I've been told that one positive result of 2020 and self-quarantining and all that jazz is the blossoming of hidden interests and abilities. It seems almost everyone is developing a new hobby for themselves.
Normally, I would say that's a good thing, but methinks this particular bookstore is feeding into a slightly dangerous obsession.
Landing at 451 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time is "The Twist" (not to be confused with "The Twizzle", Dick Van Dyke fans). It was first recorded as a throwaway B side by Ballard and the Midnighters in 1958, but became a number one hit when recorded and released in 1960 by Chubby Checker (not to be confused with Fats Domino, word origin fans).
The twist you may be expecting is the bit-o-trivia that Chubby Checker's recording is the only single in pop music history to have reached number one on the charts two separate times; once in 1960 and again in 1962.
But the twist I'm talking about isn't that.
I'm pretty sure you've never been told that not only did Checker rerecord "The Twist," he also changed the words.
You're no doubt familiar with:
But did you know that the lyric was originally:
Stick around, kids, I'm full of all kinds of stuff you never knew.
Every so often, when I'm working at my local gas station/convenience store/tobacco emporium (FastStop), the computer behind the cash registers will sound an alarm, vibrate, and start to emit wisps of acrid smoke.
This is its passive-aggressive way of letting us know there is an important message that needs attention.
On February 10th of this year, that important message was about a product recall:
"Tropicana, Inc. is voluntarily withdrawing a specific lot of KeVita Cucumber Rosemary Sparkling Probiotic 15.2 oz because it is mislabeled."
"Cucumber Rosemary Sparkling Probiotic"?
They might as well have tried to foist Pickle Lilac Carbonated Calamine on the assembled masses.
An itsy bit from Almost the Dictionary: The Almost the Truth™ Dictionary of What Words Ought to Actually Mean: A Lexicon for Parallel Thinkers.
Zagged (verb) - What I should have done when I actually zigged
Zaman (n) - What you are
Zany (phrase) - The question asked when the speaker wants to know if some examples of what is being searched for have been located visually.
Zap (n) - Politically incorrect nickname for a native of Zapan
Zapper (n) - An electric goad used for changing television channels
ZEAL (acronym) - Zebras Exiting Africa Legally
Zeal (n) - any of numerouz carnivorouz marine mammalz that live chiefly in cold regionz and have limbz modified into webbed flipperz adapted primarily to zwimming; often erroneouzly confuzed with a zea lion.
Zebra (n) - Can't even imagine how large that must be
Zesty (n) - Where French pigs live
Zigged (verb) - What I actually did when I should have zagged.
