Putting the Kibosh on Mud in Your Eye, IWSG, Quotes, Being Thankful

 Origins: a recurring post in which I delve into the history of a word or phrase.

Today's phrase is: Here's mud in your eye!

This phrase, becoming popular in the 1890s then picking up steam after WWI, has four possible origin stories. It is an American idiom.

1. It may have come from farmers in taverns wishing each other a good harvest, the mud symbolizing good dirt and rain.

2. Some think it comes from the Biblical story of when Jesus heals the blind man by putting mud on his eyes. Thus when someone says, "Here's mud in your eyes," they are wishing you good health.

3. In horse racing, mud gets kicked up, and the riders behind can get mud in their eyes. So it might have been used by someone congratulating or wishing him/herself good luck in a sarcastic, teasing way. 4. Because soldiers dug, lived, fought, and died in the muddy trenches of World War I, some people think it may have become a grim way of wishing fellow soldiers good luck (like actors saying, "break a leg!") Although the phrase is older than WWI, thousands soldiers coming home from the trenches helped popularize it.

Today's Weird Word is: Kibosh

From the OED: "to put the kibosh on: to put a stop to (someone or something); to interrupt or prevent (a plan or course of action); to bring to an end; to do away with."

It's origin is unknown, but some wordsmiths, all far wiser and more educated than me, say it looks Yiddish. Sounds Arabic to me and one source thinks it may come from the Arabic word kurbash, which means whip or lash. 

An early written debut is in a Dicken's story set in a predominately Irish neighborhood. "'Hoo-roa,' ejaculates a pot-boy in a parenthesis, 'put the kye-bosh on her, Mary.'" So... some think if could have come from the Irish word caip bhais or caipn bais, meaning "cap of death," which is what a judge wore when pronouncing someone's death sentence. Other sources say it comes from the 1790s and was a slang word used by British soldiers for describing a gruesome death. Still earlier, 1680s, there is the word cabos'd meaning "having the head cut off close to the shoulders." Anyway you cut it, kibosh clearly means to put an end to something suddenly, to spoil or destroy a plan or idea.

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Posting the First Wednesday of every month, the Insecure Writer's Support Group, is the brainchild of Alex Cavanaugh. YOU can sign up HERE to participate.

Every month a question will be posed that may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Remember, the question is optional. You can write about anything that relates to your writing journey.

Let's give a warm welcome to our co-hosts: Ronel Janse Van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, and Liza @ Middle Passages!

This month's question is: If for one day you could be anyone or *thing* in the world, what would it be? Describe, tell why, and any themes, goals, or values they/it inspire in you.

What a great question! I don't want to sound self-righteous, pompous, or egotistical, but... I would like to be a Buddha or a Christ or, at the very least, a transmitter of knowledge, someone who could impart wisdom, healing, love, and compassion to all life everywhere. I'm not asking for much, am I? Both Buddha and Jesus inspire me to work on myself to become a better human, to become more compassionate and accepting of all, even toward those I may feel are my "enemies." After all, Jesus very clearly said: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."  Like anyone I am fallible. I stumble, I get angry, I get fearful, but when I catch myself - which I am able to do more and more easily as I age - I pause, get centered and remember what Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭. 𝐇𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞, 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭." In this small way I hope to always breathe out love and healing.

Quotes of the Month

"There is nothing in the world so much admired as a man who knows how to bear unhappiness with courage." Seneca

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it." Rene Descartes

"There, I guess King George will be able to read that." John Handcock after signing the Declaration of Independence.

Being Thankful

Today I'm thankful for the music app Pandora, where music to fit my mood is at my finger tips. 

From rock (old and new) to jazz (old and new), 

classical to "new age",

coffee house to Tibetan bowls,

Native American flute to Andean flute...

it's all here.

Music to sooth this savage beast.

What are you thankful for? Who or what would you like to be for one day? Ever had to put the kibosh on anything or anyone? Do you listen to Pandora?