On the study of words, their meanings and where they come from (or the language skills of a 5 year old).

Vacuum cleaner - Vacroom cleaner
Windscreen wipers - Windowscreamers
Plant stems and tree trunks - Standers
Roundabout - The Go Arounds

Yesterday, as part of a conversation on children and their incredible way of seeing things exactly as they are, my friend said this to me: I like to try and think like a child when I'm coming up with ideas, and I wish I still had that bit of imaginative ability that growing up kicked out of me (I think making up words is the closest I get these days...) It made me sad that he felt his imaginative ability had been kicked out of him, and made me wonder at what point do we become unwilling to accept any thought or feeling as possible? For example, at what point does the breath you blow out on a cold morning stop being �Dragons breath�, and become just condensation, just the Encyclopaedic answer: There is always some moisture in the air, even if you cannot see it. As the temperature drops the air cannot hold all the moisture and tiny drops of water appear. This is condensation and you notice it when you see your breath on a cold day.

Personally, I much prefer the Dragon�s breath concept � the idea that inside of us we all have a little fire breathing beast who only shows his face in the very cold weather. And I for one shall try as hard as I can to remain in this frame of mind, this alternative reality, and allow myself to think the oddest and most subnormal thoughts I can.