Word of the Day: Wonky
Definition according to the Urban Dictionary –
WONKY: Weird, whacked out, messed up, not working for no definable reason.
I really like this word, wonky. It just has a nice ring to it, and can be used to define a whole lot of things. There are times when things are just not flowing the way they are supposed to. There isn’t always a reason for why things happen they way do, they just are that way sometimes, and there’s no pinpointable explanation for why. And sometimes you just have to accept that. Just thought I’d bring to mind some examples of when this happens.
The traffic was really wonky today. Those in the DC area in particular can certainly appreciate this. Don’t you hate it when you are stuck behind what seems to be an endless amount of traffic, when you are crawling to your destination at an annoying paint drying pace, only to reach the point of back up and find there was not a real reason for the delay. One of my recent personal favorites was when two cars were stopped on the side of the road, not crashed mind you, not pulled over by the police, just sitting there in the shoulder minding their own business distracting the attention of all those passing by. Really people? Really? I just spent over 20 minutes in needless traffic because you had to slow down and take a glimpse of people stopped on the shoulder? Oy vey.
My child is in a wonky mood today. All those in the realm of parenthood, or in any capacity that you deal with a child can certainly relate to this. Lately wonkiness seems to be expressing itself in our family with random tears. It’s the occasion when something streams out of my mouth that somehow leads to eyes welling up, and obvious frustration welling in the emotions of said child. Crap. Hate when that happens. I’ve been blaming it on hormones lately, and that’s the story I’m sticking to. Probably, unfortunately on both sides. I’m probably a bit shorter in temper, and less patient, combined with those qualities on my child’s end, and unfortunately, sometimes the inevitable clash ensues. Let’s hope this one passes soon with all of our sanity in tact.
My computer is acting wonky today. With our techno driven society these days, this certainly occurs to many regularly. It always happens at the most inopportune times, though doesn’t it? You’ve spent 20 minutes filling out some kind of online application, and for whatever reason you hit a wrong key, or your screen locks up, and you have to re-enter all of the information all over again. Ugghhhh! Hate when that happens. Especially because it more than likely takes place when there is a deadline that you are trying to meet, or there is something that you have to head out of the door for and it must be done before you go. Breathe deeply.
I’m feeling wonky today. I often have these types of days during a change in routine, usually related to the change of seasons. I am a creature of routines, and sometimes it just takes a bit longer to adjust to these fluctuations in schedules. Although I like the status quo in our every day lives, mostly because it’s nice to have things down so pat that things just flow more smoothly, I also appreciate change. Change is good, because as much as I enjoy when things are running with precision, when things happen the same way all the time, they can also get boring and lead to a rut. Figuring out how to get past these ruts is part of what makes life interesting. So I guess what I’m trying to say is feeling wonky is not such bad a thing, as the best way I know to not feel wonky is to change things up a bit. Whether it be doing something spontaneous, trying an activity you’ve never done before, heading somewhere off the beaten path, or even something as simple as picking up the phone and calling someone that you haven’t talked to in a long time can all snap you out of it and lead you into some more interesting territory and lead you out of wonky town.
So in summary, everyone runs across wonkiness at some point or another. By its very definition, this unexplained funkiness comes out of nowhere sometimes, and you just have to roll with it. If the traffic is wonky, it may be inconvenient, but if you make the best of it, and realize it is out of your control, I think it’s just easier to deal with. It never hurts to allow extra time, have a back up buddy to call on if you need to, or just not worry so much if you are running a little late. If nothing less, wonkiness can help you work on your patience, and it never hurts to have a little extra patience when one of those wonky experiences pops into your day. Do you have any wonky moments in your life that you’d like to share? I’d love to hear them!