bog standard
to be ordinary
Last week in my drawing group, I joked that I do my best writing in the comments of
’s posts. Can a post be a response to another post? What is it about her posts that makes people look into themselves to respond? Makes readers stop and take the time to write long and well thought out comments? That is an incredible skill. I even found myself using a thesaurus last week to find the word that really captured what I was trying to say.bog-standard, adjective :having no special or interesting qualities : average
I don’t remember now what I was even writing about (I know I could go back and look, but I am choosing to let the mystery be). I did not use bog-standard in my comment, but I was really taken by the word. I was picturing a swampy pond, with frogs and bugs cavorting around, which isn’t ordinary at all.
The etymology is interesting and uncertain, the British have some amazing slang, so I won’t bore you with that. What I did find interesting is that, according to the OED, bog-standard has less than 0.01 occurrences per million words in modern written English. First, how do they know? Second, should we bring this word back?
I know spring is traditionally a lovely and inspiring time, and I do enjoy seeing the animals and flowers re-emerge, but this time of year always has me feeling more depressed and defeated. This year is unfortunately no different.
I know you are all here to see comics, and I am still working on them. I have been struggling to shift my attention between activities. Does anyone else struggle with this? I have so much trouble getting myself to sit down and draw, but once I get started, I get really into it and don’t want to stop! It is the transitions that are bogging me down (interesting, here is bog with a negative connotation).
My therapist has given me all kinds of tools to try to manage my time better, get things done, stay calm in the face of adversity… so far nothing has really stuck. Does anyone else get laser focused on one thing, to the detriment of others? How do you keep yourself moving?
YES: transitions as traps.
YES: spring as depression.
YES: amy cowan as the match the spark and the whole damned conflagration!
Not sure how or why, but reading her makes me leap up in (complicated, delightful, unexpected) response. No transition needed. That’s why I’m here (her link). I think I’ll stay for the sisterhood.
Thank you for your comment.... about comments.... it is so interesting to me what you've highlighted here. So.... bog-standard is not a phrase I know. But, since "bog" does, in fact, (when used as an adjective) reference something swampy, I agree bog-standard as "ordinary" is a surprise. Interesting! I can't see it rolling off the tongue in my own references to the everyday. What is bog-standard to you these days?
I prefer winter, myself. As for time.... don't we all have these issues, especially when we sink into doing something we really enjoy? I think focus is a really good thing.... but I hear you about the transitions. What happens if you use time blocks? We all have different schedules and available time, of course, but I know that at a certain point in the evening, I will draw. I don't expect it to happen at any other point, but it's a set thing at night.
I hope you draw (or drew) the great minecraft portrait.