We're always happy to consider new entries, but Jesus Murphy on a porcupine, they need to be terms that are actually USED. We get all kinds of made up shit that would be great if ANYONE besides you used them. (We delete bad glossary entries at night, in secret.)
But, please, send us any you think might work. We'll endeavor to share new ones as they come in and see if they catch fire. If so, we'll put them in. If not, then you'll have to do more fucking legwork on your own.
Reader "Elvis Costello" sends us this (it shouldn't take any more than a few seconds to figure out who that is):
[+]
Colt: 1. A younger colleague that is not tenured. 2. Given their sense of entitlement, unlikely to be willing to participate in required activities (e.g., faculty advisor for the discipline's club, graduation, faculty meetings, textbook selection and other committees). 3. Considered by adminstration to be essential and important because of their age and the prevalence of ageism in society.
Many suggestions for new vocab have been offered and submitted but no one ever follows through with adding new words.
ReplyDeleteFrankly, I'm tired of seeing this same blog post over and over again if no one intends to actually receive ANY new suggestions.
Mods?
We review all glossary terms and definitions that come to the email address. If they're good and likely for usage, we include them. If not, not.
ReplyDeleteAnd, we're happy to revisit any that you think we've fucked up. Just email them and definitions to collegemisery@gmail.com
The most recent additions were for "moderator," sent in by Ben, and "tea party," sent in by many.
We put "pinball" up after people seemed to like it, and then not a soul ever used it. When iteration 1.5 went to 2.0, "pinball" went away.
I thought we already had a(n admittedly little-used these days) term that fits the definition of "colt" above: "gumdrop unicorn."
ReplyDeleteOr maybe I'm missing some nuances of meaning?
I thought so, too. How is a colt different?
DeleteOoh gumdrop unicorn. I have visions of rainbows.
ReplyDeleteLabor camp; noun. 1. In the parlance of College Misery, a vast or complicated project created by Strelnikov. Sometimes it is an actual labor camp or labor camp system in Siberia, other times it is just a metaphor. 2. a song Strelnikov once typed out.
ReplyDeleteWe need something for "duck". It's a metaphor for something, I think. Maybe it's not really a metaphor but it's like a metaphor. I guess that makes it a simile.
ReplyDeleteI like the following for the Duck's definition:
DeleteDuck: it needs no definition
The duck is too slippery for definition, I think.
DeleteLike definitions off a duck's back
DeleteDuck: 1. Like a metaphor. 2. Here is a duck. 3. Something that looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck.
DeleteAlan, that's very good.
DeleteI thought "Gumdrop Unicorn" was a type of student.
ReplyDeleteOh no, gumdrop unicorn came to being on RYS during my time. And it is fully realized in this post.
DeleteI think Chocolate, Beer, and the Absinthe for the levels of student paper badness is actually in use....
ReplyDeleteReversing the polarity: When you have to refer a student to Pre-College Studies
ReplyDeleteAnd, from the current glossary: "Gumdrop Unicorn
ReplyDelete1. Junior faculty, prone to job hunting during their first TT job, special and wonderful, unappreciated by their slower colleagues."
Ah, yes; I thought that last item was part of the picture. I should have consulted the glossary myself. But I think the other qualities attributed to the "colt" above go with the "I'm just passing through" attitude (including, sadly, the administration's desire to hold onto the unicorn even though (s)he is spending much more time advancing hir career than doing anything useful for hir department or students).
DeleteI am lukewarm on "colt" and doubt we will use it. However, I was stunned to see that Hamster Fur Weaving, variations upon which we use constantly, is not in the glossary! I'm not sure I have a firm definition of it, but perhaps we can cook one up?
ReplyDeleteWe are always looking for new glossary terms, updated definitions, etc. They must be emailed to the moderators.
DeleteF&T, I was thinking the same thing. I don't remember seeing that in RYS posts. Who started it?
DeleteAdded today:
ReplyDeleteSelf of steam
1. The gaseous state of the solid snowflake. 2. Naive, unwarranted belief in one's power and magic.
I like. Also, I just noticed what page the dictionary in the picture is open to -- brilliant!
Delete