So what exactly ISHaiku? Well, according to Wikipedia:
Haiku(俳句, listen) is a short form ofJapanese poetry in three phrases, typically characterized by three qualities:
The essence of haiku is “cutting” (kiru).[1]This is often represented by the juxtaposition of two images or ideas and akireji (“cutting word”) between them,[2] a kind of verbal punctuation mark which signals the moment of separation and colours the manner in which the juxtaposed elements are related.
Traditional haiku often consist of 17on (also known asmorae though often loosely translated as “syllables”), in three phrases of 5, 7, and 5 on, respectively.[3]
Akigo (seasonal reference), usually drawn from asaijiki, an extensive but defined list of such terms.
The most famous haiku of all time is by Basho, the most famous Haiku poet of all time.
It is not as easy as you think, but … it is ALWAYS FUN to write Haiku! I tend to …. break the rules and make up funny Haiku for work, so by no means are the following Haiku meant to be anything but fun and a bit more … UVic, Help Desk and CALL … ‘themed’! When we return to UVic, I will restart my CALL Haiku of the Day on the whiteboards!
Windows Update? Sure! 1% done ….. updating ….. DO NOT TURN ME OFF!
your iMac won’t boot?
Chrome needs latest Flash update?
COMPUTER HELP DESK!
Paris in Springtime
Tour de France best race in world Let’s learn to speak French!
Relieving Stress . . . International Words and Self-Care Trends
I hope everyone is at home, staying healthy and safe.
I know I am trying different techniques, strategies and approaches to reduce stress while working at home. Meditation, cycling, reading, writing, phoning my family, frequent breaks, fresh air, sunshine and petting my cat works wonders for me. On campus, the Uvic MultiFaith Centre is offeringVirtual Meditation using ZOOM, until May 18th!
And then I thought … there must be techniques and strategies in other countries, and of course, words that describe them! And off to have tea with my internet friend … GOOGLE!
The most amazing word I found comes from Denmark! And it somehow seems appropriate that it is a very short word, only 3 letters, but delivers an important message, without any real translation into English! That word is PYT! It basically means “Don’t worry about it….” or “Oh well….”
According to this video, “Pyt can reduce stress because it is a sincere attempt to encourage yourself and others to not get bogged down by minor daily frustrations”. Pyt was recently voted the most popular word by Danes. Sounds good to me.
And that is not the only Danish word that makes this list. I only recently heard of ‘Hygge‘ , described and compared to ‘Pyt‘ below:
The Danish are the OG masters of self-care: Despite winters so heavy and dark that Danes lovingly refer to their country as “Mordor” (yes, the land of evil and darkness from Lord of the Rings) from November through February, Denmark is routinely ranked one of the three happiest countries in the world. The secret is in the cultural mindset, which has given rise to the international trends of hygge, and pyt.
Hygge is all about getting cozy and staying in. Think of its brand as emphasizing handmade, beautiful objects like homespun wool sweaters, handmade ceramics and dipped candles. Hygge isn’t all about objects, though. It embodies a sense of togetherness – think simple family meals at raw wooden tables, and nights spent cuddled by the fire, sipping cocoa and singing folk song
Everyone’s self-care needs are different, and some self-care experts are uncovering the virtue in a different Danish concept: pyt. Pronounced like “pid,” pyt doesn’t have a precise English translation: It’s a cultural concept about cultivating healthy thoughts to better deal with stress. If hygge keeps your heart and toes warm, pyt is more about maintaining mental health for an overall sense of wellbeing.
And there are more amazing words and techniques from all over the world!
Wabi sabi is an aesthetic principle that, like all things Japanese, is deeply rooted in philosophy: in this case, a beauty that is impermanent, imperfect, and incomplete. Homes of wabi sabi practitioners are uncluttered, featuring simple, handmade or natural objects, asymmetry and roughness, natural light, and clean lines. Especially in the rush of the working world and holiday madness, wabi sabi can be a balm
Cwtch (don’t worry, we’ve got you – it’s pronounced “kutch”) is like hygge, but specifically for the home. Specifically, cwtch comes from the Welsh word for “cubbyhole,” referring to a small, cozy nook made specifically for cuddling in. It also means something like “giant, double hug” – so practitioners of this form of self-care are essentially crafting home spaces (think canopy beds piled in thick quilts) that embrace you like a hug.
