Finding My Mom Tribe in Comics

Finding My Mom Tribe in Comics I’ve always been an avid reader, and before I got pregnant, it was pretty normal for me to read 200â€"300 books a year. Pregnancy and motherhood, though, threw quite the wrench into that. Between constant nausea and tiredness that seeped into my very bones during pregnancy, and then the chaos of single motherhood (by choice), it was only natural that my reading volume was affected. As time has gone on, however, my reading habits have slowly gone (almost) back to normal, thanks to caffeine, a natural ability to read fast, and staying up too late. I’m often asked how I manage to read so much, but in addition to the factors mentioned above, it’s also this: I need to. I need to maintain my reading habits in order to stay sane, in order to still feel like myself. I love my son, but my life is larger than only motherhood. It includes work, friends, and reading. Reading has always, always been a huge part of my identity (which I’ve written about for Book Riot), and without it, it feels like a large part of myself is missing. The transition to motherhood was not easy (still is not easy, many times), and I have found solace in reading. As many women might admit, motherhood can be freaking lonely. It can be tedious and feel a bit like Groundhog Day, day after day after day, especially in those early months. Reading brought me comfort; losing myself in the stories of others broke up those hours in between feedings. When my son woke up 6 times a night and I barely slept, I would read. When I wondered what the hell I was thinking, doing this by myself, I read. When it started to become clear that my son had some developmental delays and I was scared and uncertain and sad, I read. What did I read? I read memoirs and essay collections of other mothers and women. I read fiction. I read nonfiction. I read criticism. But most surprisingly, I read comics and graphic novels. I was never a big comics fan beforeâ€"I read the occasional graphic novel (think Lucy Knisley), but never comics. I associated them with the Archie comics I read when I was a kid, or with teenage boys who had no friends (I’m sorry, but it’s trueâ€"and now I know how wrong I was to fall for that stereotype). I cannot, for the life of me, remember how exactly I got into comics, but I think it was Book Riot’s fault. On the social media platform we use, people were talking about Bitch Planet, and I joined the comics chat thread, and, as they say, the rest is history. I could be wrong about that, so don’t hold me to that story. It could have also started with Star Warsâ€"rediscovering the movies, and by default, falling into the comics community. What I do know is that I’ve only been reading comics for less than a year. Though I still feel like a newbie, I can say that the comics community, both online and at my local comic store, have been nothing but welcoming. Since becoming a mother, I have often felt lonely and adrift, but within the comics community, I have found my people. So what do I read? Bitch Planet. Ms Marvel. Captain Marvel. Wonder Woman. Lots of Wonder Woman. Slam!. Hi-Fi Fight Club. Lady Thor. Star Wars. Saga. Paper Girls. Supergirl. Lumberjanes. Faith. America Chavez. The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl. DC Bombshells. Jessica Jones. Yes, there is a themeâ€"kick ass women, among other things. The never-ending fight of good vs. evil. No doubt the events of the last election and the events since Inauguration Day have played a partâ€"never before has the saga of Star Wars held such relevance to me, with the rebellion/resistance and fighting the Dark Side. When motherhood and politics made it feel like life was getting really, really difficult, reading, especially reading comics, gave me hope and connection. I identified with Hippolyta from Themyscira when she wanted nothing more than a child, and wept on the beach (in Rucka’s run), despondent because she thought she would never be a mother. Diana, her daughter, known as Wonder Woman, embodies the intelligent, strong, fearless warrior I would like to beâ€"and would love my son to be. Alana and Marko from Saga, despite the fact that they are extraterrestrials, portray so many aspects of parenthood in an honest wayâ€"from the experience of birth and dealing with this new tiny creature that you’re responsible for, to finding a sitter and reckoning with in-laws and family. First introduced to her by her eponymous Netflix series, I was pleasantly surprised to read Bendis’s  Jessica Jones: Uncaged and see her as a mother. Despite all of her flaws (and she has many), Jessica Jones is that tough on the outside, tender on the inside, shit-talking, no-bullshit-taking woman