>Yes ... I grew up with a used copy of the EB and used to while away >the days picking entries randomly. I still remember the smell. > >A CD-ROM doesn't quite smell the same.... i used to do the same as a child. i remember developing a fascination with discovering new and strange fish (or any other marine phenomenon) now. but then i was fascinated by how strange deep sea varieties would become in order to survive the pressure down there. >Ah, dictionaries -- you have to love them. If you REALLY enjoy >etymology, check out what Jesse Sheidlower is doing at >http://www.randomhouse.com/jesse/ (Jesse's Word of the Day). He >knows more words than anyone alive, I think. 8-) One of the books >he has written is "The F Word," which is a history of the word Holden >spends so much time eradicating. Another is a compendium of his >"Word of the Day" entries of obscure words he has featured on his web >page. the many times that you have mentioned jesse's word of the the day leads me to beleive that you REALLY like what the fellow has to say. i haven't ever checked him out before, but i will today. thanks for the tip. elizabeth