This Is Not Insipid: A Vocabulary Tutorial + Photo Update Of Guest Bathroom Renovation

/ Ally Bean
THE VOCABULARY PART

Here’s how this blog post came to be, my little scribes.  I read something that was lame, lacking any spunk.  In truth I couldn’t believe it’d been published.

All I could think was: “this is insipid.”

While I thought that was the right word to describe what I’d read, I sometimes doublecheck words when I want to confirm that I’m using a word properly, that I know its real meaning.

That the word hasn’t become slang for something I don’t want to be saying. That I’m not inadvertently being vulgar.

So being a conscientious person I went to doublecheck the meaning of the word insipid.  I used the trusty New Oxford American Dictionary that’s on my iMac.

Come to find out I do know the definition of the word insipid.  It means: “lacking vigor or interest.“

Yep, that’d describe what I’d been reading.


However there’s more to what I learned.  You see, while looking up the definition of insipid, come to find out, there are subtle differences among three words that are occasionally used interchangeably.  Please refer to image immediately  above this paragraph.

These words are the ones that writers, myself included, often misuse.  Perhaps you’ve used them wrongly, too.  No judgement here.

To demonstrate that I, a wordsmith, now understand the nuances implied in each word I’ll use these aforementioned words correctly in one long sentence.  This sentence is the summation of our home improvement journey thus far.

When writing anything I aim to not be INSIPID, but admit that studiously researching a topic for a post can be TEDIOUS, not at all like the excitement created by the comings and goings of the tile guy who is making my daily life anything but UNEVENTFUL.

THE PHOTO PART

Tile around tub in progress

Tile guy’s stuff stored in guest bedroom

Example of  23.5″ x 11.75″ tile up-close

Tile guy’s tools in garage

Cabinet in guest bathroom in place

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY

Do you sometimes wonder how the heck someone got their insipid article or book published?

Do you look up words in the dictionary to make sure you understand a word’s true + current meaning?

Is the tile in your bathroom primarily small, medium, or large like the new stuff we’re using? What color is it?

~ ~ • ~ ~

207 thoughts on “This Is Not Insipid: A Vocabulary Tutorial + Photo Update Of Guest Bathroom Renovation”

  1. Yes on the books. Still can’t understand the popularity of the 50 Shades series. When I’m writing, I often double check a meaning to make sure I’m using it correctly. It would be embarrassing if it turned into a gross slang. Big tiles are all the rage. In 20 years, bathrooms with it will look dated just like the small tiles do now, but that’s to encourage you to redo your home.

    Liked by 5 people

  2. LOVELY!!!

    My project got pushed AGAIN so I’m quite jealous of the progress that is happening in yours. Though I don’t doubt that getting there is tedious. That’s pretty tile.

    Liked by 4 people

    • Katie, our project got pushed back a few times before they could get to it. Now that they’re here and going my life is eventful. I like the tile, too– which is good since I picked it out.

      Like

  3. Many times I have wondered how someone got published. And yes….on saturdays I’ve been talking about my journal prompt word and how it’s used (if it’s used) in the books I’m reading, and I don’t like the turn some words have taken

    Liked by 4 people

    • LA, I truly wonder how people who write poorly and have no original ideas get their books/articles published. There’s something going on there that is beyond wordsmithery. 🤨 I don’t do writing prompts but I can see how that it could be tricky to follow one, trying to play along, but not sure which meaning you were to use.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Answer to question 1: All the time. I just hope I’m not the one being insipid!.
    Answer to question 2: All the time. I love learning more about the history of a word and how usage changes over time. The looking up is never tedious.
    Answer to question 3: Large and charcoal grey. We redid two bathrooms “before pandemic.” We changed a whirlpool tub into a large shower. Best decision ever. We upgraded the bathtub in the second room to a soaker tub. I’ve never used it – not a bather myself.

    Liked by 5 people

    • Arlene, I doubt you could ever be insipid! I like knowing you, too, look up words… just to be sure. Your bathroom tile sounds beautiful. Soothing. We took out our whirlpool tub in the primary bathroom when we had it remodeled a few years ago. Ditto, best decision ever.

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Life can be tedious, uneventful, and insipid . . . for other things, we must choose the apt adjective with more precision. 😀

    I refer to dictionaries on a regular basis. Perhaps even daily.

    Liked by 5 people

    • Nancy, I enjoy language so when I found this graphic showing the nuances of each word, I was tickled pink! Not mauve or fuchsia. I probably use a dictionary almost daily, too.

      Like

  6. I’m pretty confident that I know the connotations of the words I choose…until I read a dialog tag where a character “smiled laconically” after delivering a whole set of instructions. Then I wonder if I have been wrong my whole life or if English evolved while I wasn’t looking.

    Usually it turns out that the writer and their copy editor got cocky and sloppy, respectively. And then I bemoan the state of publishing and the book is spoiled forever more.

    Liked by 6 people

    • AutumnAshbough, good example. I’ve read things like that, too. It seems like the writer has used the wrong word, so I look it up– and find out I’m right. It’s the wrong word, then like you say, the book is spoiled forever.

      Liked by 1 person

  7. Not only do I wonder how some books not only got published, but received so much attention from so many readers, I wonder why other books barely got published. Take Frank Herbert’s Dune. The first editor who picked up Dune for publishing (an editor of technical and car manual books 🤷‍♀️) got fired… 🤯 Sometimes an emoji expresses a combination of words 😁

    Great choice on the large tiles! We have a large shower and decided that minimizing grout is the wise thing to do: practical and looks good! Can’t wait to see the final product.

    Liked by 4 people

    • Endless Weekend, I know that getting any book published is a game, but I still wonder how some writers pull off a win. I didn’t know that about Dune. So arbitrary when it comes down to it, a good book is published, a good person is let go because of it. Publishing is a mess from what I’ve observed– and I want nothing to do with it.

      I can’t wait to see the final product, too. We have the large tiles in our primary bathroom, so we know we like them. I’m all about pretty, but in a practical way.

      Liked by 2 people

      • It does seem a little (or a lot) arbitrary. I wonder how many wonderous books we never got to read because they didn’t pass the “gatekeepers” and instead of we got paler shades of them that the gatekeepers somehow did let through …

        In fact, I once read that if the same criteria that are applied for pilots today were applied in the past, many “classic” shows, like Seinfeld, would have never been given the chance to flourish. What a fickle world we live in?

        Looking forward to when you share the photos!

        Liked by 1 person

        • The gatekeepers do their best to appeal to the masses. I understand that, not that I like it especially. I’m not surprised to read about the Seinfeld pilot. Today’s TV standards seem geared toward contrived melodrama and doom. Seinfeld was not that.

          Liked by 1 person

          • I get what you’re saying, and it’s a great observation, though it fills me with concern that what appeals to the masses is melodrama and doom, rather that something closer to reaching for the stars?

            Liked by 2 people

  8. I often wonder how the hell some things get published… then remember that today’s world is made up of a helluva lot of self-publishers… voilà. They might think their writings to be wonderful and exciting but in reality, it is often insipid, vapid, juvenile… I follow a blogger and, as I am wont to do, downloaded one of his books. Oh my lord. I could not get pat chapter 3.

    I ALWAYS google words. Even the ones I am 99.98% sure I am using correctly. I do this particularly when participating in a word prompt and want to find other meanings so I can write “outside of the box”, so to speak.

    The tile in my bathroom is an ugly small white tile that will be ripped out and changed to something totally different, come this September (doing a major remodel – GULP!)

