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Jenga glossary, Nov. 29 / p. 1
PAGE 2
“A middle class South Jersey suburban haven—
McMansions, carefully maintained green lawns, red bricks
and the occasional faux-French double doors.”
South Jersey: The term given to designate, surprise
surprise, a southern area of New Jersey, and perhaps even
more so to describe the culture of South Jersey versus
North Jersey. There is no exact geographical specification
(though South jersey invariably includes Atlantic City and
Camden); different people invariably offer different
answers. In general, the typical South Jersey dweller
seems to align more with Philadelphia, while North Jersey
claims allegiance to New York City. The North is seen more
as the area of cities and fast life, while the South is given
over to suburbs and shopping malls, as well as agricultural
land. Think of the South as more suburban, even rural
against North Jersey’s busier cities. South Jersey has been
derided for its monotony of suburbs, as well as for a
growing threat of urban sprawl, the haphazard spread of
development and such poorly planned pieces as
McMansions. There have been movements in New Jersey
to contain the suburbs, compress them.
McMansion: Typically seen as impersonal knock-offs of
actual mansions, cheaply built but still costly, and usually
out of place in the neighborhoods wherein they appear.
The appearance of McMansions raises great ire, people
offended by the space that they take up, the way they
clash with the rest of the neighborhood. Seems that prices
for a McMansion may run anywhere from $600,000 to
over four million dollars, not to mention the annual cost of
heating and general maintenance. Between the
complaints and a trend toward seeking smaller, more
efficient houses, McMansions have fallen out of popularity
in recent years.
PAGE 3
“Oulipians are rats that build the labyrinth from which
they will try to escape.” --Raymond Queneau
Oulipeans: Members of OULIPO or Oulipo (Ouvroir de
Litterature Potentialle or Workshop of Potential
Literature), a group founded in 1960 by writer Raymond
Queneau and mathematician Francois de Lionnais. The
Oulipo combined mathematics and literature to create
structures that would free the imagination by forcing it to
think in new ways in order to overcome the structures’
particular (and quite unusual) rules. For an example of an
Oulipean formula, consider N + 7, in which every noun in
an established poem is replaced with the noun that
follows seven nouns away in a chosen dictionary. [With
such techniques as/Tackling] N +7, then, the venturesome
Oulipean pokes holes in a structure, then fills these in with
something else in order to create new meaning, making it
different, if not necessarily better or beautiful. On a final
note, members of Oulipo remain members forever, even
after death, unless they choose to commit suicide in a
particularly monitored fashion.
PAGE 4
“…the steady rhythmic pulsations of a heart monitor…”
heart monitor: Heart or cardiac monitors are used to
measure the heart rate [see heart beat, p. 4], or number
of heart beats over a given period of time. The device
measures the electrical energy created by the heart’s
movement. Associated and sometimes conflated with with
heart monitors come electrocardiograms, or ECGs, that
enable briefer measurement of the heart’s electrical
output. Such devices aid in the detection of abnormalities
such as arrhythmias [see p. 4].
“I never had the guts to be Cain.”
Cain: Biblical figure who murdered his brother Abel,
committing the first act of manslaughter. Cain’s name has
come to be synonymous with [fratricide]. According to the
Biblical tale (found in Genesis 4), Cain and Abel were the
two sons of Adam and Eve, and were therefore the
original siblings. Cain, the elder, took to farming, while
Abel became a shepherd. When the brothers made a
sacrifice to God, God was pleased with Abel’s lamb, while
expressing displeasure with Cain’s crops and negative
attitude. Cain then killed Abel and was promptly cast out
of God’s sight, cursed to wander the world without the
presence of his Lord. God placed a mark on Cain so that
others might keep from killing him. Although outcast in
the eyes of God, Cain did marry and produce a son, and
life moved onward.
PAGE 5
“[B]ut never-mind, we both bear the mark.”
the mark: Referring again to Cain, and the mark that he
incurred after murdering his brother. The form of the
mark is unspecified, but whatever it may be, it reflects the
gravity of Cain’s deed and separates him from others in
the world.
“Several large, professional-quality hula hoops
constructed out of poly tubing and wrapped with colorful
tape and ribbons rest against a back wall.”
hula hoops: Hula hooping has long been a popular source
of entertainment and exercise. Hardcore proponents sing
the health benefits of hooping, while weighting their
hoops and working their bodies to the point of sustaining
bruises. Hooping events appear to be popular indeed at
Burning Man [see p. 10]; in 2011, it featured a Hula
Hooping 5K, for instance, and in 2010 hosted a “Naughty
Naked Hula Hooping” event. The internet (ehow.com
included) offers articles and general resources on making
your own hula hoop. A piece of poly tubing is cut to the
desired size, noisemakers or added weight (such as sand)
Jenga glossary, Nov. 29 / p. 2
might be added, the tubes are connected, and the newly
constructed hoop is decorated to the maker’s content.
poly tubing: Polyethylene, often used in irrigation and
readily available for purchase, is the most popular tube to
use for hoop-making. Reasonably light-weight and easy to
handle. For hoop-making purposes, guides recommend
using between ¾”-1” tubing.
PAGE 6
“A Jenga game (still in the box) sits atop a table centerstage. Word games-Boggle, Scrabble, etc… and other
games, perhaps Monopoly, Life and Clue…are stacked
around it.”
Jenga: The word “Jenga” is from the Swahili for “to build,”
and the game included 54 tiles or blocks for all of your
tower-building needs. First appearing on the market
during the 1980s, the game is touted as one “of physical
and mental skill,” and is often ranked near Monopoly in
terms of popularity. Apparently, the record
height for a Jenga tower is a full 40 levels.
An array of Jenga versions and variations
has been produced over the years,
including a Hello Kitty [see p. 6] edition, as
well as a Truth or Dare version with
instructions written on a majority of the
tiles.
And for your consideration, a portion of
the jingle (as featured on the game’s
website) featured in a 1980s commercial
for the game: “You take a block from the
bottom and you put it on top, you take a
block from the middle and you put it on
top, till someone knocks it over, and that's
when you stop, but you start all over
putting blocks on top." How could you
resist?
Boggle: A sort of shared and shifting word search game.
Letter-bearing cubes are shaken up and come to rest in a
tray, and players have three minutes
to find as many words as they can by
tracing the letters seen on connected
cube-tops (vertical, horizontal, and
diagonal connections all count).
Points are based on word length, and
the player with the most points wins.
Scrabble: Board game in which players create words by
placing lettered tiles on the squares of a grid-patterned
board. After the first word, players must build off of words
that have already been placed. The game ends when
players run out of tiles or, based on the words they’ve
already created and the tiles remaining, can create no
further words. Players score points for every letter placed,
and different letters holding different point values, with
more common letters having lower values (“A,” for
instance, is worth one point, while “Q” is worth ten). At
the game’s end, the player with the highest score wins.
Monopoly: The classic (and for many, classically
infuriating) board game of collecting loans, building up
real estate, and screwing your fellow players out of every
last cent. The game was first introduced during the mid1930s and soon picked up by Parker Brothers, which
distributed the game to fast-approving players and
allowed Americans caught in the Depression to dream of
riches. Players circle the board to land on and purchase
properties; once a property has been purchased, anyone
who lands on it must pay the property’s owner. And no
matter what you do, you may keep ending up in jail.
Life: Players maneuver around a board, taking paths based
on such life decisions as going to college or not. Players
must become married, usually end up with children. Jobs
and houses are somewhat up to chance and may be
switched. All players must reach the end of the board, and
whoever amasses the most wealth by the game’s end
wins.
Clue: Professor Peacock in the conservatory with the
candlestick (or Simone in Yelena’s bedroom with a knife?).
Players move their game pieces through an eerie mansion
in which there has been *gasp* a murder. Posing
questions and slowly eliminating potential suspects and
seek to discover the murderer, room of the deed, and
weapon. The player to voice the correct combination wins.
“She wears renaissance fest influenced burner attire and a
gorgeous pair of wings.”
Renaissance Fest: Particularly popular in the U.S.,
Renaissance festivals or fairs involve a recreation of an
English Renaissance atmosphere and life, with employees
dressing and speaking in imitation of [16th?]-century men
and women, acting as though the world beyond does not
exist. Visitors to the fair dress as they please, though many
do opt for traditional or Renaissance-inspired garb, or
costumes of a more fantastical sort (fairies, for instance,
are a common sight). Many visitors also created and
embody characters better suited for the environment.
Guests are encouraged to follow the workers in speaking
with BFA (basic faire accents), making use of the English
language as Renaissance English folk would have known it.
Like Burning Man [see p. 10], Renaissance Festivals offer a
sort of alternative channel for expression and exploring
aspects of one’s self that are typically crushed by the
outside world. And rather akin to board games, Ren Fests
people to divert themselves and learn to maneuver
around a new set of guidelines.
Jenga glossary, Nov. 29 / p. 3
burner: One who has participated in Burning Man [see p.
