short story! And funny about how sending a kid off can be both kv and kv. Life's like that.

Maria, yes, I think the screenplay deserves at LEAST two full days of kvelling. :) You're a Virgo, too? What date?

Oh,noes, Far! Hope you find them asap. And good work on the writin' stuff.

Nancy P said...

Far, you've seen this one? (first one on the page).

http://icanhascheezburger.com/page/6/

Anonymous said...

Kvell: I'm not sure I knew this word before. I'm learning so much this summer.
Just posted on my critique group's site my two chapters I edited today.
This is six days in a row of meeting my editing goal.
Want to make a complete major edit through my book before--

Kvetch: work starts a week from Monday and the kids come the next week.
I teach 7th-12th grade at our district's alternative school. When students get in trouble they are assigned to us for 20-90 days.
I teach a personal development class: decision making, communication, problem solving etc.
I have a masters in counseling.
So let's just say my students are a bit more reluctant than most to return to school.

Verklempt-- It's only 76 right now and is only supposed to get up in the 90's today in Big D. Clouds, we have clouds. They tease us with talk of rain. Talk is all it is so far.

Kelly McCullough said...

Kvetch - Still working in the land between book contracts.

Kvells - Got invited to be part of a SF/Mystery crossover anthology project as one of the big names they're going to use to sell it to a house, more I cannot say unless someone picks it up. Also got invited to be part of an astronomy/SF grant project, likewise can't say more unless it runs. Neither one may turn into money, but just getting invited to do this stuff is cool.

Andi, loved the web photos yesterday!

Larry Kollar said...

I'm at work with my old pair of glasses. They don't quite focus as well as they used to, but they do OK for distance work and thus better than trying to commute without any at all.

Yeah, I saw the nearsighted kitteh. That's me alright. Serves me right for putting them down in the dark last night. Hm. I wonder if they fell off the dresser & got scooped up on the dirty laundry. I'll have to give DD a call (Mrs. Fetched is off shooting video).

Nancy P said...

Lisa, good work!! (In both your writing and your day job.) I love that you added a verklempt. :)

Kelly, those are wonderful kvells. May they turn into words and money.

Far, I have a friend who's learning to dowse. I'll send her over to dowse for your glasses. :)

AndiF said...

And while we're still in Yiddish mode, I realized I needed to remind everyone who kvelled that you need to to say "Kain ein horeh" so that the Evil Eye won't ruin things. And my bubbe always told me to spit over my left shoulder* too for extra protection -- because that would make the Evil Eye back away.

* it does take some practice to avoid spitting on your shoulder

Anonymous said...

Thanks Andif--

Kain ein horeh

Now I'll go outside and spit while the dogs do their business.

We all must multitask ya know.

Nancy P said...

lol, Andi. Okay, I just spit over my shoulder, but the guy at the table behind me in the library isn't looking very happy about it. I think I shorted out his keyboard.

AndiF said...

Well Nancy, he shouldn't complain -- after all if you're that close, you're keeping the Evil Eye away from him too.

boran2 said...

Congratulations on getting into the anthology, Nancy! Sorry to hear about the flowers. Our plants have actually done fairly well this year, even with our strange weather.

kvetch(es) Too many to choose.

kvell: Hmm, I'll have to think on that.

Nancy P said...

Snort, andi!

Thanks, boran2. I'll kvell over your latest painting. I'll kvetch cause you don't paint fast enough. :)