    Liked by 4 people

    • Dale, you’re onto something with your assessment of self-publishing. I hadn’t thought of that. I’ve had the same experience as you in that I followed a blogger, downloaded her novel, then couldn’t read it. So poorly written, vapid for sure, but there she is now, AN AUTHOR. And me? A mere blogger. 🙄

      I like why you, a fellow wordsmith, look up a word’s meaning. To use it uniquely– that’s fun. And clever.

      We had the ugly white tile taken out of this guest bathroom. Besides looking bland, it was slippery af on the floor. I mean so much so that I warned overnight guests to be careful when walking on it. Good luck on your remodel, may the fates be with you.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Yeah. I just hope he never asks me what I think of it… I did let him know it was next to be read – and this is like his tenth book! YOU are an author!

        I (more rarely now) participate in some challenges and like to stand out 😉 Must be my show-off-edness 😉

        That is awful. Why the hell would people put slipper tile in the bathroom? And thank you. I admit to being terrified of finding out I have no taste… and can’t blame anyone else but me!

        Liked by 3 people

        • Dale, his 10th book? Oh. My. Goodness. How does that happen!

          I think what happened with the guest bathroom floor tile is that the builder cheaped it out and used the same wall tile on the floor. On the wall it was great, but not to walk on.

          Liked by 1 person

  9. Books: absolutely, I have a sp[ecial shelf in my Good Reads for books that I start and can’t get past page 25. I totaally love words aspecially the less common. I own several printed dictionaries which I consult because definitions and perspectives on word mean change. The tile is GREAT. We use “large” tile in our kitchen as the backspash (it has a large wall). The Miracle Grow soil for the bath does concern me (LOL).

    Liked by 5 people

    • Danny, I’m laughing here. I love that you have a place in your Good Reads account for the lousy books you attempt to read. That’s inspired. I just mutter to myself, but you’ve taken it one step further.

      One of my prized books is a Roget’s Thesaurus from 1937. The ways in which word meanings have changed, plus the different way in which you use an old thesaurus, combine to make hours of fun for me.

      As for the Miracle Grow… I suppose I could have put a better caption on that photo– BUT YOU GET MY POINT that there’s tile guy stuff everywhere in this house. 😁

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dorothy, you’re right that the mess is predictable. I’m not put out about it, just observing what is going on. I like your father’s description of your mother’s coffee. My mother made the weakest coffee on earth, but no one called it insipid. Missed opportunity that.

      Liked by 1 person

  11. Lawsy law but I spend far too much time researching words and their usage – sometimes out of sheer curiosity and sometimes because I forget the correct usage (effect vs affect; further vs farther and the like). We had one of our bathrooms re-done about 4 years ago – very plain and basic – tub removed, walk-in shower installed. We have basic medium sized white tiles on the walls and small white tiles on the floor – way too much grout which I can’t get clean. If I had waited a year I could have gotten Kohler Lux Stone which would have been better for this creaky old broad who can’t get down on her hands and knees to scrub grout! We had fancy glass doors put on (barn door style) and then last year I had them removed because my husband didn’t feel safe – so there was a waste of $900!

    Liked by 5 people

    • Grace, I hear you about being curious about word meanings. I also get you about wanting to confirm the correct usage of words, my bugaboo is fewer/less. I always have to review them before I use them. I cannot keep them straight.

      You’re right about the grout. I like these large tiles precisely because of less grout. I’m not a big fan of scrubbing it, but then who is? We have glass doors, very basic, in our primary bathroom but in the guest bathroom it’s going to be a shower rod. Whatever works for you, I suppose.

      Liked by 1 person

      • You never really know what is going to work for you until you try it. I’d never been in a shower with glass doors – claustrophobic – and our bathroom is minuscule – such a bad choice! I would never get glass shower doors again – not just for the safety factor but who the hells needs more shit to clean!

        Liked by 3 people

        • Ha! EXCELLENT point about more to clean. You’re right that you sometimes don’t know for sure about something until you try it. No glass shower doors for you!

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  12. I often have to look up words or phrases when I am reading blogs. I just Google them to find a quick answer and have learned so many new things from all of my blog-reading adventures!
    My bathroom tiles are smaller but renovation is always so nice when it is done!

    Liked by 4 people

    • Ellen D., I agree! I’ve learned lots from reading blogs. I like words and ideas so blogging plays right into that. Plus I am a sucker for any dictionary.

      The renovation will be great when it’s over. Every week there’s progress so I can live with that. And we seem to have all that was ordered last fall, so considering supply chain problems that’s a miracle.

      Liked by 1 person

  13. I’m currently on a crossword kick so words are bombarding me from every direction and many with meanings I’m totally surprised at. I will check the dictionary though, when I’m writing, if I’m unsure. I have those big squares in my shower. The landlords semi-remodeled prior to my move in. I think, had I been given the choice, I would have chosen something smaller or actually not tile at all. I’d rather not deal with grout.

    Liked by 5 people

    • Deb, my mother was big on crossword puzzles and she had a special dictionary dedicated to crossword puzzle clues, what they meant, weird words often used in crossword puzzles. I wonder if such a dictionary still exists somewhere online?

      No one likes grout, from what I can tell. I like the look of tiles, but am not the most motivated cleaner so at least with these large tiles when I do clean they’ll be less grout.

      Liked by 1 person

  14. Yes, I have definitely read stuff that is a wonder to behold, and not in a good way. I started reading 50 Shades of Grey (way back before it became famous) and couldn’t believe that such dreck had been published. I got into it by about 50 pages and never went back. Awful book. I never watched the movie or its sequel.
    I often look up words for accuracy. I do a lot of writing for my job (I’m a CEO) and have to ensure accuracy.
    My bathroom tiles look a lot like yours. Mine are a lighter shade but probably about the same size. Looks like it will be very nice once it’s complete. Cheers.

    Liked by 4 people

    • Lynette, another commenter mentioned 50 Shades and how awful it was, that it was a book not worthy of being published. YET it was published– and decidedly popular. I never attempted to read it nor have I seen the movie. Not my cuppa at all.

      I’m looking forward to seeing the completed bathroom with these large tiles. So far the room looks calm, unlike before with the smaller ugly tiles everywhere making it look busy.

      Liked by 1 person

  15. When I decided that I don’t like a book, it is usually because I find it contrived. I’m sure there are insipid articles and books that I’ve come across, but the contrived books are the ones that irritate me the most. I look up words while writing, living in fear that I might use something incorrectly. I’m sure some words slip through the cracks at times.

    Your project looks beautiful. How exciting. We used subway tiles on our kitchen backsplash and I love them. Behind the stove, we used something with a more geometric shape. I call them Christmas ornament shape. Our showers all have larger tiles, but not huge, with a row or tow of small glass tiles or some other accent tile. Picking out tile makes my head spin after a while. So many choices.

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    • Ernie, excellent point about a book being contrived. I get that. I don’t want to read a story that seems forced, like it was slapped together at the last minute just to prove a point or something. I worry about using the wrong word, too. I aims for clarity but make mistakes.

      So many tile choices is right. It was fun to go to the showroom, but without the help of our interior designer I’d have been overwhelmed. I like subway tiles, but we don’t have any in this house. No real reason why, just that other shapes caught my eye.

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  16. I’m smitten with words and always have been. Teaching English for 30+ years and Creative Writing too made me doubly word-conscious. When I write online or for a freelance job, I still double-check now and then because my work represents Me.

    A terrific amount of lousy writing is out there, and it truly pains me. I honestly get a physical reaction to much of it. Our language is taking a beating, and it’s sad.