that so many of us have become since 45 was elected. Hi-Fi Fight Club, set in 1998 in New Jersey, reminds me of my own adolescence in New Jersey, and I am a sucker for 80s and 90s nostalgia. Especially on those Friday nights where I’m elbow deep in diapers and watching Sesame Street with my son, wondering if I was always this boring. (Spoiler alert: no, I wasn’t.) I could go on and on, and I haven’t even touched the real-life women who have written these comicsâ€"Kelly Sue DeConnick, G. Willow Wilson, Carly Usdin, and Noelle Stevenson, among othersâ€"who inspire me. So how do I find the time to read? I have to. It’s a matter of survival. It is an act of self-preservation. I just never expected to find it in comics. Sign up to The Stack to receive  Book Riot Comic's best posts, picked for you. Thank you for signing up! 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Bodily Products Should Not Be Marketable - 773 Words

Organs play an important role in the functioning of the human body. We are born with them, and they work throughout our lives to keep us alive and well. Some people aren’t so lucky and may have an organ dysfunction or health issue that requires them to get an organ transplant. In this case, a donor whose tissue cells match the recipient’s must be the one to donate. However, this process could take from a few days to a few years since there are many people on the waiting list. This provokes the controversial topic of legalization of compensation for organs. Bodily products should not be marketable because it is immoral and possibly even dangerous. Organs were given to us when we came to life. We should give them to others as they were given to us. Why should anyone have to pay for something that can be given freely? If an organ is available, it should go to the person who needs it the most. No one should have to worry about the cost of it. Donating an organ can save a li fe. If someone cannot afford to pay for an organ, are we supposed to just let him or her die? That is not morally right. While the government plans to save more lives by legalizing payment for organs, it won’t necessarily work out that way. According to the National Kidney Foundation, 92% of families who turned down donating organs of their deceased loved ones said they still would not have donated even if they received payment in return (237). This goes to show that even with money involved, most peopleShow MoreRelatedFrames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences by Howard Gardner1507 Words   |  7 Pagesbreakthrough drew much interest and the ways of testing grew vastly. The pursuit for a detailed and more precise method of testing has remained ongoing into today’s society. The possible potential and intellect of an individual was now recordable and marketable. Institutions now based possible entry into their facilities on certain scores from applicants. 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That Conrad’s novella should be mentioned in this context reveals a playfully comic incongruity: the icy â€Å"wide bend of the Hudson† river (p.91) sharply contrasts with Conrad’s fictional rendering of a seething, sinister Congo, and Hughes quite literally goes nowhere maroonedRead MoreAppearance Discrimination in Employment22039 Words   |  89 Pagesfinding of legality to appearance discrimination, the logical questions that emerge from any thorough examination of this topic are: is it moral to discriminate in employment against people based on their physical appearance? And if it is immoral, should civil rights laws be changed to include â€Å"appearance† as a protected characteristic? These questions will be answered as part of the ethical analysis through several established theories. Therein, the authors define, expl icate, and apply these ethicalRead MoreRobotic Assisted Surgery16730 Words   |  67 Pagessurgeries or laparoscopic surgeries cannot achieve. 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Evaluating The Cohabitation Epidemic by Neil Clark Warren

