Thursday, October 6, 2011

In a Word

Some homework assignments need slapping, word problems for instance. If a train leaves Cleveland at 10am carrying three tons of Lima beans – A) Who cares what time it gets to Sacramento? No one likes Lima beans! And B) Can’t the flipping train carry something interesting? Chocolate, pizza, hot firemen?

Anyway, back on topic. My eldest son had a creative writing assignment last night. (Yippee; no math!) He was asked to select one word, only one, to describe his personality. There was more to the assignment, but the arts and craft portion is superfluous. (Although, it did have a great impact on my new O Magazine – Oprah face confetti now blankets the kitchen table. Kind of disturbing.)

This was fun homework.

His top three choices: athletic, creative, inventive.

My top three: compassionate, empathetic, intuitive.

My youngest chimed in: booger-head, meatball, doofus. (Feel the brotherly love.)

After several more selections we hit a wall and quiet contemplation set in. An autumn birthday boy, my son seizes conversational lulls as perfect opportunities to shill for gifts.

“Did you and Dad talk about my iPhone?” (RIP Steve Jobs.)

“Not yet.”

“PLEASE?”

Over two weeks, this was phone request number 73. In fact, if “Mom, Can I Have An iPhone?” were a drinking game, I'd be drunk before breakfast 6 of 7 days per week. (He sleeps late on Sunday.)

And then it hit me, his perfect word: Tenacious.

So, what’s your word?

7 comments:

BBC said...

Oh boy, that's a tough one.

Can "perseverance" be an adjective?

Bethany Crandell said...

Yes, Mindy...absolutely!

Mine is...audacious. I've had teachers in the past that made it sound like a bad description--but I think it's a compliment. It means I take my bra off every now and then, you know? (not in public, obviously!)

My daughter is 9 this Saturday, 10/8. She too is asking for an iPhone. Um...I don't have an iPhone yet and she still believes in the Tooth Fairy so...no. No iPhone.

Kathryn Elliott said...

Hello Blog-a-nistas! Perseverance and audacious - both strong choices! Still working on mine, but with one home sick and the other demanding fresh pancakes – I’m leaning toward neurotic.

Anonymous said...

Since I find it impossible to come up with a single word, it must be loquacious.

Kathryn Elliott said...

Oooo...good one, Jane!

Bethany Crandell said...

Kathryn,
I meant to give you more details on Twitter but ran out of room. If you're looking for some good "sick-kid" reading--read JR Ward's THE BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD series...holy, yum!! It's Twilight for grown ups.

Kathryn Elliott said...

Thanks a bunch, Bethany! Going to be a loooong weekend!