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    • Nancy, I know how you feel about the lousy writing out there. I labor over my writing, I want to be precise. THEN I read something that is sloppy and insipid and I’m irritated. On the one hand I’ve never wanted to publish a book, but on the other hand how do these books get published? There’s some trick going on, I just know it.

      Liked by 1 person

  17. I’ve read several books that I considered to be poorly written. I haven’t personally written any books so sometimes I feel like maybe I shouldn’t have an option.

    I’m dyslexic. It severely effects my ability to write, to use words correctly, and to spell them as they are intended to be spelled. Not only do I constantly look words up, but I often leave my blog posts to sit on my computer for a lengthy time in order for me to be able to read and reread them over and over again before publishing a post. If I don’t do that, I make so many mistakes.

    If I don’t do the same to my comments, then they are just as messy. Most of the time I ask for forgiveness on comments and people are more accepting. Other times I send corrections.

    Liked by 3 people

    • LaShelle, everyone who reads books can have an opinion about how well written the book was. Published authors aren’t the only ones who can chime in.

      You write well, dyslexia be darned. Your approach to how you write, and the time you allow yourself to revise what you write, is working for you. I’m sure it must be frustrating, but your results are wonderful.

      My take on comments is that everyone tries, but sometimes time constraints and interruptions lead to some unclear comments. I know I’ve said some things that when I went back to read what I’d said, I realized I’d sounded too harsh, or muddled, or off my rocker. Oh well, you know?

      Liked by 1 person

  18. Our bathroom is tiled in 4″ white squares. It is the vanilla of bathroom tiles. The bathroom as a whole is the vanilla of bathrooms. Nothing striking about it. I would love to renovate, primarily because there are no windows or skylights, and I’d love to get daylight in there, but everything, while bland, banal, and boring, is functional. The kitchen, which now has a curtain where the dishwasher used to be, must come first. (Hope I used all my words correctly. I often do check meanings just to be sure, but I’m already late for school and musk skedaddle.)

    Liked by 2 people

    • Rita, there’s something to be said for a vanilla bathroom that is functional. I could live with that, the operative word being functional. Our bathrooms had ongoing problems to a degree that it seemed prudent to remodel them. Good luck finding a dishwasher. We got our new oven and cooktop after about half a year wait.

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      • We once had a crack in a shower tile that resulted in a gut remodel of a bathroom. I am not eager to relive that experience. I wish you much luck and good juju. Thanks for the heads up on the dishwasher situation. We are stuck in the design/planning stage (and have been for awhile), which has kept us from taking any actions. We have gotten used to hand-washing. (It’s been nearly a year now.) I am adamant that if we are going to do major work on the kitchen, we need to address design flaws that impede function. Alas, we are not really designers.

        Liked by 3 people

        • We had our dishwasher break a few years ago. We washed our dishes by hand for about two years before we got a new, vastly improved, dishwasher. When you get to the point of buying a new one, you may be surprised by how much better they are now.

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  19. Being a reader all my life, I’ve picked up a lot of vocabulary, but I do look up the words when I write, just to make sure I’m using them properly. And honestly, I thought insipid was more along the lines of vapid, which I’d use to describe something dumbed down for the masses! Apparently, I’m using it incorrectly.

    We’ve used large format tile in both our recent renovations. White, textured wavy and white with grey marble veining.

    Liked by 4 people

    • Bijoux, I want to use words properly, too. I think vapid means the same thing as insipid– and my thesaurus confirms it. I’d use vapid to describe any writing that was dumbed down for the masses.

      Your tiles sound beautiful. I like soothing neutral tiles in the bathrooms, and textured tiles appeal to my interior design-y heart.

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  20. Ooooo! Ahhhh! Once this is finished, it will be beautiful! We redid a bathroom several years ago. Took out the stupid garden tub, repositioned the toilet and put in a nice large shower. We have the large white tile in the floor with a grey striation in it. Easy to clean.
    I’ve told you forever that you need to write a book on your life experiences. It would be a great hit! You’ve always had a wonderful vocabulary.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Beth, your bathroom remodeling sounds lovely. I like the soothing look of larger tiles, very neutral. Plus sign me up for less cleaning.

      In essence I’ve written many books here. That’s the brilliance of personal blogging, I tell my stories without dealing with any agent or publisher. No gatekeepers, only my own sense of right and wrong. Plus I get to *talk* with people in the moment as stuff is happening. That’s fun.

      Liked by 1 person

  21. Hi ally – love the large tiles you chose – so nice – and the guest bath cupboard looks like a good size!
    Earlier this year we stumbled on a low out sale for tiles and so I was able to get some glass tiles. Marble slabs, and porcelain ones. (80% off the sale price – so mega sale baby!)
    And the porcelain tiles were the ones I used for the bathroom wall a (will donate the others if we can’t find a spot for them) and the size of the gray porcelain tiles are 2 by 8 inches – we left a thick grout line and they look like bricks!
    —
    I know tile work – like grouting – can feel
    Insipid and tedious
    – but I enjoy small projects!

    Liked by 4 people

    • Prior, the vibe of the guest bathroom is going to be tailored, calm, and with all things in working order! [Yes, I’m looking at you old tub that didn’t drain.] The new is taller than the old one, but less deep. It makes me happy to see it’s sleek shape.

      You got a deal on that tile. That’s a find. I love that look when on first glance tile appears to be bricks. At one point we had a condo with a kitchen backsplash that was real brick. It was so cool.

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  22. I definitely wonder, sometimes, how things get published. It both stuns me and gives me hope that someday my own (hopefully not) insipid work will make it to the shelves!

    And yes, I do (sometimes; not often enough) look up words to make sure I am using them correctly. The most recent word I looked up was “asceticism” and it turned out I HAD used it correctly, but had misspelled it.

    Liked by 5 people

    • Suzanne, I like your optimism. I assure you that you write better than what I attempted to read. If you want to get a book published, at least you know how to write. I’d call that STEP 1.

      I’m a lousy speller. I often know what a word means, can pronounce it, but am clueless about how to spell it. This slows me down, but I’ve come to give myself a break about my poor spelling. I do eventually figure out how to spell the word I want to use– or I substitute one I do know how to spell. 😉

      Liked by 2 people

  23. Love the word Toolkit, that’s just fantastic!

    Yes, to rubbish writing, there’s way too much of it about – and a worrying amount of it is published by the big publishing houses, because they’re all about making money and some of that rubbish sells, and sells well.

    I do look up words from time-to-time, but have learned to avoid the Urban Dictionary like the plague 😉

    The tiles in our existing place were not our choice. In the past, I’ve chosen everything from really small (mosaic), to subway-style tiles, to large ones like you have. Depends on the style of the bathroom – for modern I’d chose the large ones, but a house with period details would better suit the subway-style. I’d avoid mosaic tiles anywhere that water might sit on them regardless of circumstances. For colours, I like tones of green in bathrooms.

    Liked by 4 people

    • Deb, yes: “a worrying amount of it is published by the big publishing houses, because they’re all about making money and some of that rubbish sells, and sells well.” That’s what I see happening too.

      I like the look of mosaic and have some as an accent strip on the walls of the shower in our primary bathroom. I like subway tile but they don’t go with this house. This house is a transitional style home so using the large tiles works well here, accentuates the modern features. Green can be soothing in a bathroom, I can see why you like that.

      Liked by 1 person

  24. Good to see progress of your home renovations. The new cabinets and tiles look great. My answers to your three questions: 1) yes 2) yes and 3) white medium tiles with a row of accent tiles. I’d like a cabinet update one day.

    Liked by 5 people

    • Natalie, I like your comment. Obviously we’re on the same page about questions one and two. I like accent tiles although we’re not doing that in this bathroom. I’m looking forward to our new cabinet. It’s taller than the one it replaced so less backache and more storage.

