Vocabulary Words Your Kids Can Learn From Disney Movies (Part 3)

Whew! That was quite a hiatus between the last Disney Vocab entry but here is the another entry in the series. Enjoy!

1 & 2. Flotsam and Jetsam (/ˈflätsəm/; /ˈjetsəm/) - n.  In maritime law, flotsam applies to wreckage or cargo left floating on the sea after a shipwreck. Jetsam applies to cargo or equipment thrown overboard from a ship in distress and either sunk or washed ashore. The common phrase flotsam and jetsam is now used loosely to describe any objects found floating or washed ashore.

Can be heard in: "Poor Unfortunate Souls" - The Little Mermaid (1989)

Flotsam! Jetsam! Now I’ve got her boys!
The boss is on a roll!

I never realized those creepy eels had sea inspired names until I was older. What interesting names for such unsavory henchmen. 

3. Forlorn (/fərˈlôrn/) - adj. Pitifully sad and abandoned or lonely; Unlikely to succeed or be fulfilled; hopeless.

Can be heard in: "A Star is Born" - Hercules (1997)

So don’t lose hope when you’re forlorn 

Just keep your eyes upon the skies

4. Horrid (/ˈhôrid/) - adj. Causing horror, very unpleasant or disagreeable.

Can be heard in: "The Gospel Truth III"- Hercules (1997)

Though Hades’s horrid plan 

Was cast before Herc cut his first tooth

The boy grew stronger everyday

And that’s the gospel truth

5. Nouveau Riche (/ˈno͞ovō ˈrēSH/) - n. People who have recently acquired wealth, typically those perceived as ostentatious or lacking in good taste.

Can be heard in: "Zero to Hero" - Hercules (1997)

From appearance fees and royalties

Our Herc had cash to burn

Now nouveau riche and famous

He could tell you what’s a Grecian urn

6. Parapets (/ˈparəpit/) - n. A low, protective wall along the edge of a roof, bridge, or balcony

Can be heard in: "Out There" - The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

Safe behind these windows and these parapets of stone

Gazing at the people down below me

7. Prattle (/ˈpratl/) - n. Foolish or inconsequential talk

Can be heard in: "Poor Unfortunate Souls" - The Little Mermaid (1989)

Yet on land it’s much preferred 

For ladies not to say a word

And after all dear, what is idle prattle for?

8. Repent (/riˈpent/) - v. Feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one's wrongdoing or sin.

Can be heard in: "Poor Unfortunate Souls" - The Little Mermaid (1989)

But you’ll find that nowadays

I’ve mended all my ways

Repented, seen the light, and made a switch

True? Yes!

9. Reprimand (/ˈreprəˌmand/) - n. To reprove severely, especially in a formal or official way. 

Can be heard in: "Part of Your World" - The Little Mermaid (1989)

Betcha on land they understand

Bet they don’t reprimand daughters

Bright young women sick of swimming

Ready to stand!

10. Sinew (/ˈsinyo͞o/) - n. Vigorous strength; muscular power; a tendon.

Can be heard in: "One Last Hope" - Hercules (1997)

It takes more than sinew

Comes down to what’s in you

You have to continue to grow

There's still more! Stay tuned for the final installment in the "Disney Vocab" blogs! ^_^

A Letter to the New York Post

I was all over my mock outrage over some of the dumb dumbs in the Whovian community when I had the displeasure of reading this article about the upcoming Syfy show Heroes of Cosplay courtesy of a reviewer at the New York post:

"Click the headline to read this garbage."

If the headline isn't proof enough, Ms. Linda Stasi is a terrible writer. She's also a terrible reviewer as that entire article is less about Heroes of Cosplay and more about how she thinks cosplay is a stupid, stupid thing. She tries, and fails, to do it in a subtle way but the disdain bleeds through in every single word. So, I have decided to do something I rarely do. I am going to write a letter! I thought I'd hash it out here and see what you think.

To Mr. Mike Shain:

It is very rare that I feel insulted to the point that I feel compelled to speak about a matter but today I am very deeply offended by the poorly-written article "Syfy looks at world of make-believe reality in 'Heroes of Cosplay'." I am cosplayer and a writer myself and I was taken aback by the unabashed disdain that dripped with every word written by Ms. Stasi. I understand that she is a reviewer and reviews are written purely based on the opinions of the writer; however, what Ms. Stasi wrote was not a review of Heroes of Cosplay. What she wrote was a passive aggressive article on how she finds the art of cosplay itself to be a ridiculous affair. I have never seen a review NOT review the show that the article is supposed to be written about. Nowhere does the article indicate the content of the show, the format of the show, or even the time that the show airs. You have to give the article more than once over to see the premier date of the show stealthily packed away beneath Ms. Stasi's photograph.