Weather isn’t enough to keep Swedes and Norwegians inside. In fact, the concept of friluftsliv, meaning “open-air living” is central to Nordic culture, and visitors will see Swedes, Norwegians, and Danes out walking, hiking and biking even in sub-zero temperatures. Born of a belief that physical and mental health are strengthened by spending time in nature, the concept was popularized by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen in the 1850s, and has been driving the Scandinavians to seek wellness outdoors since.
Let’s hop on down to Sweden and zero in on a concept the Swedes are insisting isn’t the new hygge. This simplicity-based lifestyle is called lagom, and it translates to something like, “Not too much, not too little – just right.” To live your life with the lagom mindset is to take things in moderation (yes, including moderation) – you shouldn’t crowd your home and mind, but you also don’t need to go full monk. It’s simple, clean, with an emphasis on upcycling and recycling. It’s anti-clutter. It’s just right.
Less about simple self-care and more about a living a full and vibrant life, this Dutch term has a cloud of translated meanings, including coziness, celebration, comfort and gregariousness. Unlike the rest of its cohort, gezellig (noun: gezelligheid) is about fun, and welcomes clutter, noise, and great time. Think laughter, warm colors, great food and spirits, and rooms crowded with the plants, books and knick-knacks that breathe life and personality into a space.
And here are a list of other sites that might be of interest too:
Medieval Help Desk or . . . Bomgar Through the Ages . . .
THE best part of working for The Computer Help Desk is … talking with people! Every day is different, every person is different and we get to help students, staff, faculty and people from around the entire world!
And this post is definitely on the lighter side of what happens at a Computer Help Desk!
If you haven’t heard of ‘The IT Crowd‘, then that is mandatory viewing for anyone even ‘remotely connected‘ to any Help Desk! (Cheeky pun there .. hehe!).
Another hilarious clip is when a Medieval monk introduces new technology to one of the other monks at their monastery. There are a few versions of them, so I will put a few of them at the bottom too, in English as well as with subtitles!
All in good fun and for me, the best parts of them all – you get to talk to people and solve their problems! And I have solved SO many computer problems in CALL and elsewhere – even recommending to my own brother – ‘Have you tried turning it off and on?‘ .. and it solves the problem! LOL!
As long as there are words out there, there will be interesting topics!
Some words just sound beautiful! As if you are singing them, just by pronouncing them! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but … it could also be in the … ear!
My favourite word in the English language is probably Serendipity. I say probably because … there are so many beautiful words! Even the word ‘beautiful’ is literally … beautiful!
Where does serendipitycome from?
In the mid-1700s, English author Horace Walpole stumbled upon an interesting tidbit of information while researching a coat of arms. In a letter to his friend Horace Mann he wrote: “This discovery indeed is almost of that kind which I call Serendipity, a very expressive word, which as I have nothing better to tell you, I shall endeavor to explain to you: you will understand it better by the derivation than by the definition. I once read a silly fairy tale, called ‘The Three Princes of Serendip’: as their highnesses travelled, they were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of….” Walpole’s memory of the tale (which, as it turns out, was not quite accurate) gave serendipity the meaning it retains to this day.
And there is a very good chance that beautiful words from other languages do not have an English translation, then I have that covered already with a previous blog post entitled “Untranslatable Words or … The Mystery and Beauty of Communication“. I got you covered!
A very tough choice for me, but I will go with “Mångata“, a Swedish word that means ‘the reflection of the moon on water‘. There was a Super Moon here a few weeks ago and it was absolutely spectacular!
But, a very close second is the Japanese word for ‘light filtering through the trees‘, ‘Komorebi’, as I like biking through Mystic Vale each day to and from work!
And a few more great lists AND some images, are at:
listen) is a short form of Japanese poetry in three phrases, typically characterized by three qualities:
TTFN!