      Liked by 1 person

  25. I adore words and use insipid quite frequently. It seems to fit much of what I read these days. The bathroom is coming along nicely and I love the tile. None of my bathrooms have tile at the moment (except the master on the floor) and after my latest repair work, I’m not ready for the chaos of a remodel.

    Liked by 5 people

    • Margaret, I say insipid more than I would like to have to say it. Especially when reading articles of dubious value. Tile seems to be the done thing around here. And heaven knows there’s a lot of it to look at before you pick some. I remember your chaos, perhaps for you tile will come later.

      Like

  27. Oh, yes, I use two dictionaries often, one English and the other French. I use them so much you’d think I’m not fluent at all. I’m not in French and based on my use of the English one barely! 🤨

    The tile and vanity look beautiful! Don’t they…the tile guys use a lot of gear!! Cool photo ops though. 😀

    I’ve had to login and fill out my details to leave you a comment today. Somethings weird here at WP lately. I was told over the week-end my comment landed in someone’s spam folder and hers in mine.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Deborah, I only know a few phrases in French and I have them written on a sticky note so I don’t have to look them up each time. As for English words I feel the same was as you, wondering if I really do know this language after all.

      The tile and the cabinet look nice together so I think it’s going to be pretty when it’s all done. And yes, the tile guy likes his stuff.

      Your comment was in Spam. I don’t know why, of course. Sorry you ended up there, but I found you. I go through times when my WP comments seem to go askew, then it all rights itself eventually. Fingers crossed

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  28. If an article or book doesn’t interest me I assume that’s because my interests are relatively narrow and that there must be other people who are finding the subject readable.
    Yes, I do look up words all the time for the same reason you do!
    We went with an acrylic shower in our bathroom. So easy to care for. Too many negative experiences in the past with tiles and grout. The shower, sink and toilet are a great neutral color they call “biscuit.”
    I bet you’ll be happy when all those tools disappear for good.

    Liked by 5 people

    • Barbara, I know what you mean. If a topic doesn’t appeal to me I don’t read the book, but if the topic appeals to me and the book is poorly written that’s a different story. No pun intended.

      Years ago we had a house with a kitchen that had biscuit appliances. It was pretty and I can envision your bathroom knowing that color well. I never though of an acrylic shower surround but I understand how not having grout could be wonderful.

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  29. 1. Yes, but it’s usually a self-pubbed book anyway.
    2. Definitely. Sometimes my brain uses a word I didn’t know I knew. I’ll look it up to discover my brain is smarter than I thought it was. 😉
    3. Tile, on bathroom floor only, is large and brown. Yours looks very nice. 🙂

    Liked by 5 people

    • Annie, I think I’m going to like the large tile on the floor, less slippery, visually calm. I had to work at it, but I did eventually use the three words in one sentence. Just because

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  31. I definitely look up words to make sure I know what I’m talking about. Agree with you and Kate about “50 Shades.” Only read the first one and didn’t bother with the rest or the movie. We redid our bathroom a few years ago. Our tiles are 12 x 12 and they are blue. The grout is gray,,,hides the dirt well.

    Liked by 5 people

    • Janet, you said it. I want to use words correctly and meanings change, so I love my dictionary. I like blue in a bathroom. Gray grout is inspired. I can see the logic of it, smart woman.

      Liked by 1 person

  32. Ooooh I like the tile and cabinet!!
    So, here’s the thing. Probably in about 2015 or 2016, I learned what the eggplant and peach emoji were used for, by the “kids.” By that point I had probably sent those emojis to everyone I knew, because I like eggplant and peaches. I mean, I like what the emojis refer to as well, but I’m talking about the actual foods here. So that was awkward. I do try to figure out if there is a meaning I’m not aware of so that I don’t embarrass myself. And yes, I certainly do wonder how some things get published.

    Liked by 5 people

    • Nicole, I like the tile and the cabinet, too. This is good since I picked them out. I know that many emojis don’t mean what I think they mean so I’m reluctant to use them. Oddly enough, somehow, I know that the peach and eggplant are ones to not use. I use a select few emojis just so I don’t embarrass myself or accidently insult someone. I wonder about the publishing industry in general… for many reasons… including insipid writing…

      Like

  33. I absolutely look up words and I wish more people did too. Incorrect use of “infamous” and “nonplussed” are just two that drive me nuts. I never read 50 Shades and don’t intend to but I’ve read plenty of insipid books (a lot of them self-published but not all).

    Both our master bath and guest bath need makeovers. We actually have one of those fancy tile saws but I hope our DIY days are over. We are just finishing up re-doing our deck which took WAY longer than it should have.

    Liked by 5 people

    • Janis, hear, hear. I know I occasionally misuse a word, but I am trying to be clear. Not so sure my fellow Americans are even trying. They need to befriend their dictionaries. Others have mentioned insipid and self-publish in the same sentence. There’s probably something to that.

      I’m sure that cutting tile would be difficult, not to mention that stuff is sharp and heavy. I know there’s no way we could do it. We need our deck replaced, but haven’t found anyone to do it. Not looking forward to that mess.

      Liked by 2 people

  34. I have large slate gray colored tiles and I hate them. They are so cold in the middle of the night that if I don’t wear slippers the cold wakes me up too much to fall back to sleep aga

    Liked by 5 people

  35. I absolutely use a dictionary regularly to check my understanding of meaning, but not to find out if it has become slang or vulgar (if so, maybe I’ll inadvertently create a double entendre – would that be bad?).

    Our shower tiles are that size and shape. An off-white with a tannish design. Not woodgrain, but along those lines.

    Liked by 5 people

    • Eilene, a good point. An accidental double entendre would set you apart from the rest. Words are fun, especially when you can play with them.

      Your bathroom tiles and color scheme sounds pretty. I know what you mean about the idea of woodgrain that isn’t really woodgrain. A nice touch of style.

      Liked by 2 people

  36. I love this very informative post. I’m going to really think about it next time I use those three words. Great food for thought.

    And how interesting to have 2’x1′ tiles. It looks awesome as does the cabinet. I haven’t worked with anything bigger than 12″ square tiles but what you have done looks great. Can’t wait to see the finished project!

    Liked by 5 people

  37. 1. Every. Day. My gripe with some trade and literary publishers is that, not only are they publishing more insipid work, but they are also skimping on proofreading.
    2. I often refer to a dictionary when I’m unsure about a word’s meaning or proper use. I’ll even consult a thesaurus if I want to add a bit more flair to my language.
    3. We don’t have “real” tile in our bathrooms. We had a company called Bathfitters redo our tub and shower area years ago. Not as fancy and professional as tile, but easy to clean.

    Liked by 4 people

    • Marie, yes and yes: more insipid writing, more writing mistakes. I see that, too. It’s defeating. I like using a thesaurus too. Never know what great word is waiting to be used.

      I’ve seen ads for Bathfitters. I can see the advantage to no tile to maintain. You may be onto something good with this idea.

      Liked by 1 person

  38. Yes to your questions. Roger and I have remodeled bathrooms and kitchens in three of the four homes we’ve owned together in the past 34 years. The house we’re in now is the only one we haven’t made any changes. I’d love to re-tile the kitchen counters, but we’re too lazy these days. The kitchen remodel in Santa Cruz in the late 1990s was so much fun. We tiled the counters ourselves and did some really interesting designs. We were so much younger then.

    Liked by 5 people

    • Robin, doing tile is labor intensive. We did some ONCE and decided to let professionals do it for us in the future. If you decide to do your counter yourself, you have my admiration. I understand about being so much younger then.

