Dan Poynter

Author's posts

Mammonpalooza

This word was apparently coined by doubled-letter fan Russell Moore. There’s not a lot of context, but it’s one of those words whose meaning is pretty apparent. Named from the Aramaic word for ‘riches,’ I would sum it up as ‘a celebration of how much can acquired around the date traditionally set aside for the …

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One More Ride: Chapter 2: Two Tragedies

Chapter One Norville just stood there in the kitchen, angry. Angry at Fred for his alcoholism, for his philandery, for his temper, for his stupid remarks. But mostly angry at himself. Why had he let stupid Fred stupid get to him? Stupid. Then he remembered the anniversary. He sat down in his chair to finish …

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Dairy Queen, Windsor, Missouri

Some people put plastic flamingos on their front lawns. In Windsor, Missouri, this person put a tiny Dairy Queen on his. I’m not knocking it; we would have gone except we were still full of amazing campfire-cooked bacon, eggs, and sausage.

Review: China Dragon

While on vacation we tried out a Chinese restaurant my brother recommended, China Dragon in Concordia, Missouri. It’s a little place on the main drag—restaurant only, no buffet. The Food The food was very good, and the portions are large. I don’t know about you, but I’m picky about my favorite dish, pork lo-mein. Some …

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Mmmm….smells

A while back the family and I were on our way back from Sunday lunch, taking the long way back, and talking about our favorite smells. It wasn’t as boring or short a conversation that you are probably thinking. Some of the mutual faves: pipe tobacco, rain, old books, decaying leaves, freshly tilled earth, clean …

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Dan Visits the Social Security Office

We need to get Social Security cards for our daughters. I dropped by the SS office in Independence yesterday afternoon. I didn’t know what time they closed, I just assumed it would be similar to other government offices. Turns out the office hours were 9-3:30. So I had to leave work mid-day to get there …

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Quotable: 35 yr old male

“If it was good for ya, they’d put it in vitamins.” –my boss, on the topic of the alleged benefits of marijuana.

kummerspeck

My daughter found this word and sent it to me. It’s a German word “kummerspeck” that means “excess weight gained by emotional over-eating” and translates literally as “grief bacon.”

Quotable: George Washington

“Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence; true friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.” —Letter to Bushrod Washington (15 January 1783).

Quotable: Adam Clarke

“Rash judgments are doubly pernicious; they hurt those who form them, and those of whom they are formed.”