No, instead of being treated with an insight on what to expect from Syfy's newest television show, we are treated with such barbs as, "I'm so confused--or maybe they are," and "The weird thing, (well, all of it is weird), is that these folks really want to the fictional characters they portray." She rudely paints a picture of cosplayers as delusional lunatics who spend all of our money on costumes with no regard to anything else. I can assure Ms. Stasi that we are all quite well aware of the difference between reality and fantasy. I wake up every morning wanting to be Alexis Partee (and I still am). I know I am not Storm from X-Men even though I have cosplayed her on several occasions. Is cosplay expensive? Yes it can be, but like people who collect guns or buy beat up classic cars to restore them, we plan for the finances we need to set aside for our hobbies. Individuals like Ms. Yaya Han have turned their hobby into a business. She makes money doing something that she enjoys. She has the kind of job satisfaction we all wish to achieve.

We are cosplayers and maybe it is a hobby that Ms. Stasi or others may not understand but we are still people and we should be treated and written about with some level of decorum and respect. Ms. Stasi failed in both regards. I sincerely hope you take this into consideration before you decide to allow anyone who writes under the New York Post banner to post something like this again: "Human decency doesn't mean you have to like what other people do; it only requires you to respect their right to do so."

With Regards,

Alexis Partee

Not bad, eh?

Doctor Who Doesn't Care About Diversity

Yesterday was a watershed day for the Whovian community. The BBC announced the successor to Matt Smith in the iconic role of The Doctor. In case you live under a rock or you're a part of that depressing to think about group of people that hasn't seen Doctor Who, it's this guy:

"Who-verse. I am in you."

Hello Peter Capaldi! The Who-verse welcomes you with open arms!

Oh wait...

"Well fuck you too!"

I can get over that stupidity rather quickly. I'm not a slobbering fangirl that sits around oozing over how hot David Tennant and Matt Smith are (I think Chris Eccleston is the hottie out of the three, for the record). I enjoy the show because I can watch it with my kid and she doesn't complain about it be boring and/or terrifying. 

Besides, people always complain when we get a new Doctor. We go through the stages of mourning the old Doctor, hating the new Doctor, and then hating to see the new Doctor go.

"Yep, that about sums it up."

Ever since Matt Smith announced that he was leaving, fans have been prattling off their wish lists of who they'd like to see as the new Doctor. They wanted the show to do something progressive like make the Doctor a woman, or a minority, or gay, or...dare I say it, a GINGER (le gasp)!

So when they got Peter Capaldi, there were some up in arms over the fact that it was another, sigh, white guy. 

The nerve of the BBC! Don't they know what era we live in now? It's not the 1960s anymore! How can you ignore DIVERSITY!

"Well fuck you too."

People that are complaining about the Doctor being a white man and crying out for "diversity" are completely ignoring the fact that the show has quite a diverse cast.

"Don't mind me. I'm just passing through."

They are also completely ignoring the fact that the genre of Science Fiction has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to diversity among its cast:

"An Asian! Ohh Myyyy!"

The first televised interracial kiss? A Science fiction show:

"It's hard NOT to kiss James T. Kirk"

Interracial relationships? Sci-fis got them:

"Best. Couple. Ever."

But wait! What about LEAD roles!

"My brain can't process all the stupid around here."

And here's a woman. They also have those:

"Try not to think about it Sisko. It'll only make it worse."

And just because, Lando FREAKING Calrissian:

"A man so smooth, nobody questioned the fact that he stole Han Solo's clothes."

Science fiction has always been a step ahead of everyone else and yet somehow, we still have a clutch of people determined to find SOMETHING to be offended about. Diversity isn't shoe horning someone into a role to make a political statement. Doctor Who isn't the right avenue for political statements. It's a British Science Fiction show designed to appeal to all ages. It shows that different kinds of people exists all around us and we should treat them with respect, much like our dear Doctor does.

Unless they're Daleks, Weeping Angels, or Cybermen. Fuck those guys.

As long as he was the best of all the actors that auditioned, then I welcome Peter Capaldi with open arms!

We won't know what kind of Doctor Peter Capaldi will be until his season airs. Let's hold back our "I don't like hims" for when we see him in action. I know it's a novel concept but just try it.

"Come on! LOOK AT THIS GUY! How could you NOT like him?"

And if you INSIST on complaining about something, HE IS STILL NOT A DAMN GINGER!

"Soon, Rupert. Soon."