      Like

  40. I’ll take a stab @ your questions in reverse 🙂 I had to get up and check…our tile are those 12 inch square ones..earth tone to hide the dirt. Son and I installed them. I enjoy tiling/ hate grouting. Absolutely look up words in this household..both old school, big blue one on the shelf, and on line. Wife and I have been known to grab the dictionary while we are having our morning coffee in bed, as we attempt to solve the world problems. And finally, question #1. I’ve wondered that about some of the stuff that finds it’s way to TV..who in the heck, watches that crap, (or decides it’s worthy of being broadcast) PS we’re still doing dishes here in the bathroom sink. Countertop lady called 2 weeks ago and said, quoting now, ‘IF I were I betting girl, I think you’ll have your countertop by the end of next week…. nada. should have bet her.

    Liked by 5 people

    • DM, I like earth tones for the reason you mention. Hiding dirt works for me. Impressive that you laid the tile yourself. We often find ourselves looking up words in the dictionary, paper or online. I know that it makes for clearer communication when we both agree on what a word really means.

      In answer to your question about who decides what to show on TV… I don’t know but I agree with you. Most of it is dreck– and the epitome of insipid. I suppose that makes the few good TV shows seem even better. And yep, you should have taken the bet, but ain’t that the way!

      Liked by 2 people

  41. Yes, especially with children’s books. There are some VERY clever kids’ books out there that make me slap my head and wonder, “Why didn’t I think of that?!” and then there are other children’s books that are garbage and make me wonder who they paid (or slept with) to get it published.
    Yes, I look up words just to be sure.
    Medium and pink. Not my choice, but it’s original to our 1940s house and I wouldn’t feel right getting rid of it. We call it the Pepto Bismol bathroom.

    Liked by 5 people

    • The Travel Architect, you may be onto how some of the insipid books get published. It certainly isn’t on the wordsmitery involved. I’ve been pleasantly surprised how many commenters look up words, just to be sure. I thought I might be the only one.

      A Pepto bathroom, while intense, makes sense when it’s original to your house. It’s such a throwback that to take it away might make your house sad.

      Liked by 3 people

  42. I’m so happy to see an update from you.
    Honestly, I look up words all the time thinking I ‘might’ be incorrect. I’m almost 55 and still trying to master the English language.
    Yes, I’ve read some pretty insipid things that have left me scratching my head.

    The bathroom is looking wonderful. So, does your Tile guy leave the house. Ever? Is he having all meals with you?
    Our bathroom tile is large too; I think 24×24. We redid our bathroom about 14 years ago in crema Marfil marble.
    I can’t wait to see your finished project.

    Liked by 4 people

    • Suz, I’m with you there about worrying if I might be using a word incorrectly. Plus I like words so learning more about them makes me happy. Yep, I’m a nerd.

      The tile guy is here daily but has yet to have meals with us. Heaven knows his stuff is all over the house like a kid’s stuff, but he does go home around 4:00 pm every afternoon. So far.

      Your bathroom marble sounds beautiful. I like the visual movement within marble, not to mention it’s classy. Like you!

      Liked by 1 person

  43. SIMPLE, DECLARATIVE SENTENCES:

    Your tutorial is instructive, Ally.
    I am reading a book with insipid dialogue now, but it is taking my mind off my troubles at the moment.
    The white tile on our guest bathroom floor is laid in a diagonal design. I like it.
    You bathroom will look GORGEOUS. YOU ARE GETTING THERE.
    Amen!

    Liked by 4 people

    • Marian, you say “simple declarative sentences” like you might be a teacher, or something. Made me laugh out loud with that one. Good point about how sometimes it doesn’t matter if the book is insipid, as long as it is overall a pleasant distraction.

      I like diagonal tile. It’s a pattern that is timeless as is white. I’m sure your bathroom looks great. And stylish.

      Liked by 2 people

  44. I like your one long sentence. Very clever.
    If a book or article is insipid, I don’t read too much of it unless it has some info I’m interested in.
    I do look up words to be sure I have the meaning right, but it seems that I look up newly invented words more often so I can understand what I’m reading.
    The tile in my shower and around my tub is white, rather large, with two rows of small tile in shades of green and blue-green. I envisioned a bathroom that reminded me of the seashore. Your tile is lovely.

    Liked by 4 people

    • Nicki, excellent point about reading something that is insipid to get some information from the article or book. I do that too. I find that I’m sometimes surprised by what a word really means once I look it up. Gotta keep learning.

      Your bathroom tile scheme sounds perfect. I like those colors and I understand your reasoning.

      Liked by 1 person

  45. I read a lot so I wonder a lot how some books got published. I refer to books I read as ‘page turners’ or ‘words on a page.’ I much prefer page turners. I use my iPhone all the time for dictionary and thesaurus references. I use it way more for that purpose than making actual phone calls. I am thrilled to say I have zero tile in the bathroom. When we built last, we put in a large one piece shower. I would refer to it as functional and easy to clean – just the way I wanted it at this point in life. I’ve had small and large tiles, and they all came with grout that had to be scrubbed. Been there, done that, like the smooth surface. Is yours way more cool? Of course. 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

    • Judy, your dichotomy of ‘page turners’ or ‘words on a page’ is brilliant. It’s descriptive and truthful. THAT is exactly how books turn out to be– one or t’other. Like you I use my iPhone more as a reference source than a telephone. I enjoy learning about words and the dumb little gadget seems to be at hand, so I use it as a dictionary.

      A few other commenters have mentioned a shower surround in one piece. I’m not familiar with them, but can instantly understand the reasoning for having one. I wonder if their popularity is regional– or maybe the tile setters lobby is stronger in the midwest and we don’t know any better!

      Liked by 2 people

      • I love your theory about it being regional and enjoyed the hearty chuckle. I had tile in all nine homes we owned over my lifetime as an adult. This one, I said ‘no thank you.’ It’s white, it’s smooth, and It has no grout. 🙂 The next person can take it out and put tile in. 🙂

        Liked by 2 people

        • We keep saying that this will be our last go round with home improvement projects. We’ll live her for 20 more years, let the house fall down around us, then sell it as a fixer upper!

          Liked by 1 person

  46. Very interesting Ms. Bean. I do check words now and then – I recently caught an error in a book where the author used exasperated when she clearly meant exacerbated and I had to look those words up and compare what I thought they meant with what the author could have meant; just to be sure, you know? Now regarding insipid, tedious and uneventful. I always read boring when I see “insipid.” And I suppose that tedious and uneventful could also mean boring, but they mean it in a different way in my head and I got a bit caught up with trying to explain how and, well I couldn’t. Good thing I don’t write dictionaries. I do enjoy wordplay and etymology and the whole “what does this word mean now?” type of search. Word geeks for the win.

    I often wonder how certain books get published. More than that, how some became so popular. I read a lot of books available on kindle unlimited and that means they range from being truly terrible to being quite wonderful as many are self-published. A good story is a good story – but there are millions of books out there because no one can agree on that. I didn’t read 50 shades as it appears to be a poor retelling of The Story of O and I didn’t like that. Not fair of me, perhaps, but I do find that books or movies that raise a lot of hoopla almost never hit the mark with me. You know the one that surprises me are authors with very long series and a dedicated fanbase that will defend them, even when it seems like they started calling it in halfway through the series. I have a theory that Janet Evanovich doesn’t even write her books anymore and one of her kids is doing it now. Shrug.

