en·nui
/änˈwē/
noun
noun: ennui
Def:
a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement.
synonyms: boredom, tedium, listlessness, lethargy, lassitude, languor, weariness, enervation;
I've never been bored. I don't know what that looks like, actually. There is enough around for me to fire up any creative juices that remain after this continuing weather assault.
New Terms/lingo/phrases, generated by this latest weather permutation:
Polar vortex.
Rolling Blackouts
Warming Centres
Elder Shelters.
Ennui. I always wanted to use the word. It sounds like I'm flopped on the couch, back of hand pressed to forehead, moaning "woe is me", or somesuch. Well, one afternoon I did. I neglected the woe-is-me part and read a book until I fell into a deep sleep and awoke to the fire in ashes. Not bad. I recommend.
I did a bit of writing: started an article that was requested of me. I did some reading. I did office work. I even did some knitting. And bread-making. And even freezer-prepped some dishes. And baked a bastible. So there.
Not enough ennui to qualify me as a full participant, I suppose. But ohmygod will this fecking weather unrelent itself and defrost my outdoor pathways so I can put on the old shyte-kickers and just vacate my house even briefly? Please?
They have said on the weather forecast that winter is going to come here also finally, but I don't want it too. Especially not after reading about your "ennui." I don't want to be stuck inside because of snow and ice, oh no! I will complain to those in charge.
ReplyDeleteIrene:
ReplyDeleteMaybe you'll have better luck than me.
I'm at the end of my rope.
XO
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A hair dryer might provide you with enough hot air to find your way out.
ReplyDeleteEnnui is only for the French and gay men. I do have this on good authority. Other than that I have currently lost the strength (not the will) to knead.
U
Like you, I'm never bored for long. Anyone with a curious mind or a desire to organise always has something to do!
ReplyDeleteI hope the appalling weather lets up soon and brings an end to the cabin-fever.
To make new hairstyle everyday . try this Hair Dryer from Panasonic.
ReplyDeleteUrsula:
ReplyDeleteBlowtorch more like. And do you see what your word hair dryer did to the spammer - I'm leaving it up for all to chuckle at.
Knead? Knead? Us Irish women don't knead. We don't use yeast at all. :)
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Nick:
ReplyDeleteThe sun is out and it's dry (but icy) warmth forecast for tomorrow. With rain. Which will freeze over. And cycle to start again. :)
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MK:
ReplyDeleteThis means you're live. And sitting at a computer and inputting captchas on to blog comments when keywords like hair dryers pop up.
I don't think there's much dignity in your profession as a hair-dryer pimp.
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People who can read and write and do domestic work, will never suffer from ennui.
ReplyDeleteCabin fever. And I do love your definition of ennui. Yes, that's how I see it, too. Love the "oh woe is me" part! And what are you doing today, now that you've even baked bastible - which is what?
ReplyDeleteThinking of you and imagining enjoying a cup of tea with you and a slice of bastible - or something.
xoxo
No ennui for me today. I had a young lady visit me to ask if I could make a slight alteration to her Prom dress. We had fun, but the sewing will have to wait for daylight.
ReplyDeleteWWW, I thought you had snow trax for your shoes, or is it too deep?
Ennui is the pose of attention-seeking youth, and the refuge of self-pitying age.
ReplyDeleteI don't get bored either, but I have dabbled in ennui, which I consider a crucially different state (though there is some overlap).
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping you get a rise in temperatures soon. We've had a few frosty mornings in the west of Ireland, long overdue.
Ennui has long been a favorite word of mine. Do you knwow the Edward Gorey book Gashlycrumb Tinies? It included "N is for Neville who died of ennui."
ReplyDeletehttp://dpworks.net/smilga/gashlycrumb-tinies.pdf
ennui?
ReplyDeleteI can’t see any round here. The list of things you mention you did does give me to understand exactly the opposite. Ennui? Not on your Nellie.
Sorry to hear that you're experiencing cabin fever. I would too if I was cooped up for too long.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that you don't get bored though. That would be awful.
I was interested to read the definition of the word ennui! Not much used here.
There is always something to do for the creative mind...... though I'd miss communing with people eventually.
Hoping the weather will thaw very soon.
Maggie x
Nuts in May
Ramana:
ReplyDeleteI think a surfeit or lack of choice in any of these tasks creates a kind of ennui. The entrapment syndrome :)
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Verna:
ReplyDeleteOh you'd swoon over my bastible and I even made a gluten-free, dairy-free, legume-free one for Daughter.
yes a chat and tea and bastible sounds really good!!
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GM:
ReplyDeleteI love the thought you're involved with a prom dress, wonderful!
No. 'Tis the ice that scares me, very layered and quite dangerous.
I do have grippers but as of day before yesterday getting out and risking seemed far too overwhelming.
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Marc:
ReplyDeleteWhen I think "ennui" I imagine Oscar Wilde for some reason, he never achieved old age but I would imagine his ennui would get more extreme :0
Well said.
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Stan:
ReplyDeleteI may have to take refuge in the West, maybe next year. I do love where you live, Stan. I had some good times in Galway.
Up the Tribes!
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SAW:
ReplyDeleteI'd forgotten about that wee book, thanks.
Death by ennui? A noble ending a la the world is too much with me.
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I write in jest Friko, I would like to think myself capable of it, the fainting couch, the bored slowly drifting kerchief across the brow, the discreet yawns.
ReplyDeleteNaw, not me at all :)
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Maggie May:
ReplyDeleteNot much around here either, hard as I try. Someone from your neck of the woods posted snowdrops. Snowdrops!!!
Hope!!!
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Hmmmm... sounds from that last paragraph like a serious case of cabin fever has crept into your existence. Maybe you could write a brief treatise entitled, "How a Fragile Mind Deals with Enforced Hibernation in outport Snow Dump" or something like that? >grin<
ReplyDeleteBeautiful day here today. Currently five degrees and sunny. A lot of the snow has melted away and the coating of ice that was on everything Saturday has pretty much disappeared. More is coming, so I'm restraining the urge to run naked through the streets! For which the neighbours are enormously grateful. :-) vp
Ah how times change when the weather is a fickle mistress indeed, Veep.
ReplyDeleteRight now we're basking, I tell ya. Basking. Posted a pic of my green lawn on FB with nearly all of the mountains of snow fair melted away.
But don't talk abnormally high tides.
Shush.
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It's hard when you're ill-prepared, as most are when it happens only once or twice in a lifetime. Here, we love the winter snow, but it's expected and never lets us down. From November to April it's snow, snow, snow. Thankfully, the power company is very efficient in the UP and we get way fewer black-outs than was the case where we used to live, six hundred miles south in Central Illinois. Of course, we are prepared (though it took two winters to perfect everything!) with a standby generator, well-stocked food supply, and wood by the ton for heating. Winter clothing is heavyweight also, so we're not trapped indoors, as is snow-moving equipment. Being out in the snow can be a wonderful experience, but only if you know the house is warm and the food hot when you return.
ReplyDeleteThis may all sound a little smug, but it's not meant to be. As I mentioned at the beginning, who would make such preparations for a once, or twice, in a lifetime event? Instead, we'd rely on our elected officials and their administrators to step into the breach. Of course, as always, we'd be disappointed.
Am new to this blogging lark, I love your's...stephanie.
ReplyDelete