In my self-appointed role as your dark (spelt s-l-a-n-g) side (don't hesitate to require me to put a sock in it), I checked out the counter-linguistic possibilities. Most refer, who'd have guessed, to the female breasts, while ‘plumpy’ is an erect penis and 'plumper' an act of intercourse. But my favo(u)rite is 'the plump currant', an outstanding example, whether positive or otherwise. Captiain Grose conjured thus, albeit adjectivally ‘I am not plump currant; I am out of sorts.’
Probably because of gossip in the Chronicle, I was well aware of PlumpJack the wine store. I had met Gordan Getty very briefly--he recruited Susan and me as boosters and oompa-loompas for the new Chamber Symphony--so I felt that he was a very close friend. And I followed the adventures of Gavin, Kimberly (I know!), Browns Willie and Jerry, Kamala, Linda Ronstadt, Nancy and Dianne--the whole gang--while simultaneously developing an unrequited love for gigantic reds like cabernet sauvignon and old-vine zinfandel. Alas. I got a little plump myself, and all those people left town. Then I did, so I didn't know that PlumpJack had become an empire.
This is great, Nancy. It's big in the beauty industry, too. Former Allure editor Sable Yong just used the variant "plumping" (for your sagging, wrinkly face) in her entertaining new essay collection, "Die Hot With a Vengeance." I quote it in a just posted review on Medium (also linked to from Mastodon). Yong uses it on page 150 of the Kindle edition of the book.
When I was a sixth-grader, our music class created a cantata— works of music, song, and dance written by our class. I composed two pieces of music, choreographed by friends who were ballet students. The whole thing was orchestrated by our city’s symphony orchestra. Then we performed it with the orchestra at Music Hall!
Time Magazine, for some reason, covered this event. I, and a few others were called to the principal’s office to talk with a Time Magazine stringer, who then relayed information by phone to an editor in their NYC office. At one point, the reporter put me on the phone to talk with the editor.
When the article came out in the magazine a week or two later, the very first sentence of that article began, “Plump, dimple-cheeked Susan…..”
Do you know how humiliating that first word was to an eleven-year-old girl?
In my self-appointed role as your dark (spelt s-l-a-n-g) side (don't hesitate to require me to put a sock in it), I checked out the counter-linguistic possibilities. Most refer, who'd have guessed, to the female breasts, while ‘plumpy’ is an erect penis and 'plumper' an act of intercourse. But my favo(u)rite is 'the plump currant', an outstanding example, whether positive or otherwise. Captiain Grose conjured thus, albeit adjectivally ‘I am not plump currant; I am out of sorts.’
Nice! And so evocative.
Oh, and yes, "lavishly telegenic" is very fine.
Probably because of gossip in the Chronicle, I was well aware of PlumpJack the wine store. I had met Gordan Getty very briefly--he recruited Susan and me as boosters and oompa-loompas for the new Chamber Symphony--so I felt that he was a very close friend. And I followed the adventures of Gavin, Kimberly (I know!), Browns Willie and Jerry, Kamala, Linda Ronstadt, Nancy and Dianne--the whole gang--while simultaneously developing an unrequited love for gigantic reds like cabernet sauvignon and old-vine zinfandel. Alas. I got a little plump myself, and all those people left town. Then I did, so I didn't know that PlumpJack had become an empire.
A plump of seals! That's wonderful... I had no idea the humble "plump" hid such interesting depths!
"Lavishly telegenic"--good one. I haven't ever been able to unsee the spectre of Kimberly Guilfoyle. Now Plumpjack will come along for the ride.
This is great, Nancy. It's big in the beauty industry, too. Former Allure editor Sable Yong just used the variant "plumping" (for your sagging, wrinkly face) in her entertaining new essay collection, "Die Hot With a Vengeance." I quote it in a just posted review on Medium (also linked to from Mastodon). Yong uses it on page 150 of the Kindle edition of the book.
Thanks, Jan! It was actually the beauty/cosmetic use of “plump" that got me started down this fat path. So many trademarks!
Whew! I'm plumped!
I have special disdain for the word, “plump.”
When I was a sixth-grader, our music class created a cantata— works of music, song, and dance written by our class. I composed two pieces of music, choreographed by friends who were ballet students. The whole thing was orchestrated by our city’s symphony orchestra. Then we performed it with the orchestra at Music Hall!
Time Magazine, for some reason, covered this event. I, and a few others were called to the principal’s office to talk with a Time Magazine stringer, who then relayed information by phone to an editor in their NYC office. At one point, the reporter put me on the phone to talk with the editor.
When the article came out in the magazine a week or two later, the very first sentence of that article began, “Plump, dimple-cheeked Susan…..”
Do you know how humiliating that first word was to an eleven-year-old girl?
[Those Fuckers.]
Oh dear.
In the periodic table of elements, the symbol for lead is "Pb."