“Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.”
- Rudyard Kipling
Do you love words? The way they sound to your ear and dance around in your mind, the way they feel in your mouth and tumble out when you say them, bumfuzzle, hullabaloo, obsequious…
People who love words are often “Word Farmers.” They actively collect and cultivate interesting words. (spangled, jubilize), expressions/terms/headlines (Especially aggravated assault) and overheard conversations ("Well, that's what's rollin' around up there in my head.").
People who use words to create (writers, poets, songwriters) are certainly farmers and hoarders of words. The most common method that seems almost universal among those types is keeping a journal. Anything that's come across is written in it. If not, as we all know, we're likely to forget. All the things collected are fodder for future use. Who knows when “honey spoons” might be just what's needed somewhere.
One of the first folks I ever came across “Farming” was the stellar Memphis songwriter, Cory Branan. Back in the 90s when you'd see him out in clubs and shows, he'd always have a little notebook and pen, jotting down things that caught his attention. It shows in his lyrics. This was before the ubiquity of phones which will serve the purpose now. Still, I like the old school method.
I've kept a book for years. It's come in handy occasionally for some lyrics or a title. I used one recently in a song lyric: “compound fractures.” But even if I never used anything from it, I'd still keep farming. I love just leafing back through it and celebrating all the word magic I've collected. Just a glance over the last couple of weeks gives an indication of why it makes me smile:
Love crime
Burlesque
Dogs don't bother with mystery
Gone like Garbo
Snow like wedding cake
Don't nobody
Paranormal
From a standing start
Creosote
Light sleeper
Fun!
Of course, you can get carried away. Bruce Springsteen says, Blinded By the Light is what happens when you turn an eighteen year old loose with a thesaurus.
Send me some of your favorite words and expressions. I'll steal 'em and write them in my book.