I sometimes forget how nerdy we are. We use weird jargon, long words, scientific names, and other industry gobble-di-gook without a care in the world. It is my sincere hope to share some of my vast knowledge of these crazy things so that you, too, can impress (or depress) people by using fancy shmancy words. So, this is my
Chicks with Ticks Glossary of Termino-logical-ish-ness
- Fluvial Geomorphology– this is a great way to become instantly labeled a nerd – this is the term used to describe the science of studying the way water changes the earth.
Fluvial Geomorphology
- Herbaceous – the means a plant that doesn’t have a woody nature or stem. Weeds, herbs, and other “soft” plants fall into this category.
- Graminoid – grasses and bamboo like plants (sounds like a space alien though)
- Riparian – on or of the bank of a stream, creek or river but also lake and pond
- Hydrologic indicator – these are various signs of where water sits. Some of them are simple, like stain lines and rafted debris. Others are elusive and more difficult to determine like lichen lines and mosses. If you hold your nose and sound like a geek and say “hydrologic indicator” it makes you wildly popular at parties!!!
- Macroinvertebrates– tiny aquatic insects, larva, and other living organisms that are large enough to be seen without microscope. Yeah right! Some of these suckers and teensie tiny – look ’em up! Some are creepy too – trust me on this one. Dragonfly larvae are some of the ugliest yet turn out to be these delicate creatures….you really should look at these suckers! MOST OF THEM BITE TOO!!
Macroinvertebrates
- Piscivores – creatures that eat fish – not like humans – we do eat fish but not as most of our diet. There are piscivorous fish, birds, mammals, and reptiles. These make most of their diet out of fish! Try to say piscivorous 3 times real fast – and video tape it and post it!!
- Thalweg – in a stream or river, it’s the deepest part of the flow path or cross section. Sounds like a weird disease!! “Oh, my brother’s got the thalwegs.”
- Hydraulic Carving – this one of the cool methods of stream creation. A pump circulates water through a shaped valley. Eventually, if set at the right pumping rate, this recycled water simulates many years of flow and actually carves a stream! It is NOT how you want to carve your jack-o-lantern.
- Chicks with Ticks – this is a group of women of all ages who take the step out into the wild to explore, excite, enlighten, encourage, and empower! You don’t have to slash your way through a Florida swamp or crawl into a forest. You could read a book about adventures. Paint a scene, write a poem, have a discussion, or have another type of experience that broadens your horizons and gives you insight into the great outdoors. This is a great big world ladies (and gentlemen). We spend too much time NOT experiencing it. Our mission is to excite you – invite you – and get you outside where you can GO ANYWHERE. You just start at YOUR beginning and take steps from there. You , like me, might find that it’s a lot easier and more enthralling than you ever imagined. In fact, don’t be surprised if you find your inner adventurer along the way and start to see the world with wiser eyes….you too may become WILD! I know at least two people who have suffered a similar fate and wouldn’t go back!
You had me at schmancy……
LikeLike
You, my dear Rogue Mare – are indeed quite schmancy!!!
LikeLike
is sexist. Men might want to join, too. We can be “Dick with Ticks.” On second thought, that’s just creepy and stomach turning. google
LikeLike
interesting, we aren’t sexist but we are, in fact, chicks!!! we would love you to join and follow.
LikeLike
This was so very oh-so-cute, and clever. How do you manage so to combine fact with such humor? GREAT stuff …. had me smilin …
LikeLike
I get inspired each day by something or someone….you sometimes my dear!
LikeLike
Terrific lesson! Thanks. I love words. Enjoyed taking some of these apart and trying to figure out what they mean before reading your definitions. Thanks for all your good works.
LikeLike
I resent the last entry. “a group of women” is sexist. Men might want to join, too. We can be “Dick with Ticks.” On second thought, that’s just creepy and stomach turning. Thanks for the glossary of terms. Thalweg is my favorite and I shall use it often but not in the correct context.
LikeLike
Hey – You can be an Honorary member or a Hick with Ticks!! Don’t fret Harper. Thalweg is pretty difficult to slip into a conversation….immagine, ‘Darling, can you put more gravy in the thalweg of my mashed potatoes?” Not so easy huh? Thanks for being here!!
LikeLike
i guess i was a nerdy white-water rafter then because knowing how water flowed could be a matter of life and death. Fun blog.
LikeLike
Glad to have you here Pat. then you know how to read the water. The morphology of the river is what you are really reading. the water is reacting to what the shape of the channel (or rock) is. I’ll bet you have some tips to share!
LikeLike
I always learn when I stop by this blog…. so here is a 7×7 shout out. Keep up the good work. http://historyguffaw.com/2012/01/11/winner-winner-7×7-link-award-chicken-dinner/
LikeLike
Wow!! Thanks. We are so excited and can’t wait to slide this pretty baby right up on the wall! Really appreciate the shout out!
LikeLike
Ooooh… fluvial geomorphology. I already use macroinvertebrate, riparian and herbaceous pretty regularly, but I just have to make fluvial geomorphology part of my lexicon. Love it!!
LikeLike
Don’t stop there – do some reading and you might find some of the science really interesting. Thanks, again, for stopping by!
LikeLike
I was about to go to bed but now I’m having dreams of bugs lol! Love the blog though 🙂
LikeLike
Don’t fret – these little guys are about 3 inches or less and are rather harmless….they do have very sharp spines though! Sleep well – I got your back.
LikeLike
I really enjoyed that, and have added new words to my “favorite words” collection. Fluvial Geomorphology and Graminoid really grabbed me, especially graminoid because I’ve been spending a lot of time photographing grasses lately.
LikeLike
Well, better you than me on the grass photos – although interesting – it is a very tedious science. Best of luck with that. Are you working on a special project?
LikeLike
I’m a photographer, and have been drawn to photograph grasses a lot lately. Not sure why other than I’m just enjoying it. 🙂
LikeLike
I hope you enjoy our goofy photos!! I love grasses but they are soooo complicated to identify sometimes.
LikeLike
Since I got a macro lens for my camera, a whole new world of flyers, crawlers, biters and suckers has opened up!
LikeLike
ooohhhh…that sounds like fun! I love macro photography myself. We forget to look at the little picture sometimes! Let us see some of your work!!
LikeLike
Thanks for stopping by the Peninsula Times, I hope you find more things you like tucked away in there. I have signed up to follow your blog as a fellow user of the word gobble-di-gook.
The next time someone uses the word erosion I am so gonna zap ’em with Fluvial Geomorphology. This is the phrase for the office this week, first one to get it in to a telephone conversation wins lunch on Friday. Could be tricky while selling advertising. And sorry to hear about your brother and his Thalwegs, rub a little pineapple juice on them, it works better than a mustard compress.
LikeLike
So nice that you stopped in! I think you can handle it so here it goes – we practice hydrobiofluvial geomorphology!! There ya go John! None of that baby crap for us – no sir! The pineapple juice tip worked – my imaginary brother thanks you from the bottom of his thalwegs! Beats the mustard compress and that other medical gobble-di-gook! Welcome and I look forward to seeing more from Pennisula!
LikeLike
Thank you for following my blog! And having seen yours, now I feel bad for staying in watching political debates instead of getting out and about. Does pilates count? Your blog is great … 🙂
LikeLike
I feel smarter already!
LikeLike
Me too – I feel smarter having reached out to more people and realize how wonderful this blogsphere is! Thanks for being here.
LikeLike