Prede (n)

Not always pelf, this kind of tresure is sometimes awarded.

Extemporize (v)

A valuable skill. If it's based on knowledge, that's wonderful; if it's based on arrogance, a belief that whatever you have to say must be wonderfully intelligent, that's probably not good.

If it's just based on enjoying the sound of your own voice, then hopefully it's at least entertaining.

Abactor (n)

Kind of like an abductor, but they operate in the opposite way.

Middling (adj)

A rather mean sounding way to say 'average'.

Fictioneer (n)

Most of the writers who become "successful".

That's cynical.

What is the opposite of a fictioneer?

Quidnunc (n)

A successful person....

Perhaps that's just what I think. They have powers that I do not. And one of the few interests that I find hard to sustain.

Are you a quidnunc? Or are you a scholar? An academic? Or are you erudite? or are you learned in some other different way?

Jua Kali (n)

Oxford never sends actual English words. Maybe this phrase is popular in England. They never send American words. Or rarely send American words.

Jua Kali is the best kind of work, or the people who do such work.

Jua Kali is work outside.

Apothegm (n)

A little piece of wisdom. An Adage, or proverb even.

An Apophthegmata is a collection of apothegms.

My favorite for a while has to be: "Be the change you want to see in the world", which some might not think of as an apothegm.

I do.

What's your favorite apothegm?

Debouch (v)

A good word of anyone writing a book involving war. Which is a very popular subject despite how horrific and sad it is. Perhaps because it is horrific and sad... that's another topic.

Could also be used in some gross medical context. Debouch the infection!

Yestreen (adv)

Here's a strange word for y'all:

Not yester day, only for yester evening.

Use it wisely.

Erudite (adj)

A specific kind of learning someone could pursue.

Hermine Granger is quintessentailly erudite.

Quisling (n)

The cutest word for traitor ever.

Moodle (v)

To horbgorble (a word no one knows and I learned from a board game). Or to procrastinate, in certain circumstances. Burn the daylight hours.

Sometimes, it is hard not to moodle.

Alba (n)

A detailed sudser of a poem crying about two lovers who have to go their separate ways the morning after a little coition. Including a watchman character who guards over them and has advice.

How many of these kinds of poems could their be?

I would guess 3.

Sudser (n)

A good word to keep track of like "Bodice Ripper", "Slasher", and "" as an illustrative or silly word for a specific genre. 

What's your favorite genre terms?

Philtre (n)

An uncommon little world for a love potion or, if you prefer, a love trinket or charm.

Theories for the Basin of Arapahoe by a Colorado Skiier

Dear Arapahoe Basin,

I wanted to communicate to y'all my enjoyment of your lovely ski area and some thoughts that have been rolling around my head as I went sliding around the slopes.

I have recently been studying techniques of "co-creation", a marketing lens being studied at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. It is an intriguing and powerful tool for many firms going forward in this digital age. The basic concept is that customers can make significant contributions to a company. Innovations and valuable suggestions which not only can foster additional loyalty, but can provide answers to puzzling questions. 

For example, A-Basin has a commitment to environmental stewardship. My suggestion as a customer is that the Black Mountain Lodge (especially, but every eatery can benefit from this suggestion) should offer children's meals. A lot of waste is generated because families will order each of their children an enormous platter of food. Which, at Black Mountain, is sometimes too large for an adult. Not surprising, most kids can't finish that. It pains me to see so much of it thrown into your compost. We can't all take responsibility for the irresponsibility of others, but perhaps it could be mitigated by a smaller portion option and signage to explain that portions tend to be large.

My second environmental stewardship suggestion actually comes from my experience at A-Baisn. When we first came up, the lower parking was often full, but carpoolers were allowed in anyway. I would make this a more explicit policy. The lower lot should be strictly for carpoolers. I think this idea would actually be met with more support than it would seem. It can also be marketed to support A-Basin as a family-friendly ski area. I've talked to skiiers who have said, "I could care less [parking close] when I'm on my own." But when they have the whole family and the kids... they would prefer to be close. Having kids often makes getting out of the door more difficult. Having a car-poolers lot would help those families out.

