Month: November 2019

Friendship

The Greek philosopher Aristotle once said that “friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies.” He divided friendships into three types: the useful, friendship as a common enterprise; the pleasant, friendship as entertaining companionship; and the good or virtuous, friendship as mutual esteem. Modern studies have linked friendships with personal wellbeing, yet studies indicate that, at least in the US, friendships are on the decline. How many confidants does the average US citizen have? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Harmonium

Invented in the 1840s, the harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument in which air is forced over reeds by means of foot-operated bellows. Pitch is determined by the size of the reeds, while sound quality is determined by the size and shape of the tone chamber surrounding each reed. It is smaller and lighter than a piano, has no pipes, and is resistant to damage. Easier to ship that a piano, it was popular in 19th-century colonies, such as India, where it has developed in what unique ways? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Gibbet

A gibbet is a wooden structure resembling a gallows, from which the bodies of executed criminals were formerly hung for public view. Most popular in the 17th century, the gibbet was generally reserved for the worst offenders—traitors, murderers, highwaymen, pirates—and was intended to discourage others from committing similar crimes. The practice was formally abolished in England in 1834 but may have remained in use elsewhere into the 20th century. What infamous pirate was gibbeted? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Stir-up Sunday

The collect (liturgical prayer) for the Sunday preceding Advent in the Church of England begins, “Stir up, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people.” But the other “stirring up” that takes place on this day is more literal: the stirring of the batter for the traditional Christmas pudding, which must be prepared weeks in advance. It is customary for family members to take turns stirring the pudding with a wooden spoon (symbolic of Jesus’s crib), which is thought to bring good luck. The stirring is done clockwise, with eyes closed, and the stirrer makes a wish. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Vincent of Beauvais

Vincent was a French scholar and encyclopedist. A Dominican priest, he became lector and chaplain to the court of King Louis IX. By 1244, he had compiled Speculum majus, an 80-book compendium of knowledge that included human history from creation to the time of Louis IX, natural history and science known to the West, and a compendium of European literature, law, politics, and economics. His work influenced scholars and poets up to the 18th century. What does the work’s title mean? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Tellabration

A nationwide night of storytelling, Tellabration was started in 1988 by storyteller J. G. (“Paw-Paw”) Pinkerton. The event began with storytelling in six communities in Connecticut. The next year, Texas and Missouri also had Tellabrations, and by 1991, storytelling on this night was happening in 72 communities in 27 states, as well as in locations in Bermuda and Canada. Eventually, the length of Tellabrations extended to a weekend. Proceeds of the event go toward developing the archives of Storytelling Foundation International in Jonesborough, Tennessee. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary