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Words for Wednesday:

I enjoy compiling these lists. I discover words and phrases new to me, or odd language that I want to share with others. Our language pool refreshes itself as our cultures keep devising words and phrases as shortcuts for behavior, actions and shared experiences.

Sleep architecture – “the structural, cyclical organization of sleep, consisting of alternating non-rapid eye movement (NREM) (stages N1, N2, N3) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.” I’m not the most organized person, maybe that’s why my sleep is chaotic, maybe a need to find a new architect. Is Art Vandalay available?

Quarterback room – In football, they now refer to a group of players at a certain position as the “room.” There’s so much money in college and professional football that each player group can afford to have their own meeting or strategizing area. We used to call our meeting area our clubhouse. Mom brought us PB&Y sandwiches.

Interlocuror – Someone who participates in discussions or functions as a go-between, officially or unofficially. A saw this word used in reference to Jared Kushner’s “role” in Middle East peace negotiations. Heck, I thought he was in the Middle East to work personal deals for his private equity firm. Here’s a guy who can really multitask!

NINJA loan – “no income, no job, and no assets”. I bought my first car with one of these, I had a co-signer. Lenders calculate the risk. This sort of practice contributed to the 2008 economic crisis that shook the world and ushered in stricter controls. People should have gone to jail.

Loitering munitions – “Somewhere between a drone and a missile. These weapons, also known as ‘kamikaze’ or ‘suicide’ drones, hover over an area, potentially for long periods, before selecting a target and detonating on impact.”

Q-route – “Shipping lanes intended to allow safe passage for vessels through mined, or potentially mined, waters.”

Fog of war – Confusion or loss of situational awareness caused by intense focus or absorption in a crisis or fast-moving or fast-changing event.

Heuristics – Mental shortcuts that allow people to solve problems and make judgments quickly and efficiently. Common types of heuristics rely on availability, representativeness, familiarity, anchoring effects, mood, scarcity, and trial-and-error.

Grim-keeping – A trend of connecting with others by bonding over shared dislikes rather than likes.

Lilly padding – A term for using a strategic approach to climbing the career ladder by going from job to job in an arc that gains skills, experience and expertise to attain a career objective. Job jumping has a purpose and path to a desired outcome.