Ologyologist

Inside of Outside

When I was younger, I enjoyed collecting things. I went through a stamp phase, a coin phase, an elastic band phase, a rock phase. I mostly discarded these collections as I lost interest in them, or replaced them with others. Later in life, for example, I had fact phases, a book phase, a picture phase. Only a couple of years ago I stopped collecting books (although I do still collect Dr. Seuss books) and facts, and I'm still in the middle of a picture phase. One collection that I stopped adding to, but never got rid of, was my collection of words. For mysterious reasons, I've always enjoyed words that end in -ology. Although I don't really collect them anymore, I still have a list that I compiled when I was in elementary school. So, I thought I would share my collection, since it's just been sitting on my hard drive and gathering dust for some ten years.

Some of the words in my collection, you probably know. Most people have heard of biology, geology, psychology, astrology, and technology. However, there are others less common that fewer people know. Icthyology, ornithology, mammology, herpetology, entomology, and zoology are less well known, but still familiar as the study of fish, birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, insects, and all animals. But I went further than that, including hundreds of words ending in -ology, that I plucked from dictionaries and encyclopedias, by painstakingly combing their pages. What motivated me? I don't know. I think I was probably crazy.

Here's a few more that you may not have heard of:

Campanology n. the art or skill of bell ringing
Deltiology n. the collecting of postcards as a hobby
Garbology n. the study of the material discarded by a society to learn what it reveals about social or cultural patterns
Iridology n. examination of the iris of the eye as a primary diagnostic aid
Thremmatology n. the science of breeding domestic plants and animals.
Trichology n. the study of hair and its diseases

There's many other interesting words that end in -ology. Too many to share all at once, however, so watch for more -ologies in the future.

Not Even a Purple Lamborghini

Inside of Outside

I love Myrtle, my 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier, in Maui Blue. I know she's Maui Blue, because I've had to repaint several parts of her. Myrtle is a unique car, with plenty of idiosyncracies. For example, about every two months, a pin falls out of the temperature control panel, and in order to replace it, the whole front console has to be removed. Another is the fact that the windshield washer fluid flows out of the reservoir and through a tube that is taped to my windshield. Myrtle might be getting on in years, but don't let her fool you. She's still a sturdy little car, and she's proven it, shuttling multiple canoes and kayaks to the river, or everything I own from place to place.

Ever since I crashed her into the side of a semi-truck, tearing off her front bumper and squashing in her left side, her horn hasn't worked properly. So now there is a yellow FOX 40 whistle glued to my steering wheel. When I bought her, she didn't have any kind of stereo system. Now, the tunes surge from an ipod, plugged into two computer speakers that are plugged into an inverter plugged into the cigarette lighter. This system works great, except that there's a mess of wires and electrical components that sometimes prohibit the comfortable seating of a passenger, or the proper operation of the parking break. Another thing to remember about Myrtle when loading stuff into her, is that she leaks. If it shouldn't get wet, it shouldn't go on the floor anywhere on the left side of the car, including the trunk.

One of the things I love most about Myrtle is the stuff inside of her. She's my home away from home, and it's nice to keep the necessities handy. Didn't have time to brush my teeth on the way out this morning? No problem, the toothbrush is in the center console and the toothpaste is in the driver's door. Need a pair of nail clippers? Right beside the blinker control. Pen and Paper? Paper's on the dash, and there's a load of pens, pencils, and markers in the center console. Need to cut something? or burn something? The exacto knife and lighter are with the pens and pencils. Napkins and walkie-talkies in the glove compartment. Flashlight on the backseat. Tools in the trunk. Or if you get a little bored, there's some musical spoons, toys, and books to entertain yourself with. And if you feel like you want to leave your mark on Myrtle, you can always add your name, saying, or doodle to the others that have been left by travelers, hitchhikers, and other road companions.

I wouldn't trade my Maui Blue Cavalier for anything. Not even a purple Lamborghini.