DEC
28
2009
The Copy D. Word of the Week
- Posted By:
- Copy D
- Date:
- December 28th, 2009 /// Copy D. Word of the Week
skul⋅dug⋅ger⋅y [skuhl-duhg-uh-ree]
–n. plural -ger⋅ies.
1. an instance of dishonest or deceitful behavior; trick.
I knew there was some skullduggery afoot when I noticed my chair was on the ceiling.
DEC
21
2009
The Copy D. Word of the Week
- Posted By:
- Copy D
- Date:
- December 21st, 2009 /// Copy D. Word of the Week
tar⋅ra⋅did⋅dle [tar-uh-did-l]
–n.
1. a petty falsehood; a fib.
I don’t know what you’re so mad about, I just told a tiny tarradiddle.
You told my niece you had a unicorn farm so that she would choose you as her favorite!
DEC
14
2009
The Copy D. Word of the Week
- Posted By:
- Copy D
- Date:
- December 14th, 2009 /// Copy D. Word of the Week
scha⋅den⋅freu⋅de [shahd-n-froi-duh]
–n.
1. satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else’s misfortune.
An inescapable sense of schadenfreude enveloped him as he witnessed the dog steal his brother’s burrito.
DEC
08
2009
As a busy copywriter constantly juggling family, friends and career, it can be tough to find extra time to fuel my creative mind. I’d love to spend countless hours journaling, taking classes or writing prose, but I don’t have limitless time to give. So, I’ve resorted to making the most of everyday activities to stave off creative hunger.
I have to eat to live. I have to be creative to make a living. I combine the two and use the kitchen as a place to nurture my imagination. Cooking has a big pay off that’s unlike any other creative exercise for me – I actually get to consume my creativity.
Rather than connect words in ways that “resonate with target audience,” I unite ingredients to “please the palette.” I get to handle them, season, prepare and plate. And the physicality of being on my feet and working with my hands, has an odd ability to steady my soul while also making my neurons rapid fire.
Manipulating ingredients isn’t such a departure from wordsmithing. Food simply acts as the verbiage. With time and practice, I learned how to pair ingredients to create something unexpected. I know when and how to take risks that enhance the flavor profile of a traditional recipe. The variety in preparation is just like the variety in media – sometimes I braise, other times I blanch to achieve the desired result.
Feeding a creative mind is a never-ending pursuit. And finding inspiration in something routine can be a refreshing creative challenge. I’m probably not the first to recognize that when this portion of my mind isn’t consistently nourished, I’ll find myself starving for ideas when it counts.
I challenge you to take an everyday activity – doing the laundry, driving to work or shopping for groceries – and transform it into a creative exercise. We’d love to hear about it so make sure you share!
DEC
07
2009
The Copy D. Word of the Week
- Posted By:
- Copy D
- Date:
- December 7th, 2009 /// Copy D. Word of the Week
flib⋅ber⋅ti⋅gib⋅bet [flib-er-tee-jib-it]
-n.
1. a silly, chattering or flighty person.
If this flibbertigibbet next to me doesn’t shut up for two seconds, I might tear my own eyes out and plug my ears with them.
I can hear you, you know.
Oh really? I didn’t know you could do anything but talk.
NOV
30
2009
The Copy D. Word of the Week
- Posted By:
- Copy D
- Date:
- November 30th, 2009 /// Copy D. Word of the Week
ker·fuf·fle [kər-ˈfə-fəl]
-n.
1. a disorderly outburst or tumult, commotion.
What’s all this kerfuffle?
Someone’s claiming they saw a leprechaun.
In Alabama? Who would have thought?
NOV
23
2009
The Copy D. Word of the Week
- Posted By:
- Copy D
- Date:
- November 23rd, 2009 /// Copy D. Word of the Week
pon⋅tif⋅i⋅cate [pon-tif-i-keyt]
-v.
1. to speak or express opinions in a pompous or dogmatic manner.
We can pontificate about this all day, but we’ll never know who’d win a battle between Gandalf and Dumbledore.
Dude. Gandalf is a Maia spirit – he’s immortal.
Yeah, but Dumbledore has a phoenix.
Footnote: Curious about this argument? So were we. Check out what we found: http://bit.ly/3Ro7hk
NOV
20
2009
The Copy D. Word of the Week
- Posted By:
- Copy D
- Date:
- November 20th, 2009 /// Copy D. Word of the Week
The average American knows between 12,000 – 20,000 words. As copywriters, we understand and respect the power of words. The right combination can influence emotions, intrigue intellect, and even change lives. And some of them are just plain fun to say.
We want the world to see the wonder of words through our eyes. To this purpose, the Copy D. presents Word of the Week. Slip it into a few sentences over the next seven days. Revel in the reactions you receive. Soak up the expressions of entertainment, appreciation and awe that will undoubtedly result. When you encounter a blank stare, feel free to choose between enlightening your audience or exiting through your cloud of linguistic superiority. Bask in the glory of your new-found power. And come back next week for another fix.
clish⋅ma⋅cla⋅ver [klish-muh-kley-ver, kleesh-]
—n. Scot.
1. gossip; idle or foolish talk.
No one cares who got kicked off the Tool Academy last night; cut the clishmaclaver and get back to work.
AUG
25
2009
Finding Inspiration With Your Head in the Clouds
- Posted By:
- Julie Jones
- Date:
- August 25th, 2009 /// Inspiration
Apparently I’m not the only one with my head in the clouds. Check out the 30 Creepiest Clouds on Earth, including faces, animals and weird images.
Make sure to send us cool images you catch in the clouds! Email your pictures to cloudy@keathleyad.com, and we’ll post them on our blog for the world to see.