Evaluating The Cohabitation Epidemic Neil Clark Warren in his essay â€Å"The Cohabitation Epidemic† starts by using tennis stars Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf’s case to mention the â€Å"cohabitation† issue and then quoting the data from the U.S Census Bureau and researcher Larry Bumpass to show that the number of people involved in cohabitation has significantly increased in the U.S in the last few decades. After that, Warren concludes that we should be alarmed over the recent increase of cohabiting couples. Before arguing against cohabitation, Warren introduces what kinds of people are cohabiting and why they are cohabiting. Followed by that, the author first uses the†¦show more content†¦Thus, any premises involved in Warren’s essay should intend to support this conclusion. The necessity of a trial marriage is irrelevant and does not intend to support the conclusion of this essay. Warren commits a red herring by the deliberate raising of an irr elevant issue during an argument. After discussing the fallacies Warren used in his essay, I want to use four strategies to have a closed and detailed assessment of the â€Å"So Why Bother with Marriage?† part of his essay to espouse my conclusion that Warren’s essay is unbelievable. First, the author states that those married couples who directly married without cohabitation have a lower divorce rate than those having cohabitation before marriage. Warren intends to prove that marriage provides stable relationship between a couple and cohabitation undermines such a relationship. The premises Warren used to support his claim are a result from one study and David and Barbara’s review. The problem here is based on the evidence Warren provided; it is difficult to conclude that marriage can hold people together and cohabitation may destroy such stable relationship between a couple. One reason is the sample size used in the study is too small compared to the millions of people who cohabit. Hasty generalization makes this premise questionably lead to the conclusion. The other premise which is the review from David and Barbara is also not trustable because no detailed evidence is provided to

All you need is love. Essay Example For Students

All you need is love. Essay The Beatles wrote this in the 1960s but they certainly were not the first to think it. Shakespeares tragedy Romeo and Juliet was based around this sentiment. It is a story of love, passion, romance, betrayal, life and of course, death. In the late 1990s Baz Luhrmann produced one of the most controversial interpretations of a Shakespeare play. He shot it in modern costume with modern settings, though he kept the original text. Using Verona Beach, Los Angles as his setting and Leonardo DiCaprio as his leading man, Luhrmann made it into a Hollywood movie and one of the biggest blockbuster hits of the 90s. However 20 years earlier Franco Zephirelli had shot his classic interpretation of the film-using period costume. This film follows the script fairly closely and is close to how Shakespeare would have had it performed. Even stage productions of the classic tragedy have been updated. Not long ago the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford put on a modern interpretation, which was apparently much like the 1970s cult film Grease centring around fast cars and leather jackets. The RSC production that our class saw was much closer to an original Shakespeare production: however it was of poor quality, many of our girls feeling that they could have acted the parts more convincingly themselves. The characters of the play are complex: they blossom and unveil themselves throughout the play; first impressions are not always right. Juliet Capulet, the only child of Lord and Lady Capulet, whose rivalry with the Montague family has been alive as long as the families have been, begins the play as an innocent young girl. She is very child like, obeying her parents. Her loyalties lie with her family. In the first scene we meet her, she is with the nurse. The nurse and Juliet are firm friends, the nurse having had more input into Juliets upbringing than her mother Lady Capulet. The nurse is very crude and talks about an amusing incident that happened when Juliet was just two years old. Yea, quoth my husband, fallst upon thy face Thou wilt fall backward when thou comest of age, Wilt thou not Jule? it stinted, and said Aye. She talks far too much repeating the story three times until Lady Capulet tells her to be quiet. Juliet is not yet fourteen but is called by her mother to talk about marriage. When asked for her view on it she replies in an obedient way. It is an honour that I dream not of. She regards marriage as sacred, something that she is not worthy of, suggesting that she might not be ready for it. The nurse wants the best for Juliet, as does Lady Capulet, they seem to decide Juliets fate with Paris for her. She is barely consulted in the conversation. In Zeffirrellis film Juliet sits quietly and patiently at the nurses side, laughing at some comments but generally being dutiful and sweet. The RSC production was much the same. Lady Capulet asks Juliet if she thinks well of Pariss like of her. The reply follows, Ill look to like if looking liking move. But no more deep will I edart that eye Than your consent gives strength to make it fly. Juliet wants to do things with her parents consent, certainly not before consulting