    Bathroom tile! Bathroom was here when I got here. Blue with random white 4×4 tiles on the walls, little varied shades of blue on the floor. It looks okay, it wouldn’t be my choice.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Zazzy, good catch on the wrong word in the book. I’m lead to believe that many publishers are cheaping it out on proofreading, so mistakes like that make it through the system. I’m with you on the “what does this word mean now?” research. I’m fascinated by how word meanings morph over time and why. I don’t think it’s boring at all. 😉

      I don’t read any kindle unlimited books. Your observation of what is on there fascinates me, but not enough to read any of them. I don’t get the popularity of many books, but there’s no accounting for taste. I, too, question an author who writes a long series of very similar books like Evanovich has done. It seems lazy and uninspired to me. I suppose the call of the Benjamins prompts them to never break out of the rut.

      Blue bathrooms are popular. I know that my aunt had one and it seemed timeless. Yours may not be your preference, but if it’s in good working order I’d stick with it. I’m a pragmatist, you know!

      Liked by 1 person

  47. I think you are aware of how I feel about the whole publishing process. And now, it’s all about social media, the numbers, celebrities. I believe that it results in a lot of books that are lacking substance.

    I love tile in a bathroom, but our tub/shower has what I call a “suburban surround.” Basically, it’s the same kind of tub as Bath Fitter. If we ever get around to remodeling our bathrooms, the first thing I want to do is update the showers with lovely retro-colored tiles.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Kari, I know how you feel about publishing and I agree with you 100%. I like to read, but occasionally find myself staring into a book that I cannot fathom how it got published. Certainly not on the merits of the writing. 🤨

      Many commenters have mentioned tub surrounds. They’re something I don’t know about but apparently they’re popular. Clearly you’re up-to-date on them, but IF you get the chance to use some retro-colored tiles I’m gonna love seeing the photos.

      Liked by 1 person

  48. Answers to your questions: 1. Yes. 2. Frequently. 3. We don’t have tile in our bathroom. Talk about needing a bathroom update. I don’t know what the material is, but we have those “plastic-like” shower inserts. We had our kitchen updated last year and that was enough for a while. So, I understand what you’re going through with that renovation. I look forward to seeing the new look of your bathroom. The tile you chose is really nice.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Lori, some other commenters have mentioned shower inserts and tub surrounds. I don’t know much about them, but whatever works. We did our kitchen over a decade ago and I still love it, plan on calling it the *new* kitchen for another decade or two. I, too, look forward to seeing the bathroom completed… sometime in June… I hope.

      Liked by 1 person

  49. Great examples of those three words! We are twins! I do the exact same thing when a word pops up in my mind to fill a space and I look it up to make sure I am using it’s correct form. Sometimes though, I am so confident I don’t feel the need to look up a word…and surprisingly, the word insipid does not mean what I THOUGHT it actually means… for some reason I was thinking insipid meant something like evil… like an undercurrent of evil… or am I think of ANOTHER WORD??? Also this same thing happened to me yesterday writing my post… I was stuck on the word “bristle” describing trees… “bristling trees”… I feel like I see this used all the time in literature but I could not find any examples online lol and it seemed to mean something else by definition but I couldn’t get that sentence out of my head so I used it anyway hoping no one would call me out on it LOL…

    LOVE the bathroom progress!! ALSO LOVE the CABINETS!!! Is it a navy or black?? EITHER WAY, love it!!! SO exciting!!! 🙂

    Liked by 4 people

    • Jen, I wondered if I was the only one to look up words just to be sure, but I’m finding most of the commenters here do the same thing. I suppose insipid could have an evil undercurrent implied in its meaning IF you think being boring is a kind of evil! 😉

      As for your bristling trees that makes sense to me, it’s descriptive, so why not lead the way by using it?

      The cabinet is a very dark espresso brown that reads black without being too harsh. I wanted black, but my husband wanted brown so this was the compromise. Marriage, you know?

      Liked by 2 people

  50. More than once, I have come to the conclusion that the author must have a dear friend or relative in the publishing industry. That, or they had something on them that could be used as blackmail……

    Liked by 1 person

    • Ann, my charmingly cynical nature agrees with you. I cannot imagine how else some of these books make it to publication. Now if they’re self-published that’s different, but major publishing houses? Come on…

      Like

  51. Reading some books you do have to wonder how they got the publishing contract. Some out there are just weird and some not fun to read at all, yet they are best sellers!
    Having the internet on hand it is so easy to google a word or word meaning. I like to do it to extend my vocabulary if that is even possible at my age. Before google, I loved my Roget’s thesaurus. I still have it.
    I have large square grey tiles in my bathrooms at the home by the sea. Like everyone else, less grout = an easier clean.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Amanda, I know what you mean about some bestsellers. It’s beyond me how they came to be, let alone who reads them. I know publishing is a game, so I guess those authors won? Yay?

      I, too, am trying to extend my vocabulary, but not all new words stick in my brain. I have a Roget’s Thesaurus from 1937 that’s fun to use. The synonyms are often different back then than they are now. Fascinating.

      Less grout, YES! I like the look of tile, so large ones seem like the way to go.

      Like

  52. I’m glad I’m not the only one who still looks up words in the dictionary to make sure I know what they mean. Usually it’s a word that I haven’t used/read/heard in a long time, and I second guess myself. However, I’ve noticed that there are a few words that I can never remember the meaning of, no matter how many times I look them up e.g. “spendthrift”. This word confuses me because it sounds like you’re spending a lot but also being thrifty (but it does actually refer to an extravagant spender).

    Hope the rest of the renovations go smoothly 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    • Pistachios, true about second guessing. I do the same thing. My daily lexicon is narrower than my writing/reading vocabulary so I do forget, or think I forget, what bigger/fancier words mean. Spendthrift is one of those words, the meaning of which, makes no sense. I’m just saying…

      Liked by 1 person

  53. It looks like your remodel is the furthest thing from being insipid, tedious or uneventful! Can’t wait to see it finished! And I love the word nerd in you. The word nerd in me salutes it:).

    Liked by 3 people

    • Kay, WHO YOU CALLING A NERD?!! 😉 I cannot help myself when it comes to learning about words, and with the internet at my fingertips, why not? Yes the bathroom is coming along, we’re in a holding pattern now waiting for the counter to be cut. So rather uneventful.

      Liked by 1 person

  54. Hello and thank you for brightening my day on my ‘Discover’ feed. First of all, I definitely look words up, a lot. Not so much in case I offend, usually that’s phrases for me – I don’t want to inadvertently say something that prejudices against a group of people, in any way. Usually, it’s more because I’m worried about using the wrong word and following it up with a word that crucially means the same thing. “Inadvertently” and “accidentally”, for example.

    Do I wonder how some people get published? Oh boy, all the time. I see a lot of lacklustre blog posts and I just wonder how people have audiences in the thousands like they do. I read books and wonder how they ever got to print, movies that I wonder how they ever got to the silver screen, or even Netflix. I think it happens a lot when you’re passionate about what you do. When you’re passionate, you want other people to be passionate, too.

    In terms of my bathroom, my bathroom is small, with white walls and a light grey floor. I added some green plants to it to give it a splash of colour, not to mention a bamboo duckboard and a fluffy white pedestal mat that I shamelessly wash every week to keep it looking spotless. I’d love to get the bathtub taken out and replaced with a walk-in shower, but hubby and I aren’t at the point that we can reasonably afford to do that, yet.

    Good luck with the revamp, it looks good so far. I recently did a bit of a remodel on my hallway (if you search “hallway” on my blog, there are photos). I’m particularly in love with the mirror and how that turned out. It cost me £50 and an afternoon in all, but it’s exactly the hallway that I love to come home to now – practical, stylish, tidy.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Helen, thanks for commenting. I understand your worry about using a phrase incorrectly. I try to write clearly but language changes over time and it’s easy to make mistakes, plus like you mention it’d never do to repeat myself… although I’m sure I do.

