Sunday, August 7, 2011

Defining a new word…

Shawshank

[shaw shaync], Verb; shawshanked, shawshanking

1. To methodically and meticulously dispose of something big, a small portion at a time.

I invented (adapted) this word back in 2005, ten years after the movie “Shawshank Redemption” was released. (one of my top 3 movies, btw) In the movie, Andy Dufresne, played by Tim Robbins, tunnels his way out of prison over the course of several decades, the whole time he disposes of the wall material “one pocketful/handful at a time” by spreading it throughout the prison yard.   I first used the word with my wife when we demolished the upstairs of our Pella, IA home.  There was so much plaster and rubble that I could only put about 3 or 4 small grocery bags in the trash at a time…..thus Shawshanking my demolition.   Yes, I hauled a few large trips to the landfill, but there is something satisfying about sneakily disposing of “building material refuge” which isn’t supposed to go in the city trash.

Fast forward to today, we are in the midst of unpacking lots and lots of boxes and have been collapsing and folding the boxes to save space.  I highly doubt our recycling company will take all these boxes in one “go”….what is a man to do?

ps. when writing this blog I decided to Google the word “shawshank” and make sure nobody else has decided to apply another definition to the word.  LOL

1 comment:

Alex said...

They're done unpacking and painting, so it's a good time to visit the Draegers. The very first time I was in Pella we loaded the truck with bags of plaster within an hour of my arrival after a 7-hour drive. Love ya, bro.