10]… or who at least, holds to its spirit. While attending
Burning Man, participants come to understand its most
vital tenants, including self-expression [see p. 11] and
participation as a member of the community; burners take
these lessons to heart and carry them back into the world
beyond. Indeed, the Burning Man community extends
beyond the event itself, and burners may participate in
events organized by fellow burners and by regional groups
united by Burning Man. Although the Burning Man
organization insists that its participants aren’t members of
a subculture—Burning Man does not endorse any one
group over another, and its members hail from widely
divergent backgrounds—they are often perceived en
masse by those who have not attended, and are often
classed as hippies or even anarchists (though the
organization notes that these assertions, too, are dead
wrong).
PAGE 7
“The ferocious fairy is on the loose!”
fairy: Fairies come in a countless variety of guises, and can
range from helpful to mischievous to downright
frightening. They have been dubbed anything from fallen
angels to manifestations of natural elements (consider
water sprites, for instance) to the souls of unbaptized
children. Some fairy manifestations have been longpraised for their enchanting beauty, and often helpful
spirits appear in fairy tales to aid princesses in need. Just
as often, however, spiteful or generally wicked-seeming
fairies also appear to, say, wish death on a princess.
Others have been feared and blamed for ailments, the
destruction of crops, and the disappearance of children;
indeed, fairies have been known for snatching mortals,
particularly babies, and whisking them away to another
realm. In general, fairies seem to be changeable creatures,
playing by roles that don’t jive with the human world or
with human conventions of right and wrong. To engage
with a fairy is usually to play a treacherous game.
Along with this, consider a perhaps helpfulsnippet from
Diane Purkiss’s book, Bottom of the Garden: “[The fairy] is
a gatekeeper, and she guards the entrance to a new
realm. Like all gatekeepers, she is Janus-faced, ambiguous:
she has a lovely face, a face of promise, and a hideous
face, a face of fear.”
PAGE 8
“Nail quality doesn’t change, I don’t think. Not yet.”
nail quality: Nails do change with age, though the
changes—including brittleness and yellowing—are
typically slow and so tend to be more apparent with
elderly individuals. When not associated so closely with
aging, brittle nails may be a trait of bipolar disorder.
“Belladonnas, primadonnas, bellamosum, montanas and
lantanas… Pizzicato (flowers you can practically hear)
rondos! Sonatas! Lemon gems… […]Royal monarchs,
fireflys, madame butterflys, snapdragons, mystic merlins—
Hear it? You could build an effing nursery rhyme out of
them. –maidenhairs, cherry queens, Zebrinas, cannabis
sativa (that‘s not really the secret though).”
belladonnas: “Belladonna” (from the Latin for “pretty
woman”) may suggest two different plants. The oftcultivated Amaryllis belladonna is also called the
belladonna lily and sports white and crimson, pink, or
purple bulbs. The belladonna known as “deadly
nightshade” is also grown, though it is highly poisonous.
pizzicato: In musical terms, pizzicato is a technique in
which players of string instruments (violins, cellos, etc.)
produce notes by plucking their strings rather than using
the bow.
rondos: As a musical structure, the rondo may stand alone
or come as part of a larger work. The rondo itself consists
of a theme and episodes that follow an ABACADA (etc.)
pattern (“A” being the theme), ending with a return to the
theme. Apparently, there is also a German card game
called “Rondo” that involves the construction of words.
sonatas: In musical terms, “sonata” may be given a range
of definitions, but typically denotes a piece including
multiple movements, written for a single or small group of
instruments.
Royal monarchs: This flower’s name may be connected to
the ever-popular Monarch butterflies.
cannabis sativa: The infamous plant that may be used to
create hemp, among other goods, but is perhaps most
typically shredded and smoked as marijuana. Marijuana
remains one of the most oft-abused illegal drugs in the
U.S., the joint its most common form. The THC (delta-9tetrahydrocannabinol) found in marijuana creates a
floating sensation of being high shortly after inhalation,
leaving the user to relation and poor coordinate, as well as
an increased heart rate (indeed, it has been associated
with the occurrence of arrhythmias [see p. 4] from time to
time). It does offer benefits as a pain reliever, with further
attributes that recommend it for medical use. Debates
over legalizing the drug rage back and forth, but
meanwhile, intrepid marijuana fans might and often do
illegally grow cannabis sativa in houses their own houses
(whether on a smaller scale or in major grow houses [see
p. 9]).
Jenga glossary, Nov. 29 / p. 4
PAGE 10
“Shasta daisies, foxies, cosmos, bolero flamenco, ultima
morpho! Oh, and sunflowers.”
bolero flamenco: Bolero and flamenco are both types of
Spanish dances (“bolero” may also refer to music that
follows a rhythm suited to the dance).
ultima morpho: This type of pansy is named after the
Morpho butterfly (Morpho is actually a genus including
numerous and often delightfully colorful species).
PAGE 11
“Never getting out of the tower now. […] Rapunzel? At
last, she’s vanquished her inner Rapunzel.”
Rapunzel: In the Brothers Grimm tale, Rapunzel (named
after a flower, by the by) is locked up in a tower by her
sorceress step-mother, who uses the hair to climb up for
daily visits. For a recap of a version of the complete tale: A
woman who develops a craving for the rampion (also
called rapunzel) growing in the beautiful garden of her
next-door neighbor, a sorceress. When the sorceress
catches the woman’s husband stealing some of the
rampion, he is compelled to promise the sorceress their
soon-to-be-born daughter. The sorceress dubs the girl
Rapunzel and, when the girl becomes a beautiful young
lady, locks her in a tower. The sorceress reaches Rapunzel
by climbing her long hair. A passing prince picks up on the
trick, and he and Rapunzel plan to elope. Before they can
enact their plan, the sorceress catches on, chops off
Rapunzel’s beautiful hair, and casts Rapunzel into the
wilderness. Rapunzel is eventually united with her prince,
but not until she has suffered long and hard.
PAGE 12
“Grounded up with the meds.”
meds: Though it’s difficult to say what Simone may
actually be giving her father, medication (including beta
blockers and blood thinners such as aspirin) is often given
in the wake of a heart attack to improve blood flow, and
perhaps to control cholesterol levels; generally, the aim is
to relieve the pressure on the heart.
“His vitals are stable—I think. Heart beating between 60
and 75- check. Force exerted on his arteries—135- check.
Pulse between 60 and 80- check. Temperature about 98.7,
very good. Respiration at about 12, which is normal for
somebody partially sedated half the day.”
heart beat: Simone seems to be speaking of heart rate,
which is the measure of heart beats in a given period of
time (typically measured in minutes); the average resting
heart rate is 60-100 beats per minute.
pulse: The pulse-measure is the heart rate… That Simone
gives these as separate categories further emphasizes her,
shall we say, cluelessness. Note that Sy appears to have
gotten her hands on a patient monitor, which offers data
on a number of a patient’s vital signs.
force exerted on the arteries: The pressure exerted by
blood on the artery wall when the heart contracts. Called
the systolic measure, this is the top number given with
blood pressure (the bottom number, the diastolic
measure, records the pressure when the heart relaxes
between contractions). If blood pressure is given as
120/80 mm/Hg (the average or normal rate), the systolic
would be 120. Numbers above 120 begin to suggest
hypertension and the danger zone for patients with heart
trouble. 135, then, isn’t a stunningly swell level, but does
come fairly near to normal. not great, but near to normal.
partially sedated: Drugs such as morphine [see p. 8] may
be offered in the wake of a heart attack in order to ease
pain and open up blood veins… And whatever the case,
their father isn’t quite a typical heart patient.
“Or maybe an arrhythmia, which Wikipedia says is bad.”
arrhythmia: Irregularity of the heartbeat, which is indeed
a bit problematic.
PAGE 13
“He’s got IVs roped around him like a snake and these two
things in his nostrils. Sometimes they smoke, but I think
that‘s normal.”
IVs: IV or intravenous tubes may be used to feed a range
of medications, nutrients, and other substances directly
into the blood. Because they are inserted directly into the
veins, IVs offer the fastest and most certain method of
administering substances. A vast majority of patients
undergo intravenous therapy of some sort, and patients
requiring long-term care may opt for home care; these
patients typically receive visits from individuals—typically
nurses—trained in the procedure. Improper techniques
can lead to a variety of complications, including air
embolisms, the formation of blood clots, inflammation,
and swelling. Oh, and smoking tubes are, you know, not so
normal.
things in his nostrils: Likely tubes for oxygen, perhaps
connected to a respiratory machine [see p. 18].
“Home-brewed kambucha.”
kombucha: A sort of fermented tea—sour-sweet and
somewhat fizzy—often homebrewed and typically touted for
supposed health benefits that
include anything from improving
hair growth to increasing sex
drive to acting as a cure for
various ailments. The key to
brewing kombucha is the
Jenga glossary, Nov. 29 / p. 5
kombucha culture or zoogleal mat, a colony of yeast and
bacteria that is responsible for the kombucha’s
fermentation (hence, the culture is also known as a
SCOBY, or Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast). To
make your own kombucha, simply mix together tea and
sugar, add the culture, and let it sit in a warm place for
about one to two weeks. And conveniently enough, an
individual may order everything you need to begin
brewing kombucha from the internet. Careful handling is
necessary in order to maintain a healthy colony. While Sy
may not have been able to grow any flowers, then, we’ve
got to give her some credit for maintaining a lively colony
of bacteria.
