Kearth’s Korner

I found out recently that different people have different names for different things, or even the same things. I find that interesting and not altogether surprising, but still surprising just the same. And interesting. And curious. Interestingly enough, I decided to look into the matter. Call me Kearth the Curious…er, Kurious. Uncoverer of interesting and surprising and curious things. Let me start with a story. I like to uncover...

As I reflect on the celebration of today, and society’s long-standing, storied history of playing tricks on The Fool—whoever that may be in any particular case, or even anyone and everyone that one may meet, all day long—I greet this day with all of the seriousness and respect due to a one-day period of time in which subterfuge and chicanery of the highest sort are accepted and even applauded. Practical jokes have been played...

I was thinking the other day about a couple of words that confuse me—ant and giant. See? They just confused you, too, didn’t they? How can they be so different and yet so similar?  And which came first? Did someone name an ant “ant,” and then see something much bigger and since they were on a roll with naming they called the bigger thing a “giant”? Do you know what I mean? Does it make any sense to you? Do you wonder why I ask so...

Did you ever realize how some words are so similar in so many mysterious and wonderful ways? I came up with a joke the other day and sometimes I crack myself up, and sometimes I don’t, but in this case I did, and here’s how it went… I was talking with someone in the village square in front of some stores and for some odd reason, which happens fairly frequently actually, they said, “You don’t make any sense.” I thought for a moment and...

I realized the other day that I’m really good at impersonations—you know, pretending like you are someone else and doing what they do or say or wear or even how they sneeze. Your face kind of looks like their face. When I do that, someone looks at me and thinks I’m someone else, and they are quite amazed and think I’m oh so clever and funny. The problem I have—a conundrum, even—is that I just don’t know who I’m impersonating. It’s...

I have a conundrum. My pet cat’s name is Conundrum. If the name seems funny, it is because it is…and isn’t. I like the name, and the word actually officially means something like a question or problem that is difficult or confusing, or both, or all of those at the same time. So it’s not really funny. It’s just my cat. The thing is, it’s not really my cat. And that’s a conundrum all by itself. It’s just a cat and I’m not sure...