The English language is flexible and difficult simultaneously.  Consider the following examples.

“I lead the truck full of lead to the foundry where the lead will be combined with another metal to make tin.”

“She was bound with strips of bedding while her boyfriend was bound to arrive at home any minute.”

“Any minute the minute focus will bring evidence to the jury.”

“I bore no malice for the bore who acted like a boar during the cocktail party.”

“Is it right that the party on the right should have influence over the political process while the people on the left are left to accept the scraps from the political table?”

“The tension was building as the guests entered the building.”

“Why are you dwelling on the problem while you’re relaxing in your personal dwelling?”

“Well, you must have been preoccupied for how else could you have fallen into the well?”

Confused yet?  Or do you have additions to this august (albeit short) list of words with multiple uses?

Things get a bit more confusing when we consider words with the same pronunciation yet vastly different meanings.

“She steeled herself against the possibility that someone would steal the steel she was using to build her creation.”

“It is great that he doesn’t grate on my nerves any longer.”

“What’s next Nikkster, the ‘no arms and no legs’ jokes?”  I don’t think the underpinnings of this column could handle such jocularity.  I’ll leave that up to the readers to decide.

If you haven’t guessed, it’s Friday and foolery (Tom, Frank, Bob, Larry and all the others) are afoot.  Too much weightiness of words can be debilitating, especially going into a gloriously warm weekend.

As some of us prepare for the upcoming Keystone Conference, I’m sure your calendar will be filled with last minute preparations.

May your shopping excursions be fruitful and may you find everything you seek.  When in doubt, check it out.  Need some slack, put it back.  Walt Whitman has nothing to fear from my poetic prowess!

Have a wonderful day and a fabulous weekend.

Love and hugs, Nikki Nicole DeCaro