“New York.” “Thought you were in Seattle, or was it
Portland.”
New York: New York City is quite close to New Jersey;
indeed, those dwelling in North Jersey are said to connect
to and claim some allegiance with the city. South Jersey
[see p. 1] is another matter, its representatives apparently
tending to align with Philadelphia… But New York City is
still only a hop, skip, and a jump away from South Jersey;
the southern-most point of Jersey lies about 160 miles
from New York City.
PAGE 14
“I’m like seven layers deep in my zoogleal mat.”
zoogleal mat: “Zooglea” refers to a mass of bacteria. In
kombucha, the zoogleal mat is
the culture composed of bacteria
and yeast that is used to brew the
tea. Each fermentation cycle
creates a new layer, which may
be split off and used to begin a
new batch of kombucha.
PAGE 16
“I’m a four times Pulitzer Prize finalist.”
Pulitzer Prize: Most of the twenty-one Pulitzer Prizes
awarded annually are dedicated to journalism, but
prestigious awards are also offered for Poetry and Fiction,
among other categories. Each April, the prize winners and
two finalists for each category are announced, and the
finalists end up scoring $10,000. The works that win prizes
aren’t always the most expected or most popular; the
board seems to have an eye out for those not otherwise in
the direct limelight. Previous winners of the Prize include
Carl Sandburg (Complete Poems), Robert Frost (A Witness
Tree and A Further Range), Cormac McCarthy (The Road)
and Toni Morrison (Beloved); finalists include Allen
Ginsberg (the poems collected in Cosmopolitan Greetings)
and Joyce Carol Oates (What I Lived For and Black Water).
“Pushcart and Nobel laureate.”
Pushcart: The New York-based Pushcart Press claims that
its Pushcart Prize is “the most honored literary project in
America” and publishes an annual collection of fresh
poems, short stories, essays, and what the prize’s website
terms “literary what-nots.” The pieces chosen have
already been published by less prominent book presses or
literary magazines. The Pushcart Prize is focused on
showcasing new authors, and its publications invariably
present an eclectic and surprisingly substantial collection.
With so many works represented in each publication,
individual authors may not gain overmuch fame from the
achievement, but inclusion is held to be quite an honor.
Nobel laureate: The winner of a Nobel Prize, in this case
presumably the Nobel Prize in Literature. This
international award is granted on a yearly basis in six
categories (aside from Literature, these include Physics,
Chemistry, Medicine, Economic Science, and Peace).
Winners receive a medal, as well as a monetary prize of
around 15 million U.S. dollars, and are honored during a
December 10th ceremony in Sweden. The award is typically
given for the whole body of a life’s work, and previous
winners of the Prize for Literature have included Harold
Pinter, Toni Morrison, Dario Fo and Derek Walcott (might
also note that of the 108 winners, 12 have been female,
and that Rudyard Kipling was the youngest, at age 42).
Website suggests that of the 108 winners, 12 have been
female. Also, youngest recipient was Rudyard Kipling, age
42.
PAGE 17
“I’m an Executive Assistant.”
Executive Assistant: Although the role exact duties change
from one company to another, the primary role of an
Executive Assistant is typically to provide support for those
in high positions, taking care of details and loose ends that
include setting meetings and organizing schedules,
preparing and handling reports, handling phone calls, and
dealing with any visitors or staff members who might stop
by. In many cases, seems to act primarily as an upper-level
secretary. The position typically demands a reasonable
amount of experience and can demand quite a bit of the
individual.
“My book of inventive salads is currently drastically
underselling my other book by like 50%.”
book of inventive salads: There is actually a pretty
prevalent market of these, including one entitled Raising
the Salad Bar. Yep.
PAGE 19
“Your barbies? Your Mother Goose & Grimm?”
Barbies: First appearing in 1959, the doll has since become
almost omnipresent, taking on a range of guises (all of
them reflecting widely questioned standards of beauty)
Jenga glossary, Nov. 29 / p. 6
and offering children opportunities to play dress-up and
create stories with an adult doll. Indeed, creator Ruth
Handler developed the first Barbie (“Barbara Millicent
Roberts,” who hailed from Wisconsin) in order to give girls
a chance to envision and create versions of their older
selves; it was a chance to play grown-up in a fantasy
world.
Mother Goose & Grimm: Seems to refer to a compilation
of Mother Goose nursery rhymes and Grimms’ fairy tales.
Mother Goose, typically depicted as a kind old lady, is
connected to a massive quantity of rhymes, including
“Little Miss Moffet,” “Simple Simon,” and “Humpty
Dumpty.” These rhymes were collected from a number of
authors; “Mother Goose” is a long-used sort of
pseudonym. The Brothers Grimm are famed for collecting
around 200 fairy tales, including “Rapunzel” [see p. 4],
“Snow White” [see p. 12], and “Rumplestiltskin.” Although
there is a marked darkness to the original tales, as the
stories have been re-told and translated, they are often
found in sanitized forms, lightened up for the sake of
youngsters (or perhaps for their parents).
“That doesn’t even—100 pounds at least.”
100 pounds: Just for a thought… The standard journal
appears to weigh in around ten ounces, give or take a bit.
Yelena’s estimate assumes about 160 journals, then. Just
sayin’. If the trunk was full of journals… it’s a helluva
collection.
“Your troll doll collection?”
troll dolls: Created by Thomas Dam in Denmark in 1959,
trolls dolls were first sold as “Dam
Things,” and their popularity
quickly spread to the U.S. The U.S.
market became flooded with Dam
Things and their imitations as an
international range of sellers took
advantage of the dolls’ popularity,
and the trolls have hit in waves of
intense popularity from the sixties
to the present. Troll dolls sport colorful, crazy hair and
often stand quite nude. Oh, and if we’re simply talking
trolls, we’re looking at another fantastical creature
(compare to fairies [see p. 3], say) that have been
alternately regarded as delightfully whimsical and
wickedly tricky.
PAGE 20
“The journals alone—a leather one with the tree of life
branded into it. Hello Kitty notebooks covered in the sticky
foil from Wrigley’s wrappers or cloaked in orange like a
Christo and Jeanne-Claude mountain during my ninth
grade post-modern phase.”
tree of life: A cross-cultural and typically quite central
symbol containing a vast array of possible meanings. Trees
in general have long been connected to ideas of life and
growth, even of immortality. Additionally, it has been
noted that the gifts associated with trees are often tricky
to find, are often guarded (by such creatures as, say,
dragons [see p. 13], and can only be reached after
toilsome trials. At times, the tree
of life is connected with a sense
of knowledge and
enlightenment. The tree of life is
often said to connect worlds, it
roots holding to the ground even
as it branches into the sky. Then,
too, the Garden of Eden
revealed a Tree of Life (usually
linked to immortality), typically
held to be separate from the
infamous Tree of Knowledge;
there have been fervent debates over whether or not the
two designations are actually names for the same tree, but
if they are different trees, it may be that in taking
knowledge, Adam and Eve passed up the opportunity for
immortality. Oh, also? The tree of life in its myriad
manifestations remains a pretty popular design for journal
covers.
Hello Kitty: Diminutive and quite
mouthless white cat sporting a red
bow and boasting international fame.
Created by the Tokyo-based company
Sangrio during the mid-seventies,
Hello Kitty supposedly lived in the
suburbs of London under the name
“Kitty White.” She was created with
preteen girls in mind, and reportedly “weighs the same as
three apples.”
Wrigley’s wrappers: The wrappers from pieces of
Wrigley’s gum, which come in an exciting variety of colors,
have been rather a popular item for use in creative
projects from creating wrapper-chains to covering books
and binders to creating purses and even prom dresses.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude mountain: (Christo Vladimirov
Javacheff b. 1935, Jeanne-Claude Marie Denat 1935-2009)
Known collectively as Christo and Jeanne-Claude and
individual by their first names only, the husband and wife
duo created stunning and oft-controversial works of art on
a grand scale,
creating pieces that
never remained for
long. In all of their
work, the artists
emphasized the
Jenga glossary, Nov. 29 / p. 7
process of bringing concepts into actuality. They
constantly sought ways of altering the environment, as
through their famed “wrapped” projects. In these projects,
buildings and other existent landmarks and features (trees
included) would be covered in fabric. It has been
suggested that by hiding the details, this technique helped
to show an object or area’s perhaps-deeper essence,
allowing viewers to experience the object or area anew. As
with all of their work, these projects were created to be
experienced at the ground level.
PAGE 21
“I need my journals because I have this thing.”
this thing: Yelena may exhibit signs of a somatoform
disorder, in which the body experiences pain or other
symptoms that have no discernible physical cause. While
the causes of somatoform disorders typically remain
unknown, it is often suggested that they are linked with
mental conditions. Note also that such itching is indeed
linked to numerous physical conditions, including forms of
vaginitis. Whatever the cause of an itch, it is typically
recommended that those afflicted wear looser clothing,
try switching underwear or using different tampons, and
avoid vaginal sprays and douching, among other tactics.