them, she wants to please. Mercutio is introduced to us as the flamboyant friend of Romeo and the other Montagues. Our biggest clue into his personality is his name, which is derived from the word mercurial meaning changeable. In Luhrmanns film Mercutio is black. He first appears in Drag and high on ecstasy or some such drug. The Queen Mab speech is delivered in an almost paranoid style, Mercutio becoming increasingly angered it becomes obvious that he has been hurt by love. He begins by talking about the intricate detail on Queen Mabs coach Her wagon spokes like long spinners legs, The cover of the wings of grasshoppers, Her traces of the smallest spiders web. He then goes on to describe the dreams that Mab creates in the minds of all kinds of sleepers. Oer lawyers fingers, who strait dream of fees, Oer ladys lips, who straight on kisses dream. At this stage ideas are innocent and the dreams fairly acceptable. Mercutio then goes on to describe the more sinister, uncouth dreams that this mystical fairy queen creature creates. Sometimes she driveth oer a soldiers neck, And then he dreams of cutting foreign throats. This is the hag when maids lie on their backs Making them women of good carriage. Mercutio does not believe in love and regards dreams of this kind as nothing but idle fantasies. We dont know if this is because he has been hurt in the past or if he has never believed in love. He is angered at Romeos selfish behaviour and his moaning about Rosalind; Mercutio feels that Romeo is wasting his time on women. He seems almost jealous. Romeo and Mercutio are very close and not long before Mercutio dies, Tybalt says Mercutio, thou consortest with Romeo. This suggests to us that Romeo and Mercutio were mocked for being such close friends and that their relationship may have been something more. In the Luhrmann film when the Montagues arrive at the party, Mercutio gets the party started, standing in the limelight, singing, dancing, being wild and generally playing the fool. I think these two extremes portray Mercutios very flippant character, however the fact that he is on drugs does detract slightly from the point. I think that Lurhmann used the drug taking to mirror the effects that love can have; a raised temperature, fast heartbeat and loss of control. Love can drive people mad. It is well documented that Love is the greatest drug of all. At the party Romeo and Juliet meet for the first time. They are both quite clearly infatuated, besotted with each other. In Luhrmanns film he shows the long lingering feelings with smouldering looks through a dream-like fish tank. Glorious music plays in the background and the immediate passion is clear. As the two have their first kiss Juliet makes religious references glorifying and elevating her new found emotion love. Ay, pilgrims lips that they must use in prayer. These moments mean a lot to Juliet: this is her first kiss, she is only thirteen and her hormones and emotions would be raging. Some of the things that she says after discovering that Romeo is a Montague lead me to believe that she is almost naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve to the complexity of emotions. She refers to him as her love after just a few moments in his company. Dramatic and Important To the Play EssayBut fettle your fine joints gainst Thursday next, To go with Paris to Saint Peters Church, Or I will drag the on a hurdle thither. Out, you Green-sickness carrion! Out you baggage! You Tallow-face! The nurse flew to Juliets defence when he tried to hit her, only to outrage him further and be knocked back herself. Capulet threatens to disown Juliet if she did not obey him. In the Franco Zeffirrelli film, Lady Capulet leaves early on in the argument, I think that maybe she was pressured into marrying Lord Capulet herself and feels that although she cannot defy her husband and defend Juliet, she also cannot aid Capulets rage. After the fight Juliet seeks comfort in the nurse who tells her that she should forget Romeo and marry Paris. O, hes a lovely gentleman! Romeos a dishclout to him. An eagle Madam, Hath not so green, so quick so fair an eye As Paris hath. In Luhrmanns film Juliet looks completely shocked by this comment and swears that she will never trust the nurse again, she is alone now and has no one to console her, in sheer desperation she flees to friar Lawrences cell seeking his aid. Zeffirrelli shows her completely distraught by this time she throws herself on the ground before his altar. She collects a poison from him that will send her into an un-wakeable sleep, before she takes it Juliet visits her farther and begs for his forgiveness, promising never to defy him in future. He decides that she shall be married