      Lackluster is a great way to describe that which makes me wonder about HOW it got published or produced. It’s not a situation of sour grapes, I’m just curious about the process that brings us what it does. And who are the gatekeepers?

      Putting plants in your bathroom is a cool idea. They’d brighten up the space and ground it at the same time. I like white and gray as a bathroom color scheme, so yours sounds pretty to me. And I love that you keep your white mat, well– white. Good job.

      I’ll look for your hallway photos. I like your description of it, practical, stylish, tidy. Seems perfectly in tune with what I am for, although we lapse on tidy.

      Like

      • Ally, thank you for replying to me. I think you’re absolutely right, and I think that comes down to really caring about how others perceive you. We believe ourselves to be smart, and we want others to believe that we’re smart, so then when we do a “dumb” thing (like repeating ourselves), it hits us that much harder. I think it’s important to remember that we’re human, and even the best humans make mistakes sometimes. Try not to be too harsh on yourself if you do.

        I know exactly what you mean, and again, I think that comes down to having a standard in your mind of how a piece should be. It’s not about being jealous, it’s about seeking quality, and not being willing to settle for anything less than what we perceive to be good quality. I think in terms of gatekeepers, then really the bar is considerably lower right across the board because by the same token, who gets to decide what is art and what isn’t? It’s sort of the same logic – one person might not “get it”, and that’s okay, but somebody else might thoroughly enjoy it. On a sidenote here, then I think that even if we don’t “get” something, that doesn’t excuse us for being rude about it. I don’t personally “get” or enjoy things like R&B, interpretive dance (my Dad was a disco dance teacher, I grew up with Night Fever, Dirty Dancing and Grease) or graffiti art, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad or wrong. I can still appreciate the time and effort that has gone into it, it just doesn’t mean that it’s for me. I think when you can at least appreciate something – even if you don’t necessarily like it – you can’t really go far wrong.

        The plants add an amazing touch, and I’m really proud of how the place looks. I got really creative too, putting some giant artificial monstera leaves in a clear acrylic container, adding some clear epoxy resin (to look like water) and then decorating it with a white ribbon at the top. To that I fastened a white rattan-style heart, which I made by wrapping lengths of string soaked in a PVA-glue solution over a partially inflated heart-shaped balloon, then popping and removing it once it had dried. I didn’t expect it to work, but the result has been more than pleasing. I think a few plants would really compliment your bathroom, and you can go for real or artificial ones. Why not give yourself that spa feel and have a bathroom that you can be proud of? Thank you for your comments RE my white mat. I know my mother says it sounds like a mundane task, and yet getting into a routine with it really helps.

        I hope you found the photos okay, and don’t worry about tidy. I wish I could say that we were perfect, instead I think we’re just proactive about trying to be more organised. Storage ottomans really help, and if you have an Android device, I swear by OurFlat. It helps me stay on top enough with the home and my blog, without trying to remember a few thousand different things. Still not perfect by any means, just a bit better than I was.

        Good luck with the bathroom, and I look forward to reading more.

        Liked by 2 people

  55. Excellent long sentence and prompt question. My answers follow:

    Do you sometimes wonder how the heck someone got their insipid article or book published? Yes, and I include my own posts in that wonderment until I convince myself that “You’ve spent enough time dear – click post and move on!”

    Do you look up words in the dictionary to make sure you understand a word’s true + current meaning? Yes, often. And I often think back to when I had an actual dictionary and thesaurus sitting on my desk to grab and verify. I remember having to carry those in my backpack on the way to school.

    Is the tile in your bathroom primarily small, medium, or large like the new stuff we’re using? What color is it? Your choices are beautiful – the final reveal will be stunning. No tiles in our bathrooms. I LOVE the photos of the tools required to upgrade a bathroom. We’ve done so many rental unit upgrades that when it comes to our own home we’re too pooped to have an upgraded party! IMHO It is a tedious job to put in tiles and clean them in the future. 😉 I can’t wait to see your final reveal.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Shelley, you have me laughing out loud: “You’ve spent enough time dear – click post and move on!” I do the same thing over my posts, too.

      I have a paper dictionary and thesaurus on the bookshelves in this home study, but I usually use the computer dictionary and thesaurus because they’re at my fingertips. And walking across the room is too much effort. [What a sad admission that is.]

      Many commenters have said they don’t have tile in their bathrooms. I find that interesting because I’ve always lived in homes with tile, didn’t know you could do otherwise. And as for all the tools [toys?] the tile guy keeps them out of our direct paths, but they are many and varied. Worthy of a photo.

      Liked by 1 person

      • I’m glad you laughed. 😂 I think there’s a blog post brewing…something about how blogging is so easy because our tools are at our fingertips. Imagine if you will a blogger without the internet tools. How long would writing a post take? 🤣🤔😏

        Since you’ve always lived in homes with tile, another post you could write about is how you clean it! 😉

        You’ve now made a Zelda and a Tile Guy famous on the internet! Way to go 🙂

        Liked by 2 people

        • I know that back when I wrote on an electric typewriter it took me forever [many, many hours] to write a short essay that was on paper, but now with my computer and fast editing/publishing I’ve got blog post writing thing down to hours. Plus I use fewer words now than when I was younger.

          I don’t know that I have any tricks about how to clean grout. Maybe never use white grout, tans look less dirty. Maybe make sure the stuff is sealed with the best stuff? Maybe ignore the dirt? I use Dawn dishwashing detergent when I clean it, fwiw.

          Liked by 1 person

          • Ah, the good old electric typewriters. I loved it when the whiteout tape was introduced instead of having to use the little slips of whiteout paper or the liquid whiteout. You’re right, the computer has made blog post writing faster and easier.

            Good tips on grout, thanks for sharing. The sealing of it is important. I use Dawn/Vinegar/Water mixture to clean the bathroom – it works WONDERS on soap scum. All these years I thought I had to have Scrubbing Bubbles. 🤔

            Liked by 1 person

  56. I cannot see (or hear) the word “decimated” without thinking of the rant that Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden goes on in the book Ghost Story. Harry laments how people use “decimate” and “devastate” interchangeably when they don’t mean the same thing. It ends “But dammit, words mean what they mean, even if everyone thinks they ought to mean something else.”

    Liked by 3 people

    • Linda, I love that quote. SO TRUE. I imagine anyone who appreciates writing has had a moment when they’ve become irritated by the misuse of a word. And want to make it known that someone used the wrong word.

      Liked by 1 person

  57. How I envy your bathroom upgrade! I’ve wanted one for years but something always pops up that needs more immediate attention. Sigh. And yes, the tile we have now is a much hated (by me) mauve. I just looked up mauve. “Mauve is a pale purple color named after the mallow flower (French: mauve)” But my tile is a grayish pink, not purple, so I guess I’m using it wrong. Sigh again.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Anna, this bathroom remodeling project has been a long time in coming. We had a condo that had mauve carpeting. It was ugly. I don’t know that I’ve lived with grayish pink, but I imagine it’d get on my nerves. Now that you mention it I wonder what that color you have is called?

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  58. Yes. On a related note, I often wonder how mediocrity ends up being rewarded in the workplace. For example, I have worked with someone for years in an executive position who I think is completely and utterly inept at their job. On so many levels. And yet they continue to receive accolades. I know it is not just me as many other people have had similar struggles with said person. So frustrating.

