language is inherently collaborative. new words result from conversation between my friends and me all the time, often in search of definitions for emotions or unprecidented cultural transformations (ex: internet/tech language) in which nothing exists to our satisfaction. i got this email from karen yesterday:
I’ve been trying to think of a word for the following feeling: the emotion/anxiety that bubbles up briefly while watching your candy/chips start to be released from one of those coiled vending machines. I frequently only have enough money to purchase one thing and I’m always have a fleeting feeling of anxiety as I worry that my candy/chips will get stuck in the coils.
I thought that I should combine anxiety/anxious with vending somehow, but I haven’t come up with anything. I haven’t really put a whole lot of thought into it either.
the machines in our staff breakroom are chronically unpredictable. i don’t carry much cash anymore because i like debit cards. and although the coke guy reimburses us for lost change / suspended items, that isn’t immediate. when you’re stuck at the library from 12-9 on a sunday night and it’s 7 PM and you’re starving, anxiety peaks until the food drops: did i push the right number selection? why is the transaction pausing? why won’t it take this dollar? does anyone have a newer dollar? isn’t that trail mix too far back in the coil to make it another rotation? karen modified it brilliantly: snacksighety (n.)
contextual use:
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“…karen, don’t let that dangling oreo cookie bar give you snacksighety–i have more change in my desk.”
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“…heather, let’s go out for lunch–this machine gives me the snacksighs.”
Tags: breakroom, libraries, snacks, vending machines