the next day. In both the films the next scenes are pictured in Juliets bedroom, she is now truly alone, fighting her own mind over the poison, facing all of her fears, showing her real, honest love for Romeo. She states that if the potion does not work and she awakes the following morning, she would rather kill herself with a dagger than go ahead with the wedding plans. Shall I be married then tomorrow morning? No, no, this shall forbid it; lie thou there. This is completely defying her fathers wishes. Would the obedient Juliet that we meet in the first scenes be this scheming? These minutes are the most difficult of Juliets life, her mind filling with fearful thoughts; questions start to stifle her rational thought. What if it be a poison which the Friar Subtly hath ministered to have me dead Shall I not be then stifled in the vault, To whose foul mouth no healthsome air breathes in, O, if I wake shall I not be distraught, Environà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½d with all these hideous fears, Her bravery prevails through all these dismal thoughts and she drinks the potion in Romeos name. The next morning the nurse finds the dead Juliet, she is very dramatic, wailing and shouting, rousing the whole house. Capulet rushes in to see Juliet for himself, he sees her as a precious life, a beautiful, delicate little girl. He describes her: Death lies on her like an untimely frost Upon the sweetest flower in the field. Lady Capulet is very distressed and shows the most emotion for Juliet that she has in all of the play. It seems to take Juliet dying for her to display her true feelings for Juliet. O me, O me, my child, my only life! Revive, look up, or I will die with thee. Zeffirrelli showed the tomb of the Capulets as an underground vault, the other bodies from the family are laid out on plinths around the room the room is stone, stark and cold. Romeo fights and kills Paris outside, in order to gain entry into the tomb upon finding Juliet he falls to the floor beside her, talking of how death wanted her as lover. To prevent that and to join her in death, he drinks the poison. The friar enters at this moment, just as Juliet begins to wake; he cannot console her when she sees Romeo and Paris both dead next to her Juliet is hysterical. She will not leave with him out of the vault. Instead she continues to cry loudly (and unconvincingly) throwing herself on Romeo, sobbing and sniffing as she goes. Juliet finds a cup in Romeos hand and complains that he has not left her any poison to die with. She finds his dagger in its sheath and stabs herself with it; she dies over Romeos Body. Yea, noise? Then Ill be brief. O happy dagger, This is thy sheath; there rust and let me die. In the modern Luhrmann film Juliet is in a church, the church is very lavishly decorated, to show the money of the Capulets. It is very over-the-top, at the end of each pew shines a neon cross, thousands of tiny candles surround Juliet, she looks peaceful where she lays. The moments that Romeo spends with Juliet are beautiful. Outside helicopters fly overhead and police surround the church with their guns, but inside it is tranquil and the fact that the lovers are in a church elevates their love. DiCaprio acts the part well; more convincingly so than the Zeffirrelli actor, he is emotional, tears streaming down his face. He becomes more and more choked up with every word he says. As he takes the poison Juliet begins to wake and they share a moment of sheer disbelief before he dies. Juliet then realises what has happened and takes the gun out of its holder. She does not say much as she does this, few words are needed to explain her actions. She shoots herself, falling over Romeo in a l ast display of affection. The families decide on finding the lovers dead that the feud has gone on long enough, Capulet and Montague shake hands and the families find themselves at peace. The two die with each other, for each other. It is the ultimate gift or sacrifice that can be made for the one you love. I dont know how relevant the story would be today even though the lovers are immortalised in words and film. The age of Romeo and Juliet does give me doubts about the strength of the bonds and the love between the two in the early scenes of the play. However as the feelings deepen and the actions become more irrational, I realise that they are definitely in love. Their relationship is honest, equal and true. I dont know how many people would say nowadays that they would die for their partner, but we must remember this tragedy is fictional; it was written in a much simpler world. Whichever way I look at it though, Romeo and Juliet are the original lovers and will be so until love itself dies.