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    • Elisabeth, I hear ‘ya about mediocrity in the workplace. You want to think that careers are based on hard work and merit, but it turns out that not all employers want the best person doing the job. Some want the most malleable or morally obtuse person doing the job. 🤨

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  59. Remodeling is such a joy. Of course I am being facetious. I just looked that up to make sure I am using it correctly. I am very curious about the ‘no tile on the bathroom floor’ thing. Wood? Carpet? Gag me. Or, something else? I am in the camp of large tiles, small grout lines, or marble which eliminates the lines altogether. There seems to be a lot of concern here about keeping it clean. What’s with that? Sealed grout lines will stay clean for years and years. Love the tool photos. That’s reality in a nutshell.

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    • Suzanne, I’m attempting to remain joyful throughout this process. Tile guy stuff everywhere? No big deal.

      We have tile on our bathroom floors, so I guess the commenters who don’t have it must have vinyl flooring? I don’t know for certain, but many people have mentioned they have no tile in their bathrooms which has been a surprise to me.

      I agree about cleaning grout. This isn’t a difficult thing for me, but maybe some tilers don’t seal the grout? Of course with large tiles, both on the walls and the floor, there isn’t much grout to begin with. 🤷‍♀️

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  60. I wonder quite often actually! Not so how they have gotten it published, but mostly how they have gained popularity. The simplest answer is that they simply reflect our era’s decadence.

    I do look up words in the dictionary, mostly because I’m not an English native speaker and I think it’s important to be eloquent. Not in the sense of using beautiful words but mostly in being accurate and precise of what you’re saying.

    Have a nice day!

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    • Lazaros Giannas, I wonder about the popularity of many books, movies, blogs even. You could be right, that they appeal to decadence and distract people from reality. I know that I cannot stop something from being popular, so I shrug.

      I strive to be accurate in what I say and write. I’d think it’d be more difficult to do so for someone for whom English is a second language. Good that you’ve made friends with the dictionary.

      Happy weekend to you!

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      • *By decadence, just to be more precise, I mean decadence of taste, of the ability to evaluate the validity of things, to recognize someone’s intentions, but also, of course, decadence of character and so on, which might explain why they resonate with a lot of people.

        I must say there is something that you – we – could do. That is critiquing them. After all, always someone might be able to view things we don’t, and we might view things other people don’t — as it seems to be the case in the case of many movies, books and so on as you say. But you know, as you said they are literally so many of those books, movies etc. which can’t but make us wonder about their popularity, that it would be very tiring and maybe pointless — like removing a drop out of the ocean — to even bother. To shrug, then, seems to be the only reasonable thing to do!

        Do have a happy weekend:)

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        • Nice definition of decadence. It explains a lot of what we see and read.

          I no longer write any reviews of books or movies. For one thing I don’t like doing that. But I also found that those who disagree are vocal, those who agree are shy. And suddenly I was sucked into a rabbit hole of commenters intent on telling me why I’m wrong.

          Which I might be. But I don’t have the desire to discuss it ad nauseam on my personal blog. My blog, my rules 😉

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  62. Yes, I have looked up words. And yes yes, many times, I shook my head at an article and book and bemoaned its publication. But seeing as how many publishers seek authors not necessarily for the skill at writing, but for their large platforms, I am not surprised that said book or article was published. Over the years I learned this truth the hard way, working for publishers.

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    • L. Marie, I’ve often suspected that it’s no longer the quality of writing or ingenuity that gets a book published. People ask me why I don’t write a book and one reason is I don’t have enough social media followers to prove my worth to the publisher. Another reason is that I don’t want to write a book!

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  63. Well, that’s an awfully generous definition on the part of the New Oxford American Dictionary for the word insipid . My own definition I suspect would use the word “lame” in it. But to each his own. Yes, I am constantly looking up words as I write (emails included), mostly because I am insecure/unsure whether anything is correct or not. Becoming a blogger finally got me to nail down the differences between “effect” and “affect” at least. I cringe at the number of work memos I wrote over the years where I might have misused one or the other.

    The sneak peek of your bathroom looks wonderful. What will the top of the counter be? I was just complaining the other day how our contractor only uses stone for kitchen and bath remodels, and I’m not sure I’d want a stone countertop in a bathroom. – Marty

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    • Marty, I had a difficult time with effect/affect too. Eventually I learned that Effect = rEsult and Affect = impAct. That’s the only way I know to remember them. The one I cannot remember is the difference between fewer versus less.

      The countertop will be quartz by Caesarstone but I can’t tell which one. It’s whatever the interior designer thought would look good AND was available right now. We have Caesarstone in our primary bathroom and love it. Our kitchen and laundry room have granite.

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  64. A)) yes I’ve read insipid stuff and some rancid stuff!
    B))absolutely use the dictionary and the thesaurus regularly
    C))subway tile and octagon tiny little tiles that come as 12 x 12 sheets. I live in an old house so that was, in our opinion, the right way to go. Glad to see some progress. Bernie

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    • Bernie, I like your addition of the idea of rancid writing. Well said

      I like the look of the tile combo you picked. In an older house, or a new one built to look old, that’d be perfect. If we did that in this transitional style house, it’d look contrived. Hence the large rectangles.

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  65. Yes Ally, I do wonder about how items get published sometimes – articles, not as much as books, but then, if you self-publish a book then maybe no one is looking over your shoulder to tell you it stinks? I do look up words and phrases more and more these days because I wonder if they have somehow acquired a new and potentially bawdy meaning that I, like you, don’t want in my blog. I can’t tell you how many times I hop onto “The Urban Dictionary” and say “oops” and find another word/phrase to use. My bathroom has not been remodeled in a while – it has beige 4” X 4” tiles on the backsplash and the rest of the room is wallpapered. I like your rectangular sink in the picture of your work in progress in the guest bathroom.

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    • Linda, I don’t read many self-published books but other commenters have made the same observation that you have. I’ve had the same experience when using The Urban Dictionary. I look at the current meaning, then decide to avoid using it. 4″ square tiles were all there were for a long time, or so it seems to me. I like the rectangular sink too. Supposedly it goes with the tub and will make the room look pulled together. Also it was available, no waiting– so I like it.

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      • I’m thankful for The Urban Dictionary, that’s for sure – no blunders or faux pas that way. I got a new bathroom sink a few years ago after the plumber was replacing a broken water line and broke the bottom of the sink – he had to replace the sink as he broke it to the point it could not be repaired, so he put in a different model. The sides are narrower and water sprays every which way when you turn on the tap. I tried a gentler stream of water, and it still spits and splats and makes a mess. Your sink is big enough that won’t happen. My vanity only accommodates that size sink, so for now I just deal with it.

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        • Bummer about your new sink that isn’t all that great. The sink that was in this bathroom was weirdly shallow. That must have been a thing at one time [or the cheapest way out]. If it’s not one thing, it’s another…

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  66. Ally your blog is always so insightful and informative! As for tile – I had my patterned tile (it’s a 60’s house) spray painted white when I had the tub redone, and it looks great. No one could ever tell there were turquoise tiles underneath.

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  68. Oh my, a post after my own heart. I cringe when I see the improper use of “big” words, especially when employed by someone who writes for a living. Your comparison of the three words illustrates the complexity – and versatility – of English! Also, maybe your question-of-the-day should’ve been “what are those bug-looking things crawling on the tile of my bathtub surround”? Do tell!

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    • Dave, I enjoy learning about words and any nuances in meaning, however slight. Seems like fun to me. The *bugs* are plastic spacers that the tile guy used to insure that the space between tiles was even. He had buckets of them. Up close they looked like a Lego and a clothespin had a baby. 🙂

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