“Crabs?” “Not possible.” “Oh. Oh. Holy shit, Yel, you’re still
a virgin?”
crabs: Also known as pubic lice and often transmitted
through sexual intercourse, though one needn’t actually
engage in sex to pick up crabs. Itching is indeed the main
sign of crabs, which can typically be treated without
seeing a doctor.
“Like biblically bad eleventh plague, no cure- cursed.”
biblically bad eleventh plague: Referring to the Ten
Plagues of Egypt, as related in the Bible. When the
Pharaoh refused Moses’ plea to free the enslaved people
of Israel, denying the existence of Moses’ God, God cursed
Egypt with a series of escalating plagues, including frogs,
lice, and locusts. It wasn’t until after the tenth plague, in
which every firstborn son was slaughtered, that the
Pharaoh relented.
PAGE 22
“So you go to this doctor…”
This doctor: See PCP [below], primary care physician.
“And you’re buck naked beneath this white sheet—legs
sprawled out, feet in metal stirrups and she’s staring into
you like she can see everything inside of you.”
buck naked beneath…: Yelena appears to be describing a
pelvic exam as it might be administered by a PCP or a
gynecologist. A fairly quick—if invasive—examination, the
pelvic exam allows a doctor to evaluate the patient’s vulva
and reproduction organs, and to zero in on infections,
warts, and other oddities.
PAGE 23
“And you practically hurl your body out of the doctor’s
office and into Midtown East.”
Midtown East: New York City neighborhood located in
Manhattan and including such landmarks as the United
Nations, the Chrysler Building, and Grand Central Station.
Vibrant during the day, the neighborhood empties out in
the evening, when the plethora of office workers depart.
“Another PCP, two gynecologists and two dermatologists.
I have great benefits through my job. Even saw an
allergist—50 tiny pricks and pokes up my spine.”
PCP: A PCP, or Primary Care Physician, handles a patient’s
general health care, alleviating minor complaints, offering
medical advice, diagnosing any number of illnesses, and
directing patients in need of more specialized care
(indeed, the PCP is often a first step toward further care).
The PCP might be trained in a particular area—many train
as gynecologists or OB/GYNs (gynecologists who also
specialize in handling pregnancy)—but is largely a
generalist, with an eye to all of a patient’s potential needs
and complications. Many insurance companies require
selection of a PCP, who tends to be seen on a regular
basis.
gynecologists: Specialist focusing on the female
reproductive system. It is recommended that a woman
ought to make regular appointments with a gynecologist
by the time she has reached the age of 21. A gynecologist
appointment typically includes a breast exam, pelvic exam
[see above, “buck naked beneath…”], Pap smear (test run
to check for cervical cancer), along with general discussion
and questions.
dermatologists: Medical specialist focusing on skin
disorders; often, then deal with hair and nails, as well.
These specialists are trained to read the skin and its signs
in order to detect disease and to zero in on causes of any
abnormalities. A dermatologist visit is typically quite quick
and includes a full-body examination of the skin, and may
also include a biopsy.
allergist: Allergists pinpoint the particular allergens that
cause an individual to react by performing skin or blood
test. Yelena appears to have undergone a skin prick test
(this often occurs during the initial visit), in which the
allergist places a row of allergens (including dust mites,
pet hair, and various medications) on the skin of a
patient’s back or arm, then pricks each area. If the patient
is allergic to any of the allergens, a red, blotchy wheal
develops where the allergen was placed.
Jenga glossary, Nov. 29 / p. 8
“Simone pulls a small bag of weed out of a drawer. She
begins to roll a joint.”
weed: See cannabis sativa [p. 3].
PAGE 24
“Like working jobs and self-publishing books you don’t
really give a flying fuck about?”
self-publishing: Given the present competitive market, as
well as the struggles faced by publishing houses, many
hopeful authors have turned to self-publishing as a means
of going public. While this requires a certain amount of
personal exertion, it does cut out the necessity of dealing
with the messy details of publishing houses, and saves the
author the otherwise invariable rejection letters. And
online, organizations such as BookSurge (connected with
Amazon) have cropped up to aid authors in their
publishing ventures, providing POD services (print on
demand, allowing authors to produce copies only when
the book is ordered, rather than stocking up a pile of
books that may not sell), directing authors toward editors,
offering and general resources for working through
publishing, among other tools. With the aid of these
websites, self-publishing can be almost a breeze. The
expense of publishing a reasonably decent-looking book
might run over several thousand dollars. Because so many
authors do take advantage of self-publishing services, it is
terribly easily for books to become lost under the general
pile-up of print, and self-published authors may find
themselves selling precious few copies of their work.
“I came because you called me that our father had a heart
attack.”
heart attack: Also known as a myocardial infarction or
acute coronary symptom. In a heart attack, blood is
blocked and prevented from reaching the heart, cutting
off the flow of oxygen and leading to the damage and
even death of part of the heart muscle. Often, the blood
becomes blocked by the buildup of cholesterol (called
plaque) in the veins. In order to ease a heart attack, blood
flow must resume, whether through medications that
open the veins or through other methods; immediate care
is high recommended, to say the least.
PAGE 25
“We play crossword puzzles.”
crossword puzzles: These highly prevalent puzzles consist
of a grid of black and white squares. Those tackling the
puzzle follow clues to fill in words running vertically and
horizontally. Perhaps not a particularly complex word
game, and perhaps has more to do with trivia than playing
with letters, but can be tricky in its own right.
“That’s maybe what brought it on—too much beef at
Snuffy’s Steakhouse.”
Snuffy’s Steakhouse: Until quite recently, there actually
was a Snuff’s Steak House in New Jersey (apparently, it
served as a banquet hall as well as a steakhouse), though
it was located in the northern region of the state. For
some time, beef has been labeled a danger food for a high
saturated fat content that adds to artery blockage,
restricting oxygen flow and perhaps triggering a heart
attack. Recent investigations have sought to soften this
censure, but the association remains.
“His breathing tubes already smoking. And I bet it goes
awesome with the morphine.”
morphine: A strong opiate, morphine is often
administered in the wake of a heart attack in order to
alleviate pain as well as to open blood vessels and
decrease blood pressure, easing the heart’s task and
enabling improved circulatory flow.
PAGE 26
“Arrhythmia! A writ me up.”
arrhythmia: [see p. 4]
“You found it in ‘The Joy of Lex.’ Eighth grade. You’re not
going to play? Myocardial infarction!”
The Joy of Lex: A book by self-proclaimed “word freak”
Gyles Brandreth, chock-full of word games and phrasing
fun. (“Lex” being, by the by, short for “lexicon.”) May also
be a hint-hint here (on the part of the play, if not
Brandreth) toward The Joy of Sex, a 1972 illustrated sex
manual by Alex Comfort.
myocardial infarction: Another designation for a heart
attack.
PAGE 27
“I was only obsessed with words because I needed a
perfect verbal score. Pass my go and collect my $200.”
perfect verbal score: Probably referring to the SAT, one of
the typical standard examinations administered to high
school students, supposedly measuring their readiness for
college (the ACT would be the other biggie, but it offers no
score labeled “verbal”). Colleges do tend to eyes SAT
scores hungrily, offering particular scholarships and often
even admission only to those achieving high scores. Prior
to 2005, the SAT offered both a Verbal score and a Math
score, both ranging from 200-800 points (the scoring
system has since changed). Given recent pushes to secure
higher school-wide scores, many schools have begun to
gear their instruction particularly toward the test.
pass my go and collect my $200: Reference to the game
Monopoly [see p.2]. Every time you pass go, you get $200!
Which is even better than $5! Yay!
Jenga glossary, Nov. 29 / p. 9
“You were thirteen and you‘d be like, ‘Antonyms’ and I‘d
be all ‘cool I know what that is.’ But then you‘d be
‘contronyms’ and I‘d be like ‘uh, contraceptives?’
‘Antonymic homophones?’ ‘What? Words that hate gay
people?’”
antonyms: Terms with opposite meanings. Examples
include angel and devil, imprison and free, best and worst.
contronyms: A contronym is a word that is also its own
antonym; that is, a word that simultaneously holds one
meaning and its opposite. Also referred to as a Janus word
[see p. 13]. Examples include cleave, root, and inoculate.
antonymic homophones: Homophones are words that
sound alike but differ in meaning, and perhaps also in
spelling or origin. Antonymic homophones (or, depending
on who you ask, homophonic antonyms) are words that
sound alike but hold opposite meanings; often, it is added
that they ought to be spelled differently (perhaps to
differentiate them from contronyms). Examples given
include raised and razed, erupt and irrupt. Antonymic
homophones appear to be known and mentioned in fairly
rare circumstances.
PAGE 29
“We had a tower of a million billion possible poems.”
a million billion: We might also note that this seems an
echo of OULIPO founder Raymond Queneau’s Cent Mille
Milliards de poems [see Oulipean, p. 1]. Cent Mille
Milliards de poems offers ten sonnets with 14 lines each,
and within the work, each line was said to be
interchangeable with any other. This interchangeability
allows the reader to create 100,000 billion poems (the
exact number actually depends on the notation system
used, and may also be written as 100 million million or 100
billion).