Study smarter to become an excellent student

Study smarter to become an excellent student A lot of students don`t realize that not doing well at school can affect their future in many ways. Your efforts will help you become someone in life. You don`t have to cram or burn the midnight oil to get the best marks. Just learn to study smarter. Follow these rules to become a straight A+ student and wind up as valedictorian.   Homework should be always done It is very important to accomplish any assignments your teachers give you. Doing your homework you consolidate the teaching material which was given to you in the class. You should always do your homework in order not to have some bad consequences with your tutors. Your homework should be done in an understandable way. Don`t forget to highlight the important ideas and facts while accomplishing the tasks. Keep a homework list. You can take advantage of any note-taking app. Do your best to show your knowledge Do not be afraid to raise your hand at the lessons and show your teacher that you study at home persistently and systematically. Make the teacher like you Make a good impression on your teacher.   Accomplish all your home tasks, present a good appearance, smile, answer teacher`s questions at the lessons, and greet him or her out of class. Behave in class properly If you want to become a straight A+ student your behavior should be really good. All teachers are extremely annoyed by misbehaving students. Teacher won`t like you if you talk out of turn, sleep in lass, or play with your classmates during the lessons. You will lose the opportunity to find out something new if you disrupt your lessons. Be active Participate in your class discussions to show your teacher and classmates your profound knowledge of the topic. Show your enthusiasm and interest by answering and asking as many questions as you can. Express your opinion in front of the class and always volunteer to come to the blackboard.   Be always organized A lot of students just don`t know how to be organized. They have troubles finding their assignments or notes when they need them. You have to get a planner and a calendar to write down all your assignments and exams dates. Make a weekly schedule to know exactly how much time you can devote to prepare for each lesson. Write good and legible notes Highlight the most crucial information during your classes. Copy everything that your teacher writes down on the blackboard. Those notes will be definitely on your tests or in home tasks. Make a study guide Do everything possible to understand what you are learning. Use flash cards or make the board games to memorize the important material. Make a study guide and add any information you really need to remember. Ask your parents or siblings to test you in the study guide. You can also talk about the topic you are learning or read your textbook aloud to prepare for your lessons better and study more effectively. Ask for help to understand better Don`t be afraid to ask your teacher to explain you the material one more time if you don`t understand something. It won`t be humiliating! Your teacher will definitely appreciate your efforts afterwards. You can also ask your parents, classmates, friends, or paid tutors in case you have some difficulties with your assignments. Don`t forget about your physical health You should always remember that good physical health is the base of your academic excellence. The first thing you should do to be focused and have enough energy for studying is to take care of your body. Sleep at least eight hours a night to become a better learner. Exercise at least three times a week. It will help enhance your thinking and memory skills. Eat regular meals, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and drink 8 to 10 glasses of water every day. All these things will help you feel more alert throughout your classes.

US Trip essays

US Trip essays In 11th grade I had the chance to apply for a 3-week-stay in the USA. There is a student exchange program between our high school and the Oak Ridge High School in Conroe Texas. It is a tradition that every year in spring a group of 11th graders visits Texas. I have always been interested in foreign languages and I like travelling to English-speaking countries to use the language and to get to know more about the inhabitants and their way of life. That is why I absolutely wanted to be one of the students to go to Texas that year. But it is always only a few students who get the opportunity to do that. I knew I had good conditions to take part because one of my main subjects was English and my teachers comminded me all the time. And my assumption was right. After a very short time I already got an e-mail from the daughter of my prospective host family. However the political situation in the U.S. was very complicated at this time. For that reason it was not certain if the exchange program could really take place. It seemed like my host family knew about the doubts my family had to allow me to go on that trip. So they sent a detailled letter to my parents to introduce themselves and to let them know that they could not identify with Bush's policy and that they would not support the war in Iraq. I was very glad to hear that because I would not have to think about how to react, if there were discussions about political topics. The letter they wrote made my parents feel relieved. My host family made avery positive impression on them. So they know I would be safe. And this was also the beginning of a friendship between our two families. Everyone of us started writing letters and e-mails and calling each other on the phone - me and my host sister (of course), my parents and her parents and even my brother and her sister. I could not wait to talk to my host family in person and when I got there they exceeded all of my expectations. They gav...