The last thing I have to mention is the proposed expansion. I would caution: there is the very real possibility that this will be built and never used. Powderhorn in Grand Junction has a similar problem. They plan to build high-speed lifts, but their available snow could be severely impacted by changing snowfall. I don't believe that A-Basin will have Powderhorn's problems within our lifetime, actually, but that slope is very wind-blown. I hope it is currently being delayed by these very possible concerns. 

That's my input. Along with the "co-creation" paradigm, it could be useful to have a more visible suggestions section on your website and in your buildings (and perhaps some social-media voting system set up so that new ideas can be considered by the huge group of your customers.) A-Basin is now a fabulous place to ski, without any changes; and very convenient for city-slickers.

Enjoi!

http://arapahoebasin.com/ABasin/about/environment/default.aspx

http://arapahoebasin.com/ABasin/about/environment/initiatives.aspx

Scroop (v)

Your newest onomatopoeia. 

Bowdlerize (v)

Half of the distortion and destruction done to the Hobbit in the last two movies by ol' Mister Jackson.

Ah... It is so sad. What those movies could have been...

Cynosure (n)

I like this word. It's pretty. And useful, especially in a poetic sense. I think it could be more popular. Who is the cynosure of all attention at the party? Which engagement ring is the cynosure of all gazes in the set?

What is the cynosure of your life?

Polyhistor (n)

Kind of like a polymath, but a polyhistor is a 'great' scholar. 

Who is your favorite example of a polyhistor?

The first one I think of is Issac Asimov. 

Ingurgitate (v)

Is what it sounds like: EAT!

Frabjous (adj)

An ugly word for elegant.

Riparian (adj)

A word many know, but is a good, important word. Most riparian environments are fragile and under attack.

Nobodaddy (n)

When you first look at this word (those who don't know it already) what do you assume it means?

I assumed it would mean something like an absent father. Someone who was never there. As in, "I wish I had a father. All I have is a nobodaddy. I never even knew his name."

In a way, that is what it means. The Oxford definition says: a person no longer held in high esteem. So like a disrespected dad, "That's just my nobodaddy." or perhaps a father who got up and left, "Oh this picture? That's my nobodaddy before he left."

Also: God.

zing.

Bibliomania (n)

A specific state of a specific culturati.

There are a lot of words for obsession...

Technobabble (n)

A specific type of argot.

There are a lot of words for argot.

Psephocracy (n)

A word you probably don't know even though you (we) have a psephocracy. 

Logy (adj)

Anyone feel like this after looking at a computer or television too long?

I do.

Volitant (adj)

Birds, eg (most of them) and bats.

And planes and helicopters...

Virtuoso (n)

I wonder how many virtuosos are not part of the culturati? Is it a prerequisite to being a virtuoso?

Pulicose (adj)

Show a vet you're a wordhoardian: it means infested with fleas.

Defenestrate (v)

A strangely specific type of violence. If you know enough latin, you'll recognize 'fenestra', which means 'window'.

On May 21, 1618, two Catholic deputies to the Bohemian national assembly in Prague, and their poor secretary, were thrown out the windows of the castle, Hradčany (Hradshin) by some Protestants to begin the Thirty Years War.

That one event gave us this word, which sounds so humorous.

It has come, metaphorically, to also mean stripping someone of their power and position.

Bafflegab (n)

Another great word for argot. Intentionally (perhaps unintentionally) making communication not serve the purpose of communicating.

Talking or writing so that others can't understand you.

Pointless babbling.

Citramontane (adj, n)

I never knew this word and I live on citramontane. But I live ultramontane to the citramontane places I would rather live which are ultramontane to where I am now.

Moppet (n)

The inspiration for the Muppets, who are largely aimed to appeal to moppets.

Rubicund

A wonderfully argot way to say: 'that's thing's red!'

Predicate (v)

How often are we veridical in our predications?

I bet we do this once or twice a day as well.

Aver (v)

How often are we mendaciously cozened to aver wrongly?

I suppose we all do this once or twice in a day.

Cullen Skink (n)

That is a disgusting sounding name for a soup. But the description (smoked haddock, potatoes, onions, and milk) doesn't sound too bad.

Cozen (v)

If you are being mendacious, the goal of such wrongfulness is probably to cozen someone.

And shame on you!

Pelf (n)

Actually, a word that might be easy to remember.

Pelf are things pilfered. Booty, spoil, or other stolen stuff.

Aficionado (n)

Another word for the culturari.