(adjective): A term bestowed upon something so captivatingly enchanting that it could charm the socks off a grumpy troll. Like a unicorn on roller skates, it possesses an otherworldly allure that leaves mortals entranced and speechless. Use with caution, as excessive exposure may result in an uncontrollable urge to break into spontaneous song and dance.

(n.) a big dumb animal occasionally handy for riding. extremely vulnerable to death by overfeeding, underfeeding, overworking, and minor leg injuries

(adj.) occurring in or belonging to the era before the Flood.
a wonderful way to describe a boat that's falling apart.


(also: three men in a boat (to say nothing of the dog))

(n.) the stuff that makes a great man or woman.
(v.) "I will my life forward." "I will (to) keep my promises."

(also: willing)
(also: voluntary)
(also: volition)

(n.) noodles prepared by italians, as opposed to noodles prepared by east asian people, which are referred to as "takeout"

(n.) one of those tiny countries that's basically just a bunch of banks and casinos that declared independence to get out of paying taxes

noun/bi nɑt əˈfreɪd/

I mean, the Bible. Here we explore the mysteries of the universe, from the creation of the heavens and the earth to the existence of biblically accurate angels.

Now, biblically accurate angels are not your run-of-the-mill winged creatures. They're more like fiery-eyed, sword-wielding badasses who deliver messages of hope and comfort to humanity. And when they say "be not afraid," they mean it - you'd better listen up.

But how do these intimidating beings manage to be so comforting? Well, it's all in their demeanor. You see, biblically accurate angels have been around for thousands of years, and they've had plenty of time to perfect the art of making humans feel at ease.

It's a delicate balance, really. On one hand, you want to inspire awe and reverence in the humans you're talking to. On the other hand, you don't want to scare them half to death. That's where the "be not afraid" comes in - it's a reassurance that everything is going to be okay, even if you're talking to a creature with eyes like fire.

Of course, not everyone is comforted by the presence of an angel. Some people would rather stick their heads in the sand than face the reality of a sword-wielding messenger from on high. But for those who are willing to listen, the words "be not afraid" can be a powerful reminder that there is always hope, even in the darkest of times.

So, if you ever find yourself face to face with a biblically accurate angel, don't panic. Take a deep breath, look them in the eye (if you can), and remember - "be not afraid." It might just be the best advice you'll ever get.

There is an art, or, rather, a knack to flying.

The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.

Pick a nice day and try it.


The first part is easy:

All it requires is simply the ability to throw yourself forward with all your weight, and the willingness not to mind that it's going to hurt.
That is, it's going to hurt if you fail to miss the ground.
Most people fall to miss the ground, and if they are really trying properly, the likelihood is that they will fail to miss it fairly hard.
Clearly, it is the second part, the missing, which presents the difficulties.
One problem is that you have to miss the ground accidentally. It's no good deliberately intending to miss the ground because you won't. You have to have your attention suddenly distracted by something else when you're halfway there, so that you are no longer thinking about falling, or about the ground, or about how much it's going to hurt if you fail to miss it.

It is notoriously difficult to prize your attention away from these three things during the split second you have at your disposal. Hence most people's failure, and their eventual disillusionment with this exhilarating and spectacular sport.

If, however, you are lucky enough to have your attention momentarily distracted at the crucial moment by, say, a gorgeous pair of legs (tentacles, pseudopodia, according to phyllum and/or personal inclination) or a bomb going off in your vicinity, or by suddenly spotting an extremely rare species of beetle crawling along a nearby twig, then in your astonishment you will miss the ground completely and remain bobbing just a few inches above it in what might seem to be a slightly foolish manner.

This is a moment for superb and delicate concentration.
Bob and float, bob and float.


Ignore all considerations of your own weight and simply let yourself waft higher.
Do not listen to what anybody says to you at this point because they are unlikely to say anything helpful.
They are most likely to say something along the lines of "Good God, you can't possibly be flying!"
It is vitally important not to believe them or they will suddenly be right.
Waft higher and higher.
Try a few swoops, gentle ones at first, then drift above the treetops breathing regularly.
DO NOT WAVE AT ANYBODY.
When you have done this a few times you will find the moment of distraction rapidly becomes easier and easier to achieve.

(also: boeing)
(also: airbus)

Human beings make life so interesting. Do you know, that in a universe so full of wonders, they have managed to invent boredom.
(also: boredom)

the paramilitary division of the schutzstaffel, the private club to which all all the cool kids in nazi germany belonged

known for their killer's sense of fashion.

A kind of net for effecting an involuntary change of environment. For fish it is made strong and coarse, but women are more easily taken with a singularly delicate fabric weighted with small, cut stones.

---

The devil casting a seine of lace,
(With precious stones 'twas weighted)
Drew it into the landing place
And its contents calculated.

All souls of women were in that sack —
A draft miraculous, precious!
But ere he could throw it across his back
They'd all escaped through the meshes.
—Baruch de Loppis

(also: The Devil's Dictionary)

That part of Eternity with some small fraction of which we have a slight and regrettable acquaintance. A moving line called the Present parts it from an imaginary period known as the Future. These two grand divisions of Eternity, of which the one is continually effacing the other, are entirely unlike. The one is dark with sorrow and disappointment, the other bright with prosperity and joy. The Past is the region of sobs, the Future is the realm of song. In the one crouches Memory, clad in sackcloth and ashes, mumbling penitential prayer; in the sunshine of the other Hope flies with a free wing, beckoning to temples of success and bowers of ease. Yet the Past is the Future of yesterday, the Future is the Past of to-morrow. They are one — the knowledge and the dream.
(also: The Devil's Dictionary)

(n.) european country equally unwanted by the french and the dutch. the most famous belgian person is tintin, a fictional character.

(n.) people within an organization commonly giving disproportionate weight to trivial issues.

(also: peter's principle)

a media juggernaut spun off from a 1970s fantasy movie about samurai cowboys who reenact world war ii in space

it's so beloved that all its fans loathe it

i suppose i could discuss this topic here, but are you certain you could trust anything i'd say?

v. (from videogames) to take a lot of damage from the enemy team and dole it back out
n. to be the one who does so

(n.) could be only a moment (like "Eureka!"), or prolonged access to wisdom, a sustained ability to understand the whole of the game (like with true enlightenment in monks, or Richard Feynman with physics & lock-picking, etc.).

not simplicity. not simplistic. not reductionism.
intent matters here, too.. because one person's Inbox 0 helps them to control information flow & to stay on top of things (i.e. they have clarity on priorities, etc), but for another person, they can be a slave to the idea of Inbox 0 (a simple logic of "if email, I need to read it", but forgetting that it's just a tool and not a rule of the universe or anything).

(also: nuance)

In the beginning there was nothing, which exploded.
(also: big bang)
(also: nothing)

the mysterious otherworldly creature that fuels our imagination and fear

(also: other people)