Tuesday Twitterteetumble

Okay, I've done something for the world today. I made up a new word. I do that quite often but seldom does anybody pick up on it. Still, I have a good time playing with language. Anyone who ever read George Orwell's 1984 should appreciate our language and its potential all the more.

After all, if people like me had to survive with a limited offering on the word platter, we would certainly be diminished to mini-speak. Not good for us; maybe, though, it would be good for others who get tired of hearing us talking or reading our maxi-speak.

Okay, twitterteetumble has to do with brief thoughts that do tumble from a twittering brain. That's my definition, and I'm sticking to it. Sentence: I spent so much time twitterteetumbling yesterday that saliva started draining out of the corners of my mouth.

I remember a professor at the University of Idaho who had white stuff start draining out the sides of his mouth about midway into each lecture. By the time that happened, I was lost on the listening to his lecture. I just couldn't keep my eyes of the two streams dribbling down his jaw. I also wondered what kind of physiological phenomenon caused such a thing.

Now, admittedly, I've seen white stuff on the corners of my lips, a whole lot more in my old age than ever during my youth. I know the physiological reasoning behind it, though. It has to do with my eyes that don't focus up close on stuff anymore, like toothpaste.

If I don't wear my glasses while brushing my teeth, it's likely that some residue will rest on the corners of my lips. It's also likely that I might get embarrassed later in the day after leaving the grocery store, looking in the rear view mirror of the car, spotting the leftover toothpaste smear and then wondering how many people I talked to and how many of them wondered what that white stuff was on my face.

I've been trying to be more vigilant of late after each toothbrushing session, but I still haven't figured out what that stuff was dribbling out of the professor's mouth. Mainly because it was an afternoon class, and by then, he certainly would have noticed the toothpaste stains or somebody would have told him. Besides, the white stuff developed as the hour went on.

Enough of that twitterteetumble. I actually thought of the word this morning because I keep reading about sports stars tumbling from grace. Yesterday, it was A-Rod admitting and so passionately apologizing for being so stupid to take steroids during his early career.

I'm sure he was sincere from the bottom of his heart and that surely it had nothing to do with the fact that he'd been nabbed by enough supportive evidence that he had to finally let the truth tumble from his lips. I wonder if he had white stuff coming out his mouth while he was hitting all those home runs.

Last week's spotlight shone on our great Olympian Michael Phelps. All it took was a pipe and a picture in a British tabloid for him to tumble from heroic grace. And, of course, once caught, he let the truth tumble, and he apologized. I feel so much better about having Michael as a role model now, even if he isn't going to be on our cereal boxes.

We do have a Wheaties box here at the Lovestead featuring Dan O' Brien, the Olympic decathlete. I'm keeping that box in a safe place, and I'm keeping the notion that Dan is still a good guy, deserving of the status of staring young people back in the face while they eat their breakfast.

When these big guns in the sports-hero world tumble, I often think of one of my heroes in the small-potatoes world, who truly deserves the title. This hero was a sports figure for four years as a high school student at Sandpoint High School.

She was a runner, and she never missed a practice, never missed a race.

Always came in dead last---for four years.

For that, and for a whole lot of other reasons, she remains one of my heroes who will never tumble from grace. She demonstrated strength of character, perseverance, dedication and a phenomenal example of the human heart.

She has continued to demonstrate those traits in different arenas over the years ever since the days when running provided her a sense of fulfillment and team camaraderie.

Our society needs to find a way to redefine "hero" through showcasing the true examples. Maybe I need to coin another word for classifying those folks who cheat along the way or disgrace their elevated status. I guess I'll ponder that one for a while.

In the meantime, I'll keep checking my lips for toothpaste residue. Now there must be a word to cover that facial cosmetic malady.

Lipdribble: any ugly stuff tumbling from the sides of the mouth. Sentence: Marianne, you've got lipdribble all the way down your jaw, and it's driving me nuts!