Bill W

Yes, Mac ended up taking a low blow, but it was unintentional and it earned him a hero worshipping little friend. 😜 😁 Yes, Clint is an interesting little guy, and it looks as if he and his father are going to try to stay close with Mac and Devin. Thanks you, Danilo.

I have a feeling Clint is a bit gay and looking for some action. I wonder how this will play out. 😜

Yes, it's neat when you get close to new acquaintances/friends on vacation, especially if they're like Lonny and Clint. 😁

Yes, the were individual stars and didn't form a group. In fact, I wonder what kind of songs they would have sung. They'll go to games, but I don't know if it will be around their birthdays. We'll have to wait and see. Yes, it would be nice if there were more people like that.

Chapter 3 – Making New Friends As soon as we woke up on Monday morning, Devin and I dressed basically the same way we had the day before, only with different shorts and sweatpants. We also decided to wear the CSU football jersey that Devin’s parents gave us as Christmas presents, since they were also made from nylon, and mine was number 27 and Devin’s was 82. As soon as we were ready, we went to meet up with my parents to eat. “What are we doing today?” I asked. “As I told y

To tell you the truth, I haven't figured out how old you are! 😜

I'm definitely more than 10 years above the upper end of your age range preferences.

Not rich and struggling to make it from month to month! Sorry.

I highly doubt @Jason Rimbaud would be interested in an old geezer like me.

I wouldn't say that's the right word to describe you. I don't think that word has been invented yet! 🤪

Nomenclature comes from French, who got it from Latin nomenclatura, from nomen ‘name’ + clatura ‘calling, summoning’ (from calare ‘to call’). Nomenclature was first used in English the the early 17th century. The first known use of the word "nomenclature" in English was in 1610. This word, borrowed from Latin, refers to the practice of naming things, particularly in a systematic or standardized way. Nomenclature used in a sentence: "The gene nomenclature follows the rules for gene symbols in wheat." "The nomenclature of the gene names is explained in the Methods section" "A few years ago they started a system of plate nomenclature - three letters, three numbers." "These set guidelines and publish a reports containing the rules of nomenclature." "The Model X follows a very similar nomenclature." "My mom sure knew how to keep a secret, but she had a real lack of imagination for nomenclature."

@wildone ever hear of sunscreen? But I'm not sure if that works on snowburn in 20C/50F spring weather in the frigid north. 😜 And according to my calculator, 20C is 68F, and that's a big difference! 😵 50F is 10C 😢 And are you all right, Beers are Optional! That doesn't sound like you. Maybe you should think about a checkup? 😲 Steve, are you saying your life may evolve from being a rug rat to a rink rat? 🤪 The only long weekend during May in the US is Memorial Day, which this year will be on Monday, May 26th. 😁

Behest is from a Germanic base meaning ‘bid’; related to hight. Behest came to Old English behǣs ‘a vow'. The word "behest" first appeared in English during the Middle English period around 1200. It originally meant "promise" or "pledge," derived from the Old English word "behǣs," which in turn came from "behatan" meaning "to promise". Over time, the word's meaning evolved to encompass "command" or "injunction," influenced by the related word "hest" (meaning "command"). The word's root lies in the Old English "behǣs," meaning "vow" or "promise," from the verb "behatan" (to promise). Today, "behest" is most commonly used to mean an authoritative command or request, often in the phrase "at the behest of...". A behest is a strong command or exhortation, often given by someone in a position of authority. A request is a polite way of asking something. Examples of behest in a sentence: "At the behest of her friends, she read the poem aloud." "The meeting was called at the senator's behest." "The committee had assembled at the behest of the chairman." "The slaughter of all male infants under the age of two was done at the behest of Herod." "He was merely rebalancing his portfolio, at the behest of his financial advisor." "I only made the change at the author's behest." "Later in the episode, Mysaria was murdered by Larys (Matthew Needham) in a fire at the behest of the queen." "The Senate didn't pay the $155 per diem to Clark for that meeting at the behest of Senate leaders."

Charade comes from French, from modern Provençal charrado ‘conversation’, from charra ‘chatter’, perhaps of imitative origin. The first documented use of the word "charade" in English dates back to 1776. It's a borrowing from French, referring to a kind of riddle or game where a word is guessed based on described syllables or dramatic representations. The word "charade" can refer to either a deceptive act or pretense, or it can be a single round of the guessing game "Charades". "Charades" (with an "s") refers to the game itself, a parlor game where players act out words or phrases for their teammates to guess. The game of charades originated in France in the 18th century and evolved from a riddle-based game where participants described the individual syllables of a word along with a definition for others to solve. It was later adapted into the game we know today where titles and phrases are acted out without words. Example of charade used in a sentence: "The female spy could no longer keep up the charade of being a simple domestic." "Or would he have continued this charade and pretended he was going to medical school?" "The marriage between two actors quickly turned into a charade" "This charade of an interview was nothing more than a commercial for appeasement." "The voters have now broken the charade of unanimity." "However, the whole exercise was a charade." "Now we find that the whole time-consuming process was a meaningless charade."

Thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying this story. Just so you know, these characters are loosely based on me and my best friend from school. I'll let you figure out who's who. hehehe

Truncate comes from Latin truncat- ‘maimed’, from the verb truncare . The word "truncate" first appeared in the English language in the 15th century, initially as an adjective. Later, it was also used as a verb, with the earliest known use occurring around 1717. Examples of truncate used in a sentence: "This 5.8 mile (9.3 km) wide circular caldera truncates the top of a large shield volcano." "The genal angles are rounded, not truncated, no genal spine." "The course of her life would be altered by that truncated conversation." "He manages to complete this truncated journey." "The first day of her truncated visit proved to be surprisingly pleasant." "Officials claimed the truncation of the race was due to the earthquake." "There are no shortcuts available to Yazidis -- no way to truncate our trauma." "As the royals stood on the balcony, jets streaked overhead, in a flyby that was truncated due to the weather." "Although the director loved all of his film footage, he had to truncate the movie so its runtime would be less than forty-five minutes." "Jill had to truncate her presentation so it would not exceed five minutes." "Because twitter has a character limit, I had to truncate my post so it would meet length requirements." "Bill will truncate the huge Christmas tree so it will fit in our small living room."

Tarantula Molting: What to Expect By Lianne McLeod, DVM Updated on 06/11/24 Reviewed by Natasha Diehl Reviewed byNatasha Diehl Dr. Diehl is a passionate veterinarian pursuing specialty medicine with over 6 years' experience with exotic pets. She now works with a team of other experienced vets to provide the best advice and care for their clients' pets. Learn more about The Spruce Pets' Veterinary Review Board Dave King / Getty Images In This Article What is Tarantula Molting? Signs Care Back to Top Tarantula molting is when a tarantula sheds its outer shell to grow. Most tarantulas will molt while lying on their backs (though some will molt on their sides). It can be quite alarming to find your tarantula lying in a seemingly unnatural position, but this is a normal process for tarantulas. If you find your tarantula lying on its back, do not touch it as it is extremely fragile at this time.1 Here's what to expect during tarantula molting and how to properly care for your pet during this time. What is Tarantula Molting? Tarantula molting is the process by which a tarantula sheds its exoskeleton so it can grow. Tarantulas, like other arthropods, have a hard outer covering called the exoskeleton that provides support and protection. As the tarantula grows, the exoskeleton becomes too restrictive, and molting is necessary to accommodate its increasing size. Time: Molting usually takes anywhere from 15 minutes to a full day, so keep an eye on your tarantula but do not handle it. You should be able to verify molting by the evidence left behind in the form of the molt, which looks just like another spider. Frequency: Young growing spiders will molt up to once a month while older spiders may only molt every year or two. Adult males will only molt one time after reaching maturity due to their shorter lifespans. Signs of Tarantula Molting There are several signs that a tarantula is about to molt, and some are more subtle than others. Note that some of these signs can occur for other reasons besides molting: Lying on Its Back: Many people think that if their tarantula is on its back, it means that it is trying to die. This is not the case, and it is quite rare that a tarantula would ever be found dead upside down. It is more likely to be found dead with its legs curled under it than to be found lying on its back.2 Decreased appetite: A tarantula getting ready for a molt will usually stop eating, sometimes for as long as a few weeks before a molt. Decreased activity: A tarantula getting ready to molt will often become very slow and sluggish. Bald spot: Tarantulas also sometimes develop a bald spot on their abdomen that grows increasingly darker as the molt draws near (a bald spot can also occur in New World tarantulas that have been kicking off their urticating hairs). After molting, the bald spot will be gone. Increased use of webbing: Tarantulas may make a mat out of silk for molting. Dull coloration While it may look like your tarantula is in distress, molting is a natural process. Tarantula molting is not painful, but it does make them fragile and vulnerable to injury for a few days. A Guide to Tarantulas for Beginners How to Care for a Molting Tarantula If you notice the signs that a molt is impending, make sure the humidity in the tank is ideal and the temperatures are right for your specific kind of tarantula. A proper environment is important for a successful molt. Make sure there is no uneaten prey in the tank, as even a cricket can seriously injure—or even kill—a molting tarantula.3 Do not feed a newly molted tarantula for at least a week to prevent new crickets from biting your tarantula before the exoskeleton has time to harden. The newly molted tarantula is so sensitive that even an innocuous little cricket can cause serious harm to them.3 As the old exoskeleton is shed, the tarantula's body will be soft and extremely vulnerable. Though the actual molting usually takes a few hours, the tarantula's body will also be soft and vulnerable for several days before the new exoskeleton completely hardens. For this reason alone you should never handle a molting tarantula, or handle it right after it molts.4 You should also try not to startle or scare your tarantula during this time. The molt they leave behind is harmless and can be left in the habitat. Some tarantulas will move the molt or even curl up in it, but these are normal behaviors. It may appear as if the tarantula is eating the molt if they use their fangs to handle it. How to Care for a Pet Tarantula If you suspect your pet is sick, call your vet immediately. For health-related questions, always consult your veterinarian, as they have examined your pet, know the pet's health history, and can make the best recommendations for your pet.