PAGE 30
“The Pulitzer to my spleen.”
Pulitzer: See Pulitzer Prize [p.5].
spleen: One of those oft-overlooked and less romantic
organs, the spleen hangs out near the stomach and
functions as a part of the body’s immune system.
PAGE 31
“I’ll sign over the deed for them Parker Brothers style for
my journals. They’re Boardwalk, right Sy? Don’t pass on
Boardwalk.”
Parker Brothers style: Back to the Monopoloy [see p. 2]
references. In the game—published by the Parker Brothers
company—property deeds can indeed be used to pay or
barter with other players. Boardwalk is the most costly
piece of property, but also the one that can earn its holder
the most cash.
“Times have changed. I work for a Hedge fund.”
hedge fund: A firm that guides clients by placing each
client’s money in a variety of investments. Typically, hedge
funds are choosy about their clients, selecting the big
investors and charging exorbitant rates of their own.
Bound by fewer restrictions than most funds, hedge funds
are able to employ a range of strategies in order to ensure
their clients’ continued wealth, and indeed claim to offer
comparative stability through selection of the most apt
strategies. Thus, hedge funds remain fixed on the goal of
money-making and allow investors to secure their wealth
with a little less uncertainty. Hedge funds have been called
into question as potential economic threats, but remain
reasonably popular among high-powered investors.
PAGE 33
“Neighbor up the street turned it into a seriously awesome
grow-house. That kid Sarah that you used to babysit for—
you know how her room used to be Jungle-Book
themed…”
grow-house: In order
to produce marijuana
undetected (the
production itself
being quite illegal),
prospective marijuana
dealers may and in
many cases do devote
the majority of a house to indoor growing (some stick to a
single grow room, but why stop there?). Can either use
soil or take to hydroponic [see p. 10] methods.
Jungle Book: Probably referring to the 1967 Disney film,
based on stories penned by Rudyard Kipling.
“You know how in Hiroshima, people caught in the nuclear
blast had their shadows frozen against the wall?”
Hiroshima: On the morning of
August 6, 1945, an American plane
dubbed The Enola Gay released an
atomic bomb known as “Little Boy”
over the thriving Japanese city of
Hiroshima. This was the first time
an atomic bomb had been utilized
as a weapon, and the blast
infamously devastated the city,
creating damage that would last for decades to come. The
intense heat from the bomb vaporized those nearest to
the hypocenter, in many cases leaving shadows where
bodies had been; shadows were also created by the
presence of inanimate objects. The shadows, the
impressions of those destroyed in an instant, remained to
haunt the city until the buildings themselves could be
reconstructed.
Jenga glossary, Nov. 29 / p. 10
“It’s just psychobabble. Words were a nervous—“ “Tick
tock?” “No. A nervous tic/”
tic: Often linked particularly to spastic muscle movements
(especially those occurring on the face), tics may also
manifest themselves vocally; whether motor or vocal, they
occur repeatedly, and often appear to have no cause. Tics
cry to be expressed, and those restraining their impulses
may find that the compulsion only grows, creating
discomfort, until the tic is enacted. A particularly severe tic
disorder is seen in Tourette’s syndrome [see p. 17].
PAGE 34
“Hey, that was Hydroponic!”
hydroponic: Grown without soil, using instead a solution
of nutrients and enabling plant production without
excessive fuss and mess. And because the nutrients are
fed directly to the roots, rather than filtering through soil,
growers may more closely regulate their plants.
Hydroponic growth is fairly common in the (home)
production of cannabis, and it would-be growers who are
only looking to produce a little weed for themselves (a
maybe a bit on the side for cash) only require a few
particular implements.
“I dreamt I built a Jenga tower. A babel. A tower of Babel.”
Tower of Babel: The tale of the Tower is related in the
Bible, in Genesis. In the wake of the catastrophic flood, the
people of earth came together, combining their strength
and presumably becoming prideful. The men built the
tower as a way of showing and increasing their strength,
of ensuring their future unity and shared endeavors. When
God saw the force of their combined strength, he
confused their language, leaving the men to babble
ineffectually as one another, unable to unite and regain
their force. Thus, the tower that was built to prevent
future separation became the site of an insuperable
splitting. There seems a sense here that it is language
disjunction above all else that keeps men from building
together, from remaining strong and accomplishing all
that the mind dreams; separated, can only flail in
individual contrivances. The word “Babel” comes from the
Hebrew word for “confusion.” Note also that the Tower of
Babel is often connected to Etemenanki, a ziggurat that
once stood in ancient Babylon.
PAGE 36
“Ever been to Burning Man? Guessing not. It’s like this
awesome giant party all about community and love.
Magic.”
Burning Man: Event in which an eclectic mixture of people
unites in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert to create a
temporary city and give way to self-expression and the
creation of art. The event is held during the week
preceding and weekend of Labor Day, and the city itself—
called Black Rock City—exists only during the week of the
event. Burning Man might be seen as life in full force (with
a scant few rules set in place for the sake of preserving the
community), and the event’s website suggests that it is
indeed a party of sorts, in which the action never stops
and participants are always creating, always celebrating.
Burning Man focuses on ideas of discovering and freeing
one’s own creative powers and talents, on discovering and
sharing the self in radical self-expression. Thus,
participants are encouraged to create anything from art
installations [see p. 13] to music to mutant vehicles to…
well, whatever might cross the mind. It is thought that
individuals will best discover their own talents by actively
participating and through exercising radical selfsufficiency. Burning Man also heavily emphasizes
participation in the community born with Black Rock City.
Toward the end of the event, on Saturday night,
participants witness The Burn—that is the torching of the
effigy known as “The Man.” In 2012, Burning Man will take
play August 27th through September 3rd.
It might also be noted that one of Burning Man’s ten key
principles (according to the event’s website) is Immediacy,
regarding which the events website notes, “We seek to
overcome barriers that stand between us and a
recognition of our inner selves.” The Burning Man game,
then, might be a bit risky for those seeking to avoid inner
recognition.
“There’s a surprise at every corner. Mutant vehicles like
Miro paintings, naked hooping! And love, everywhere
love.”
mutant vehicles: Vehicles that have been arrestingly
modified, created particularly for the Burning Man event,
these are the only
cars allowed to
travel in the
temporary city (and
they may travel no
aster than five miles
per hour). These
vehicles must bear no resemblance to ordinary
automobiles, and must be deemed to somehow add to the
experience of other participants. Past vehicles have
included UFOs, dragons, pirate ships, and even a fiery
octopus.
Miro paintings: Joan Miró
(1893-1983), Spanish painter
and sculptor is typically
associated with Surrealism
(and indeed, he was heavily
influenced by the movement,
as by a host of other styles and
artists) and was noted for his
often playful-seeming works
Jenga glossary, Nov. 29 / p. 11
and constant exploration of new approaches to creation. It
is tricky to define his work by any single set of terms, but
in general his paintings are filled with striking colors and
geometrical forms, their impression indeed surreal.
According to biography.com, Miró “wanted to portray
nature as it would be depicted by a primitive person or a
child equipped with the intelligence of a 20th-century
adult.”
naked hooping: Hula hooping seems to be a popular
pastime at Burning Man, and the 2010 schedule called for
a “Naughty Naked Hula Hooping” event.
“Only rule is no Reality Bends. We’re in it. We’re with it.
It’s a party about survivalism—building your own world.
Radical self-expression. Embracing. Loving. Gifting.”
Reality Bends: In the language of Burning Man, Reality
Bends are an unpleasant effect of returning to the typical
world in the wake of Burning Man; these may be eased by
gathering with fellow burners and celebrating. While not
an actual rule of Burning Man, this certainly jives with
Simone’s attempt to keep the outside world at bay (after
all, if you never leave Burning Man, you never need
experience Reality Bends).
survivalism: Perhaps not only survivalism, but radical
survivalism, one of the ten core principles of Burning Man.
Radical survivalism emphasizes reliance on one’s own
abilities, on searching for that power and talent within
that may be used to combat the challenges of the harsh
climate (the desert in which Burning Man occurs can be
dreadfully hot during the day, freezing by night, and is
often buffeted by powerful winds). As a part of this,
participants in Burning Man must bring everything
necessary for survival to the event (the only goods sold
on-site are ice and coffee). Indeed, it is held that in order
to survive, individuals must actively participate. Seems to
be a part of the self-discovery and self-unveiling (that is,
the radical self-expression) promoted by the event.
radical self-expression: One of the ten principles of
Burning Man, this involves discovering and making use of
one’s particular talents or gifts, often through the creation
of some sort of artwork. Indeed, the Burning Man website
suggests that this expression “is offered as a gift to
others,” suggesting that this is a gifting of the very self.
gifting: Another of the ten principles of Burning Man,
which promotes gifting over any sort of trade or monetary
exchange. To gift is simply to give, whether this involves
objects or the self’s own talents, and a gift received
cannot be returned. Many of the gifts given are created by
participants, and so come as signs of their radical selfexpression.
