The back page of each issue of New York magazine has a feature called The Approval Matrix; the square has a line in the middle horizontally, and another vertically. The vertical dimension is highbrow to lowbrow, and the horizontal dimension is brilliant to despicable. So there are quadrants for things that are highbrow and despicable, highbrow and brilliant, lowbrow and despicable, and lowbrow and brilliant. (If you want to see one, click the link in the first sentence.)

It’s fun to read. Even though I always read magazines back to front anyway, no idea why, I turn to the back page of New York magazine first specifically to see The Approval Matrix, when I happen to pick up the magazine. Today I found something that was highbrow and brilliant (but just barely above the line between highbrow and lowbrow): dictionaryofobscuresorrows.com.

You know how there can be a single word that’s just so good, it says a whole phrase? Like schadenfreude – taking pleasure in someone else’s trouble. Don’t say you’ve never felt it, everyone has even if they don’t like to admit it, even to themselves. So schadenfreude [say SHAH-den-froi-duh], a simple word for a rich idea. The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows gives us the same kind of deal, with made-up words. For example:

I was definitely of the swamp creature genus when I was a teenager. I don’t have many pictures of those years, but when I see any one of them, I do experience kodachronos. Such an obscure sorrow.

I have an appointment at 2, and then drinks with friends at 6, so three hours in between those for some time-whiling-away. And guess what I’ll be doing? One word: Peasy.

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