10 Pairs of Similar-Looking Near Antonyms

10 Pairs of Similar-Looking Near Antonyms 10 Pairs of Similar-Looking Near Antonyms 10 Pairs of Similar-Looking Near Antonyms By Mark Nichol Many pairs of words, often but not always etymologically related, can be easily confused for each other though they mean almost the opposite. Distinguish carefully between these odd couples: Contemptible: deserving of contempt, or despicable (â€Å"Their effort to suddenly kiss up to her once she inherited money was contemptible.†) Contemptuous: demonstrating contempt (â€Å"His contemptuous dismissal of the idea was inexcusably rude.†) (Both words stem from the Latin contemnere, â€Å"to despise.†) Flare: a signal light or a similar literal or figurative eruption (The shipwrecked sailor fired a signal flare to attract attention from the passing vessel.†) Flair: talent, or style (â€Å"He’s shown a remarkable flair for the craft.†) (Flare has uncertain origin, but it is not likely related to flair, from the Latin fragrare â€Å"odor.†) Gourmet: an expert on, or one who appreciates the nuances of, food or drink (â€Å"His reputation as a gourmet rests on his familiarity with all the best restaurants.†) Gourmand: a person enthusiastic about good food and drink; glutton (â€Å"My neighbor the gourmand has pretensions of being knowledgeable about wine.†) (Gourmet is from the French grommet, â€Å"boy servant,† perhaps itself based on English groom; gourmand derives from the Middle French gourmant. In French, gourmand remains a close synonym of gourmet, with no negative connotation.) Incredible: inspiring disbelief, extraordinary (â€Å"The fact that she had survived the ordeal was incredible.†) Incredulous: disbelieving (â€Å"I looked at him with a gaze of incredulous wonder.†) (Both words are from the antonym of the Latin credibilis, â€Å"credible.†) Mantel: a shelf or supporting structure above a fireplace (â€Å"She approached the fireplace and placed the candelabra on the marble mantel.†) Mantle: a literal or figurative cloak, covering, or layer (â€Å"A mantle of authority lay on the chieftain’s broad shoulders.†) (Both words derive from the Latin mantellum.) Material: matter, or components (â€Å"She brushed up against an object covered with soft material.†) Materiel: supplies and equipment, especially used by a specific organization (â€Å"The army found itself running low on materiel as its supply lines were cut.†) (Both words come from the French materiel.) Ordinance: order or law, or established usage (â€Å"The ordinance went into effect on January 1.†) Ordnance: artillery, or weapon-related military supplies (â€Å"The fort was equipped with enough ordnance to withstand several regiments.†) (Both words stem from the Latin ordinare, to put into order.†) Temerity: recklessness (â€Å"My assistant had the temerity to suggest that I didn’t know how to do my job!†) Timidity: lacking in courage or boldness (â€Å"Her timidity about approaching him resulted in another missed opportunity.†) (Temerity is from the Latin temere, â€Å"blindly†; timidity derives from the Latin timere, â€Å"fear.†) Troop: a military unit or similar group (â€Å"The outnumbered troop retreated in the face of overwhelming firepower.†) Troupe: a theatrical group or other collection of entertainers (â€Å"Stratford was often visited by traveling troupes of professional actors.†) (The first word is a variant of the second, a Middle French word meaning â€Å"company† and related to the Germanic thorp, â€Å"village,† which survives in English place names as spelled or, more often, as thorpe.) Venal: mercenary, corrupt (â€Å"His approach to business is purely venal.†) Venial: forgivable, excusable (â€Å"I consider envy a venial sin.†) (Venal derives from Latin the venum, â€Å"sale†; venial comes from the Latin venia, â€Å"pardon.†) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Handy Expressions About HandsHow to Punctuate Descriptions of ColorsContinue and "Continue on"