“The object of the game is to find a zozobra.”
zozobra: As indicated later in the play, Simone’s idea of “a
zozobra” is connected to Santa Fe’s Zozobra—also called
Old Man Gloom [see p. 17]—a gigantic marionette stuffed
with divorce papers, police
reports, and other
mementoes of woe. The
first Zozobra was created in
1924 by Will Schuster, for a
private party; in 1926, the
Zozobra became a part of
the annual Santa Fe Fiesta
[see p. 16]. Since that time,
the Fiesta has begun with
an elaborate pageant that
culminates in the burning of
Old Man Gloom and the
banishing of the year’s
worries. Freed from anxiety, the people of Santa Fe are
able to enjoy the rest of the festival.
Note that while Burning Man [see p. 10] does feature a,
well, burning Man (the effigy is simply called “The Man”),
it doesn’t seem to stem particularly from Old Man Gloom.
After all, effigies have long been constructed and
destroyed.
“Got the idea from Martha Stewart.”
Martha Stewart: (b. 1941) Long-time businesswoman and
guru of all things housekeeping. Sy may have found the
idea in any number of Martha Stewart’s media
productions, perhaps in her famed magazine, Martha
Stewart Living.
PAGE 39
“Picasso Mr. Potato Heads. Ears for eyes.”
Picasso: (1881-1973) Although he experimented with a
number of styles and could never be
pinned to one particular approach,
Spanish artist Pablo Picasso is
perhaps most often associated with
Cubism (a movement in which
perspective was blown open and
forms were broken up, strewn, and
reordered), of which he was a codeveloper. He is often linked to
works that appear to distort the
human form.
Mr. Potato Head: The original Mr. Potato Head was sold
only as a collection of facial pieces; buyers were
encouraged to stick the pieces into whatever vegetable
might be readily available. A body was provided by the
mid-sixties, but the basic idea remains that of mixing
pieces, often creating the strangest combinations possible.
Jenga glossary, Nov. 29 / p. 12
“Like your Snow White Barbie doll. Chewed up limbs.”
Snow White: Beautiful princess who ate a poisoned apple
and thence fell into a seemingly unshakable sleep, only to
be happily reawakened by a daring prince. The Barbie
itself was likely designed based on the 1937 Disney film
(Mattel has manufactured multiple versions of the Snow
White Barbie), but the story of Snow White extends much
further, and the origins of the fairy tale are unknown. In
the Disney film, the Queen—that is, Snow White’s wicked
stepmother—is jealous of the girl’s beauty and orders a
huntsman to kill Snow White. When the huntsman allows
Snow White to run free, the girl takes up residence with
seven dwarfs. Her step-mother finds out (through her
magical mirror) that the girl is alive and cons her into
eating a poisoned apple that sends her into an enchanted
sleep from which she may only be awakened by love’s first
kiss. The dwarves guard the girl until a prince does arrive,
awaken Snow White, and marry her. In older versions of
the tale, it might be noted that Snow White’s mother dies
while birthing the girl, that the stepmother demands that
the hunter return with Snow White’s heart, and that the
apple offered is meant to kill rather than send the girl to
sleep.
“Remember when you got a Polly Pocket stuck up your
nose?”
Polly Pocket: Polly Pocket toys first
appeared during the late 1980s, when
Chris Wiggs decided to created pocketsized playsets (including “Polly’s Town
House,” “Polly’s Pony Club,” and “Polly’s
Animal Hospital”) with mini dolls to
match. In Yelena’s (or Sy’s) defense, the
toys pretty much are just the right size
for ending up in children’s noses. First
produced by a British company called Bluebird Toys, the
product was eventually snatched by Mattel, which took
over distribution.
PAGE 40
“That time we saw monks protesting on TV and every-time
you got all pissed of at me you’d jokingly hold a lighter to
yourself and I’d be like ‘Hey! No self-immolation in the
house!” “Pogs.”
self-immolation: Self-immolation is itself an act of
sacrificing oneself, perhaps but not necessarily involving
fire. Self-immolation can be traced throughout history, but
since the latter half of the 20th Century has become
particularly identified with political protest. Perhaps the
most well-known occurrence of such immolation occurred
on June 11, 1963 in Saigon, when Buddhist monk Thich
Quang Duc set himself aflame; in the U.S., the act is often
read as a protest against the South Vietnamese
government’s persecution of Buddhist monks (other
countries have, of course, offered vastly divergent
interpretations). Since Duc, numerous individuals have
enacted self-immolation for a span of reasons. It seems
likely that
Yelena and
Simone
watched
footage
representing
one of the
monks in
South
Vietnam,
perhaps a reenactment
recalling Duc’s death, since live action film of the South
Vietnamese burnings seems rare or nonexistent. Within
the past year, several Buddhist monks in Tibet have
committed self-immolation, protecting against Chinese
rule.
pogs: A game and mid-nineties fad involving cheap,
collectible discs called, well, pogs. The pogs themselves
were made of cardboard, and sported an image or colorful
design on one side, and play of the game
required only pogs and a slammer, a
heavier disc. Players set up a
stack of pogs, and the first player
throws a slammer on top of the
stack; the pogs that fall face-up
are claimed by this player. Then
the tower it reset, the next player
takes a turn, and so on and so forth.
The player who ends up with the most pogs wins.
PAGE 41
“You’re on that ride—The Beast.”
The Beast: There is a
wooden rollercoaster
known as “The Beast”
in Mason, Ohio at
Kings Island, a
popular amusement
park. The esteemed
rollercoaster (for
reals; it often ranks high on the lists of must-experience
coasters) first opened in 1979, hits speeds of nearly 65
miles an hour, and features drops of 135 and 141 feet.
Wooden rollercoasters such as “The Beast” are notorious
for jostling passengers and appearing shakier, more
unsteady than they truly are, upping the fear-quotient.
Whether or not this is a direct reference to the Kings
Island coaster, the name certainly fits the general run of
rollercoaster names.
Jenga glossary, Nov. 29 / p. 13
PAGE 43
“And the queen gave birth to two fairies, leaving her
mind…imbalanced. The king sealed his eyes with whiskey,
so he wouldn’t have to see her sickness; His eyes so shut
that when she ate a poisoned apple, he kissed the bottle
instead of kissing his queen better. After she never woke
up, he developed a condition that caused him over time to
turn into a dragon (dragonitis).”
poisoned apple: We’re back to the tale of Snow White
[see p. 12]. While in the Disney film the poisoned apple
was meant to send the princess into an enchanted sleep,
in older versions of the tale, the apple was created to kill
her.
PAGE 48
“She dug deeper and deeper, six feet deep.”
six feet deep: An obvious point, perhaps, but this’d be the
traditional depth of a grave…
dragon: Dragons present another multi-faceted symbol,
but at a glance, they often comes associated with danger,
greed, power, chaos, evil, sin, and destruction. Dragons
are often represented as a restrictive force that must be
overcome, and heroes must often conquer a dragon in
order to succeed. Dragons are often associated with roles
of guarding, and many dragons in medieval tales, dragons
could particularly be found guarding lovely ladies. And,
yes, dragons are oft-associated with fire and poison. We
might also note the constellation Draco [see p. 16].
PAGE 49
“No light or shadows…just vast empty space. A void.”
a void: Beyond the sense of a void being… A Void (La
Disparition) is the title of a work by Oulipean [see p. 1]
Georges Perec; the work, a novel, is noted for the absence
of the letter “e.”
PAGE 44
“An art installation.”
art installation: Art installations are a
common sight at Burning Man [see p.
10], and their creation is highly
encouraged. After all, discovering and
expressing one’s talent is a key part of
radical self-expressionism [see p. 11].
PAGE 46
“It’s a Janus word. A double-sided word. An autoantonym. It means both to cut something out and to
cling.”
Janus word: Also called a contronym [see p. ?] or, as
noted, an auto-antonym. Note
that the Roman god Janus is often
associated with beginnings and
endings, as well as with transitions
and doorways. Representations
tend to show two faces fixed in
opposite directions, supposedly
look at both the past and future.
PAGE 47
“She lived in a South Jersey McMansion— manicured
green lawn- red bricks, double doors.”
South Jersey: [see p. 1]
McMansion: [see p. 1]
“And in that patch of dirt, a monstrous vine began to
grow and grow.”
a monstrous vine began to grow: The accelerated growth
of vegetation is a reasonably common element in fairy
tales; consider “Jack and the Beanstalk,” for an obvious
example, and the forest that magically sprouted up around
Sleeping Beauty’s castle when she fell into an enchanted
sleep.
“Cheese cloth. Chipped teeth.”
cheese cloth: A type of cotton fabric with a loose weave,
cheese cloth can be used for anything from craft-making
and a variety of kitchen tasks to, well, making cheese.
“Chasms, chaos, cholera, kelp?”
Cholera: Intestinal infection accompanied by symptoms
that include diarrhea, lethargy, and vomiting.
PAGE 50
“Pictures of us with dad at Sesame Street Land. And at the
amusement park. The shore. […] A picture of us doing the
elephant song.”
