Now that I've read this book: You should be preordering the hell out of it. It's huge fun, and hugely informative. (And huge fun.)

Life is extremely kiki right now and I would really like it to be just a little more bouba

So, nu: Herr Maestro recently broke his neck. (He's home, no surgery, recovery going well, DON'T PANIC.) I made an offhand comment to him that, best guess, the ER visit and two-day hospital stay would cost around $100k. He was flabbergasted. No way. I just checked the claims online. $93k so far.

The Collingswood Farmers Market will be giving vouchers to people on SNAP benefits to spend at the market www.instagram.com/p/DQc0WAXkYf...

Thank you, dictionary daht cahm, for reminding me how fortunate I am to not have to try to sell a WOTY anymore. If I had had to come up with a narrative for "67" that seated it within the "global conversation" when words like "tariff" were on the table, I would have laughed myself into a coma.

I know the world feels like a tinned, rancid fart right now, but: If you love a book, take a few seconds to tell that author somehow. An email, a review, a social media post, whatever. I cannot tell you how _your_ excitement about a book gets the _author_ excited about their work in a new way.

Tell me you're estranged from your family, have no friends, and have never felt one moment of genuine human connection without telling me &c.

Do not take an etymologist to the ER with you, because they are liable to interrupt the doctor's important discharge instructions with shit like, "Why do they call it a Miami J collar?" and "Ah, NPO! 'Nil per...os?' Is it 'os'?"

I know this is very "so I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time," but I'm sad that there are no mid-dots in the headwords of the new M-W Collegiate 12th ed. I know only four people in the universe used them, and no one knew what they were really for, but I loved those li'l guys.

Galleys are in! This spine design is A+.

Honestly not sure how I'm going to stand it til 2026 when I get to talk with the rest of you about @korystamper.bsky.social's new book, it's KILLING ME OVER HERE

Well, I definitely have a type (of index).

Grateful for the opportunity to grow myaamia kociihsaki, one of my people's traditional foods.

I just nominated Paper Airplane’s lead article, “The Shape of Color” by @korystamper.bsky.social, for next year’s Best American Science & Nature Writing! Here’s a preview.

We're so close—help us get over the finish line!

I'm reviewing the index for "True Color" now, and I just want to heap laurels on the indexer who read this <checks jacket copy> "kaleidoscopic journey" and noted every. single. color. name. mentioned. In a book about defining color names. The index is 6600 words long. A marvel.

I, too, have summoned all my top generals on short notice to deliver a short speech on the warrior ethos.

Look, moms, the choice is simple. You can have moderate and safe pain relief during a 10-month long bodily rebellion; an infant who is protected from sometimes fatal, totally preventable diseases; or a boring kid who won't grow up to do amazing things like write dictionaries. Choose wisely!

It's spinning season, motherfuckers.

Today's mantra:

Reasons to read/not read my new book: Pros: -You'll finally figure out what "puce" is -The phrase "cattier than a hot tin roof" is used in reference to opponent color theory -Pliny the Elder joke -Weird history & shit Cons: -Very little cussing -You might cry at this one spot? -History & shit

"Do you have a list of blurbers for the color book?" No, but I do have insomnia, does that count?

And I believe that in the near future half the podcasts on the planet will be delicious JellyBelly jelly beans. Who knows where technology will take us!

I am so tired of adding asterisks to every federal entry in our style guide at work, please keep your he-man dress-up make believe in your own room, thanks

BRB, going to go update my LinkedIn: "I literally (sense 1) wrote the book on dictionaries and rained ruin and destruction on an entire industry by doing so."

@neilserven.bsky.social Happy birthday!* *Provided my calendar's right, which, you know.

So...who did the bus shoot?

Philly, after the Phillies got shellacked by the Braves. Car packed with dour Phillies fans--except for one out-of-town family in Braves gear. A guy asked their little kid, "What're you in town for, little man?" Without missing a beat, the kid yelled, "WINNING" & the whole car exploded w/ laughter.

Not what I was expecting when I looked out the window at the birdfeeder, but I respect the hustle.

A federal court ruled that ANTHROPIC illegally copied MILLIONS of books to train its AI. All authors and publishers whose books were downloaded by Anthropic from pirate websites are subject to receiving compensation. This could involve your work. For more info: authorsguild.org/news/anthrop...

Kids and people with an editorial bent! I'm presenting at ACES VCON25 this fall with my coworker! We'll talk about collaborative approaches to editorial resistance in the government contracting space. I _might_ sneak one or two etymologies in for old times' sake.

Before my interview with her officially started, Terry Gross asked me about something in the _acknowledgments_ of my book. She read through the acknowledgments! I have never been interviewed by a better, more prepared person. She is a national treasure.

Can you tell which one of us is the loud one in this marriage?

We can do it everybody www.avibagla.com/blueskydicti...

I've found them: the strangest, least suggestive color names in the retailverse. | cc @korystamper.bsky.social

Not to brag, but I'm the _largest_ language model.

As an author who also happens to be an editor, nothing makes me kvell like hearing that the proofreaders love this latest book. 🥹

it must be said that, were there a team called the Washington Whatevers, I'd buy merch

<stares at camera indigenously>

The latest round of cuts at ANU include an outrageous plan to close the Australian National Dictionary Centre (ANDC). ANU has forgotten its vital function as the national university. Please sign this petition urging ANU to reconsider and protect the ANDC: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Good morning, kids and people, today in book, we have a cover: (Preorder this jawn at www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/555914... and use the Bookshop link if you can!)

Still wild to me that the USAG doesn't know the difference between virtue signaling (where you loudly proclaim you're doing something good to gain public praise) and plain ol' virtue (where you do something good because it's good).

Every time I see something like this, I am reminded of a talk I gave where one of the other speakers was a researcher who claimed that his AI/ML algorithm could accurately read emotions based on an fine-grained analysis of someone's speech patterns. /1

Don't worry--this footnote has just been corrected and proofs resubmitted. <facepalm>

Can I interest either of you in an affiliate link? bookshop.org/a/105044/978...

Ooh! Oh! I ... guess ... it's ... already available for preorder? PREORDER MY LATEST DUMB BOOK! IT IS (CURRENTLY) CALLED "TRUE COLOR"! www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/555914...

Between the time I got these proofs and the time I turned them back in, this book title changed. Again. I'd like to say this is common, especially in nonfiction, and is a good lesson in not being too precious about anything you write. But the truth is that I think I'm just shit at titles?

I, too, am an independent journalist. <sends another whiny text to group chat re: coming in second in the 4th grade spelling bee>

COLOR BOOK PAGE PROOFS! Last chance to catch (most of the) embarrassing typos!

Aah, the inaugural issue of Paper Airplane is out! Think "Highlights" for adults. I've got an article AND A CRAFT PROJECT in here for you. All proceeds--all of them, for reals--benefit the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. Do good! Have fun! MAKE CRAFTS! PaperAirplane.pub