The core of "rarefied" lies in the Latin words "rarus" and "facere," which together formed "rarificare," meaning "to make thin or rare," The word then passed through Old French, where it became "raréfier," further evolving into Middle English "rariefien". Initially, "rarefied" meant "made less dense," like air at high altitudes. Over time, it gained other meanings, including "exalted" or "of high intellectual or moral value". Today, "rarefied" is used to describe things that are thin, less dense, or of a high quality, often in a context of exclusivity or elevation. The adjective "rarefied" was first used in English in the early 1500s. It's a past participle of the verb "rarefy", which itself appeared in Middle English in the 14th century, The Oxford English Dictionary records the earliest use of the adjective "rarefied" in English from 1523, in the writing of John Skelton. Examples of rarefied used in a sentence: "How does it feel to be breathing such rarefied air?" "The debates about the nature of knowledge can seem very rarefied" "The Moon has no atmosphere; the Martian atmosphere is highly rarefied." "She portrays him as an outsider in the rarefied academic atmosphere of Oxford university." "The rarefied book was written in an ancient language that could only be read by a few linguists and historians." "When the Olympian won his tenth gold medal, he joined a rarefied body composed of only a small number of athletes." "Only a couple of audience members were not confused by the scientist’s rarefied concept." "Because Ann and Ted were not used to staying in luxury resorts, they were baffled by some of the rarefied amenities offered to them." "The singer is one of the few artists to reach the rarefied distinction of having fifteen number one hits."

Emblematic originates from the Greek word "émblēma" (genitive "émblematos"), meaning "an insertion". This literally meant "to throw in" and later evolved to mean "a relief or raised ornament". The Greek "émblēma" was adopted into Latin as "emblema," which also meant "inlaid ornamental work". In French, "emblema" became "emblème," taking on the meaning of a symbol or emblem. The English adjective "emblematic" is derived from the French "emblème," with the addition of the suffix "-atic". The first known use of the word "emblematic" in English was in 1645. It was borrowed from the New Latin term "emblēmaticus," which in turn came from "emblēma" (meaning "emblem") and the suffix "-icus". The word's earliest known usage in English is in the mid-1600s, specifically in 1645, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. Examples of emblematic used in a sentence: "He was again wearing the emblematic shirt." "My own personal story is emblematic of what is happening elsewhere." "That question is emblematic of tragic thinking." "It seemed entirely emblematic of their afternoon." "Empty buildings are emblematic of a city in decline." "A crown is emblematic of royalty."

You're very welcome, D. Thank you for the feedback and I'm glad that I could bring back some wonderful memories for you! I'm sure you had a great time when you were there, back in the day. Cheers!

Yes, Freddie Mercury is a gay icon, and so is his replacement on the band, Adam Lambert! And supposedly Adam has the same range and uniqueness that Freddie possessed, so Queen should remain a huge gay icon for years to come, just like Elton. Thanks for your feedback and support.

Thanks for the feedback, Pete, and you're right, Blue Moon of Kentucky brought back a lot of memories for me too, when I was doing research for the story. The really have that concert at Glenwood Springs and I was watching one of the video from a concert when I heard it. It wasn't exactly Bill Monroe, but it still made me sit up and take notice. I'm not usually a country or bluegrass kind of guy, but I listen to a lot of that type of music growing up. My mom even watched CMT (Country Music TV) every day when she got older as well, so I heard plenty of that type of music growing up. I'm glad I could give you a flashback to your youth.

I don't believe Ozzy was all in on the relgious aspect of the bands name, unless he could smoke it.

Thanks, Anton, and I'm glad your focusing on the healthy aspects of the meal, with the all you can eat salad bar. Sometimes I feel as if I've just gone out in the yard to graze for a while. 😜

Thank you, drs. I thought I'd have the family do something a little different this time. I'm glad it brought up some good memories for you. And thank you for the links. I'm sure some readers will find them useful. I must admit that I nearly got bounced out of a raft one time as we were going through a rough patch. I still think back to that time and still smile to this day.