Sesame Street Land: Although the reference need not be
to a specific park, there is a Sesame Place in Langhorne,
Pennsylvania. It first opened in 1980, and is currently
owned by SeaWorld.
the elephant song: Song, entitled “Skidamarink,” that
played during the closing credits of The Elephant Show, a
children’s television program that aired during the mid1980s. The main characters lived in a house with an
elephant
“Like the opposite of a malapropism, which is
misspeaking…”
malapropism: Example: Saying “The ghost was only a
pigment of your imagination” instead of “figment” of your
imagination.”
“Singing the tune of the line “I Can’t Hide,” in the Beatle’s
‘I Want to Hold Your Hand.’”
“I Want to Hold Your Hand”: First recorded in 1963 by the
famed British phenomenon.
Jenga glossary, Nov. 29 / p. 14
PAGE 51
“Singing from ‘What a Wonderful World.’”
“What a Wonderful World”: First recorded by Louis
Armstrong in 1968 and later picked up by scads of artists.
SCADS.
PAGE 52
“We went to Hawaii. We climbed together to the top of
Diamondhead. Sat on Waikiki beach surrounded by
tropical flowers curled up like tired children, and watched
the fireworks. And then we found $5! We went to Greece,
took pictures next to toppled columns in Athens and our
faces were like— We visited the Minotaur on Crete. And
then we found $5!” “How much are we up?” “$4,785.”
Hawaii: As of 1959, the 50th American state. A popular
tourist destination—indeed, Hawaii thrives off of its
tourist industry—Hawaii is composed of eight primary
islands and a number of smaller islands. The state boasts
two official languages: English and Hawaiian (which, by the
bye, contains only twelve letters). Next to tourism, Hawaii
maintains a strong agricultural industry, and cultivated or
otherwise, plant growth flourishes throughout the islands.
Diamondhead: Diamond Head, originally called Le‘ahi and
renamed for its glittering rocks, is an inactive volcanic
crater located just off of Waikiki beach. Approximately
300,000 years old, its
crater covering some
350 acres, Diamond
Head stands as one
of Hawaii’s most
famous landmarks.
Visitors can (for a
small fee) hike the
0.8 miles to the crater’s summit by following paved and
unpaved sections of trail, stairs, and even a tunnel.
Waikiki beach: Located on the southeastern shore of the
Hawaiian island Oahu, quite near the state capital of
Honolulu, Waikiki beach remains one of Hawaii’s most
famed attractions. Its stretch of white sand is piled with
resorts, and the beach tends to be a wee bit crowded with
enthusiastic surfers and hordes of tourists seeking to enjoy
the ocean and sun. Waikiki, by the by, appears to be
Hawaiian for “spouting water.”
fireworks: Apparently, there are actually fireworks
scheduled for every Friday of the year (not to mention
other times).
Minotaur: A mythical creature sporting the body of a man
and head of a bull, and the bane of sacrificial youths. The
Minotaur was said to live in a labyrinth beneath the
ancient Minoan palace of Knossos, located on the island of
Crete. According to the myth, King Minos demanded a
fresh supply of sacrifices as tribute each year, and would
send seven young women and seven young men into the
labyrinth and to their inevitable demise. The Minotaur was
finally slain by Theseus, who escaped the labyrinth only
through the ingenious aid of Ariadne, Minos’ daughter.
While the palace itself did historically exist and its ruins
(excavated by Sir
Arthur Evans
during the early
20th Century) can
be explored to this
day, the Minotaur
is taken as legend.
The labyrinth itself
seems not to have
existed, though as Knossos contained an overwhelming
complex of rooms, the ruins certainly bear a labyrinthine
appearance.
Crete: Another popular tourist destination, Greece’s
largest island is located to the south of the mainland and
boasts a long-storied history and deep connections to
mythology (in particular, to the Minotaur and labyrinth).
Travelers to Crete may visit archeological ruins and sites
from a span of eras, reflecting a wide range of styles and
creating almost a cluttering of cultures. Along with its
ruins and natural attractions, Crete offers enough resorts,
aquariums, and other such enticements to satisfy its vital
tourist industry and allow visitors to enjoy historical
landmarks in reach of comfort.
Sense that everything that was built up was destroyed…
yet remains in pieces to be seen by those to come after.
Of course, Crete also caters to tourists with such
attractions as water parks and aquariums.
$4,785: 957 happy memories, or one helluva lot of trips.
PAGE 53
“It’s nothing. 7-Up used to be made with lithium, you
know?”
7-Up: Introduced in 1929 as Bib-Label Lithiated LemonLime Soda, the beverage was first
advertised and sold as a cure for
hangovers. The name was quickly
changed to 7Up Lithiated LemonLime and finally to simply 7Up. The
lithium stuck around longer than
the original name, though by about
1950, it too had gone. The presence
of curious chemicals in soda isn’t
particularly uncommon, of course; consider early CocaCola and cocaine, not to mentioned the host of
confounding chemicals in soda today.
Jenga glossary, Nov. 29 / p. 15
lithium: One of the drugs most commonly used to treat bipolar disorder, a condition typically characterized by
shifting, extended phases of mania and depression.
Possible side effects of lithium include thirst, nausea, slight
hand tremors, restlessness, acne, and impaired memory,
among others.
unsmoked joint: For the record, sounds like joints actually
keep pretty well. Better if stored in plastic bags, but…
People leave ’em for weeks before smoking/finishing.
PAGE 54
“I assist executives!” “For how many temp firms?”
“What?” “Your LinkedIn account only lists temp firms.”
temp firms: Temp firms aid job-seekers in finding and
securing temporary positions with a sweeping range of
companies. The temp firm takes care of the leg work in
matching candidates to positions, expediting the process
of finding jobs and alleviating the pressure of the constant
job search and resume submission (most of the effort
required of the candidates in securing positions can be
managed quite quickly online). Temp firms have flourished
recently; following economic downtimes, companies shy
from committing to new permanent hires, and temporary
employees ease their worries.
Temping allows job seekers to maintain flexible schedules
(perhaps working around school) and to dabble in
different fields; it may also offer a path to permanent
positions. Temp workers may face the censure of the
widely held view that anyone not securing a full-time job is
essentially a failure, but the flexibility may compensate for
any snubbing, and many people do make careers out of
temp work. The duration of temporary positions
apparently vary greatly, lasting anywhere from a few
hours to years, but most stand for a few months.
LinkedIn: An internet-based professional network that
reaches worldwide and boats over 120 million members.
Members sign up free of charge, then and create profiles
and are given access to a wealth of tools for connecting
with others, seeking jobs, and generally boosting their
careers. Because the site helps to direct results that
surface when Googling a member’s name, it seems likely
that the LinkedIn profile would be one of the first results
to arise when Simone Googled Yelena.
“So the view from my desk changes from the back of the
Essex Sign and Columbus Circle to a cubicle wall.”
“Nobody’s hiring perm?”
Essex Sign: Perhaps referring to
New York City’s Essex House, an
upscale hotel located off of
central Park.
Columbus Circle: Located at the southwest corner of
Central Park, in Manhattan, New York City, and marked by
a Christopher Columbus monument.
“Arugula and goat cheese with sliced strawberries and
toasted walnuts. Best served on a hot date.”
arugula: A salad green with a taste described as bitter or
peppery. Arugula has long been said to up an individual’s
sexual potency, so why not stock up during a date?
Arugula and goat cheese seems a pretty popular
combinations, and overall, this recipe isn’t particularly
original.
strawberries: Allegedly associated with Venus and longlinked to romance in general. Oh, and if you squint just
right, they even look a little bit like hearts. Clearly,
strawberries + aphrodisiac arugula = the hottest date ever.
“Mandarin, apple, mixed greens and pecans. Best served
to a loved one.”
mandarin: Likely speaking of the mandarin orange (unless
we’re talking about some sort of duck salad, here), which
actually refers more to a variety of oranges. Like “salad
greens,” then, the term “mandarin” is pretty vague.
PAGE 57
“Do you know what happens during a heart attack? Your
heart cells die. An occlusion blocks the blood flow and the
cells die.”
occlusion: The term “occlusion” is used to indicate a
blocking (full or part) of the veins (hence, the occlusion
doesn’t block so much as it is the blockage); when
referring to the arteries running to the heart, the occlusion
is known specifically as a coronary occlusion. Occlusions
typically occur from piling up of plaque—that is,
cholesterol—on the artery walls, and the blockage
obstructs the flow of oxygen to the heart, causing the
referenced cell death and heart attack [see p. 8].
PAGE 58
“Scorpius. Got it when I was 19. 15 stars. One for every
man or woman I slept with that year.”
Scorpius: Appearing low on the horizon, Scorpius is
particularly marked by the bright star Antares, and is
depicted as, well, a scorpion
(though long ago, it
apparently lost its claws to
another constellation).
Scorpius is said to be the
scorpion that was sent to
end Orion’s [p. 16] life when
the prideful hunted boasted
that he could kill any animal.
Also associated with Scorpio,
the eighth sign of the Zodiac.
Jenga glossary, Nov. 29 / p. 16
“Virgo. An ironic gesture last July.”
