Dear Fishonabike,

I trust your day went well. First I must apologize for saying that I would make of you "mincemeat". As of troy pointed out, that would be impossible, cookerarily speaking, and figuratively speaking impossible because of your keen wit and great intellect.

Further, this post is better used in thanking you for your two suggestions of words to replace the bastard word "directment". It pains me, however, to report that my troublesome quirk of excessive intellectual honesty forbids the use of your two fine words. May I explain...

The clumsy word "directment" was suggested to me by the "Trouble maker" of my psyche. I was writing a sentence designed to annoy the non-usa 'uns on the board (all in good fun, of course) and when I needed a word to express, in exaggerated form, the role of the US as top banana in styles and trends "Troublemaker" suggested "directment".

At the time the word sounded good, action turned into a quality, yes, more concrete, more forceful. Just what I was looking for; the US directing all the other countries on how to proceed. I liked it. Sorta like ordering everybody around. And what the hell, I thought, the germans noun words all the time.

Later all hell broke loose, and I began considering the substitution of your words...

[proponent]
at first glance this looks good, but look again...all rah-rah and no action, nothing like directing.

[propellant]
Great, I thought. But no, a propellant is a fuel, in other words, something that you draw from, rather than something that orders. Not at all like directing.

And so now me and Troublemaker sit here unloved, while the entire english speaking world waits in vain and without a viable substitute for the word directment.

Thanks for listening Fish, and I know that I won't be presumptuous if I take the liberty of thanking you on behalf of all of the First-string A-teamers on this board for your delightful participation. Your kind intelligent wit was returned to this forum when it was sorely needed. Your calm charm, repartee and your kindness directed us all to follow your example. And now, we would all like to say...
Fishonabike, thank you for being our directment.


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