Word of the Day #46: Fortnight

Fortnight fourteen days; two weeks. Fortnight is a portmanteau word.  A portmanteau is a blended word. The combination takes on the meanings of both words. Fortnight is a combination of fourteen and night.   Change the spelling and, for some reason you end with the...

When to retire (book excerpt)

I have written a book on goal setting.  I am now in the process of editing the book.  This is an excerpt. ================================================= When to retire I have known people who retired at the age of 60 simply to play golf and watch TV.   What if they...

Word of the Day #45: Slactivism

When we fuse two words we can create a new word, and sometimes a new concept.  We call such words portmanteau words. Not long ago, I heard the portmanteau word slacktivism for the first time. Slactivism: half-hearted activism We participate in slactivism by posting...

Word of the Day #44: Lawfare

Lawfare The use of the judicial system against one’s opponents Lawfare, a portmanteau word, is a combination of law and warfare. C.S. Lewis once pointed out that we live under something like administrative lawfare.  “I live in the Managerial Age, in a world of...

Word of the Day #43: Portmanteau

I like portmanteau words. If you have no idea what I am talking about, let me explain.   A portmanteau was once a traveling case for clothing.  Once you reached your destination, it could double as a small piece of furniture.   The word comes from the French...