Virgo: The second largest constellation, its name
translates to “virgin” or “young maiden.” Virgo is typically
linked to Dike, a goddess of justice who was often seen as
a proponent for righteous retribution. Legend has it that
when earth and mankind began to go downhill, Dike found
herself yearning for
simpler and happy
days and fled first to
the mountains, then
to the heavens in
order to remove
herself from the
turmoil. Many
depictions of Virgo,
by the by, show a maiden with wings. Virgo is also the
sixth sign of the Zodiac.
“Aquarius.”
Aquarius: Constellation also known as the Water Bearer.
Aquarius is most often connected to Ganymede, a lovely
lad with whom
Zeus became
infatuated, and
the constellation
is typically
depicted as a man
or boy with a
bucket or cup, pouring out water. Aquarius is also the
eleventh sign of the Zodiac.
PAGE 59
“Draco. Last Halloween. Like half the staff of this haunted
house.”
Draco: Constellation seen only
from the northern hemisphere,
its stars tracing the rough shape
of a dragon [see p. 13]. Draco
may be traced in connection with
a number of dragons. As an
example, it is often associated
with the dragon Ladon, who
guarded the goddess Hera’s tree
of golden apples and was slain by
Hercules [see also Tree of Life, p. 6]. There has also been a
Christian association with Draco and the serpent that
guarded Eden’s Tree of Knowledge.
“Fire-play.”
fire play: An advanced BDSM (Bondage and Discipline,
Dominance and Submission, and Sadomasochism)
technique that comes in numerous forms, all of which are
dangerous. The majority, at least, also involve use of a
torch, and deal with setting the skin on fire in controlled
scenarios. In general, BDSM involves the enactment of
fantasies (can almost be seen as a sort of game) and a
setting of boundaries within which one may enjoy the
receipt or infliction of pain; it invites collisions of pain,
power, and love.
“Needle-play.”
needle play: Another BDSM technique, this involves
penetrating the body by puncturing the skin, typically
weaving needles in and out of the flesh. The needles may
remain in the skin throughout play, and may be decorated
(with feathers, for instance) to creates images on the
body. The needles are rarely driven deep, and are
removed afterward, allowing the skin to heal (in most
cases).
“Did you get your vagina tattooed?” “That’s Orion.”
Orion: Also called The Hunter, Orion is one of the brightest
and best-known constellations, perhaps most recognizable
by the three stars that compose his belt. Orion is typically
depicted as a man with an upraised club, pursuing a beast.
His tales has been variously related through mythology,
but he may have been the son of Poseidon, and by all
accounts struck a striking,
powerful figure. Orion
became boastful,
however, and when he
declared that he could
slay any animal on earth,
the gods sent a scorpion
(Scorpius [p. ?], in fact)
to sting Orion to his
death (in fact, the
constellation Scorpius is
said to chase Orion out of
the sky). Orion has also been linked to a couple of ill-fated
attempts at, shall we say, forced amorous interaction.
PAGE 62
“It’s like the predecessor of Burning Man. During Fiesta de
Santa Fe in New Mexico, they create a giant marionette
man—“Old Man Gloom,” and everybody in town sticks
their troubles inside and then they torch it. Old Man Gloom
groans as he burns and all their gloom goes up in flames!”
Fiesta de Santa Fe: The Fiestas de Santa Fe, or the Santa
Fe Fiesta, annually occurs early in September and is held
to be a celebration of historical and religious significance.
The festival was originally established, in 1712, in order to
commemorate Don Diego de Vargas’ 1692 peaceful
reclaiming of Santa Fe from the Pueblo people for Spain;
the Fiesta has occurred more or less regularly since. By
1924, Will Shuster felt that the Fiesta had become
overcommercialized, and so took orders into his own
hands, celebrating by creating and burning a six-foot effigy
for a private party. Another followed in 1925, and by 1926,
Shuster had taken his effigy public, creating the first
Jenga glossary, Nov. 29 / p. 17
Zozobra [see p. 11] to be publicly burned as a part of
Fiesta. Zozobra, or Old Man Gloom, has since become an
integral part of the Fiesta.
Old Man Gloom: First created in 1924 by Will Shuster for a
private party and brought to the public in 1926, Old Man
Gloom (or “Zozobra” [see p. 11], which can be translated
as “the gloomy one”) has since been burned as a kick-off
to the Santa Fe Fiesta. The burning of this enormous and
quite eerie marionette is surrounded by ceremony and
accompanied by a Fire Dancer. By burning Gloom, the
people banish the woes of the past year, freeing
themselves to enjoy the festivities. While the first public
Zozobra stood at a mere
fifteen feet, the most recent
incarnation of Old Man
Gloom stood at an
impressive forty-nine feet,
eleven inches. The
marionette is composed
largely of wood and cloth,
along with such materials as
pizza pans and duct tape,
and is stuffed with woeful
mementos from anyone who
would care to contribute (a
gloom box is also available close to the night of the
burning). In 2012, Zozobra will be burned on September
6th.
Apparently (according to zozobra.com, at least), Shuster
was quoted in 1980 as referring to Gloom as a “monster
who might have stepped out of a fairy tale,” adding,
“Zozobra […] appeals to the childish fancy – in all of us.
[The burning of Zozobra] is a scene from a fairy tale of our
own making.”
PAGE 63
“Since 1924.”
1924: The year in which Will Shuster first created and
burned an effigy to celebrate the Santa Fe Fiesta. Although
this first burning was for a private party, the first public
burning of Old Man Gloom came soon after, in 1926.
PAGE 64
“Tourettes of the hand.”
tourettes: Tourette syndrome, a neurological disorder in
which vocal and motor tics [see p. 10] abound. Tics include
physical (blinking, shrugging, flailing arms, jerking legs,
etc.?) as well as vocal compulsions (sniffing, clearing the
throat, laughing, shouting, etc.). While Tourette’s is often
associated with compulsory cursing, this manifests itself in
a relatively small percentages of cases; often, the signs are
far less obtrusive.
“I start look for others—other people signing in space,
screaming unnoticed messages across the J line.”
J line: Also called the Nassau Street Express, the J line is a
part of New York City’s subway system, and runs through
parts of Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan.
PAGE 69
“Vocally dancing on the edge of a panic attack.”
panic attack: May or may not be associated with a panic
disorder. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, chest
pains, dizziness, drastically increased heart rate, and chills,
and the experience is sometimes mistaken for a heart
attack. Said to typically last 10 minutes (though the length
certainly varies), panic attacks leave the individual feeling
exhausted.
“Three hours hyperventilating into a towel in my
bathroom until it stopped.”
hyperventilating: Breathing that comes faster and deeper
than typical breathing; also called overbreathing. The body
quickly takes in more air than usual, and levels of carbon
dioxide become dangerously low. Often connected to
panic attacks and anxiety, and may indeed lead to fainting.
“To keep her away with Scheherazade stories—Your own
1001 nights…”
1001 nights: Also known as Arabian Nights, 1001 Nights is
a work of unspecified, likely Middle Eastern origin. The
work was introduced to the West by French translator
Antoine Galland in the early 18th Century, and has since
been translated and adapted into countless languages and
forms. Although the versions differ, 1001 Nights invariably
offers an impressive collection of tales, including those of
Aladdin and Ali Baba. These tales are presented within a
larger frame in which a woman named Scheherazade
relates stories to a king to stave off her looming execution.
Unable to find an honest woman, the king has decided to
marry and kill a new wife every day, and has run through
most of the kingdom’s women before coming to
Scheherazade. Scheherazade throws a wrench in his
scheme by weaving a new story every night and leaving a
cliffhanger that prompts the king to allow her to live to
complete the tale. After 1001 nights of this, she discloses
her strategy, and the now-appreciative king decides to
abandon his rampaging and live happily with
Scheherazade.
PAGE 71
“We’ll dress like fairies, drink too much mead.”
mead: Essentially, mix honey, water, and yeast, and allow
the mixture to ferment; the alcoholic beverage produced
is a basic mead. The drink has been brewed for thousands
of years, and although wine had begun to achieve
popularity by the 1600s (and the bees required for honey
were becoming more costly), mead was still a prevalent
Jenga glossary, Nov. 29 / p. 18
provision and so is popular with Renaissance Fests [p. 2].
Like kombucha [p. 4], mead is often home-brewed.
“A shoddy, rusted bricolage of assembled mechanical
parts, broken makeshift heart monitors, pieces of a
respiratory machine, tubes without logic surround him in a
bizarre home-made mess of a machine.”
bricolage: Creation composed of an array of materials,
utilizing whatever happens to be readily available.
makeshift heart monitors: If we’re looking to Simone’s
favorite source, the internet does offer guidance in piecing
together heart monitors [see p. 1]..
respiratory machine: Also called a ventilator, the
respiratory machine provides life-support, bring air into
the body. Use of a respirator requires inserting a tube into
the patient’s windpipe; for long-term use, patients may be
given a trachaectomy, the tubes inserted directly into the
throat. (That is, if the father’s been hooked up to a
respirator, this would only add to his speech difficulties.)
Often, patients hooked up to a respiratory machine must
be fed through a tube. Medical ventilators can be
purchased, say, over the internet.
PAGE 75
“I’ll bury you in flowers.”
“Forget-me-nots.”
forget-me-nots: Small clustered
blues flowers (yellow centers)
typically associated with
memory and true love.