Just a few short weeks ago I was introduced by way of Editor Unleashed to writer Quinn Cummings’ blog, The QC Report, Notes from the Underwire. I became an instant fan. I’m not a former award-winning child star, nor am I a wife with a husband and small girl (not that I ever aspired to either of those), yet her writing appeals to me as much for its subject matter as for her treatment of it. She writes about the every day foibles, frustrations, and momentary near-triumphs of being a parent, a wife, and simply of being herself.

As she says in her initial post: “…my life, right now, can be summed up by a mathematical equation: PP+ 20m= PH(e)2.
That is, any Private Pride I feel about my ability to run my life, take care of my child, attend to my business or behave in a way that could be described as competent will be followed, in less than twenty minutes, by a Public Humiliation that is equal to the Private Pride squared.”

Not only does she write with a sense of humorous self-deprecation that is all too easy to identify and laugh along with, she does so while displaying what is, for me, an enviable vocabulary. (I shake my fist at the words that have somehow fled my noggin’ over the past fifteen or twenty years.)

It should go without saying that I love words, and Mrs. Cummings’ blog is a trove of wonderfully playful verbiage. It got to the point where I started writing certain ones down that I admired. In the course of a day I came up with some favorites:

riparian – having to do with the banks of a river or stream (Awesome! Far better than “a river with banks.” Blah.)
travertine – a type of striated limestone, also used to refer to marble (Lovely)
ziggurat – a terraced temple, Sumarian in origin (When used to describe a plate of food – hilarious!)
picayune – of small value, trifling (This big word makes the small sound even smaller. Love!)
Dorothy Parker – sharp-witted U.S. writer of the 20th century, known for her drinking as well
Sparkletts – bottled water (yeah, had to look that up)
Dorothea Lange – photographer noted, in part, for her depictions of life during the Dust Bowl era in American History (The visual counterpoint to Steinbeck’s “Grapes of Wrath.”)
traditional Ixtec – I wasn’t able to get an exact answer on this one. It’s obviously of an ancient culture or race, but it eludes me.
mendicant – beggar. (What an outstanding word for folks who come to your door at Halloween! I’d forgotten all abou this word!)
gelt – slang for money (Used by her as reference to Halloween candy. Literal and verbal sweetness!)
ecumenical – referring to the Christian church as a whole (Yes, being Catholic, I should know that off the top of my head – and now I do.)
brio – displaying enthusiasm for (I love this word!)

Mrs. Cummings continually tosses about such words with what appears to be such ease and comfort, if she weren’t so much fun to read, I’d dislike her intensely. Seeing as how I’m not one to hate another simply due to their awesomeness, though, she’s safe from any of my literary ire. I’ll save that for people like James Frey.

While it pains me somewhat to admit that I’m not familiar with all of these words, and while I continually say to myself, “Where did she learn all these?!” I can’t help but enjoy every one of them. The good that comes out of all of this pertains directly to what I just watched Stephen King say on a short Youtube video the other day, and what numerous other writers say repeatedly: You have to read in order to write. Even if I’m not creating much at the moment, at least I’m absorbing a few things.

Check out Mrs. Cummings’ blog if you are in need of some humor and some fine writing. I should note that she has a book coming out in January of ’09 as well. I think I might have to make a purchase.