In my admittedly limited experience with languages beyond English, I find that few people have as robust a manner of speech as the Jews. Yiddish in particular is blessed with hundreds of profoundly meaningful words that are at once descriptive and fun to say.
Today's word is Kvetch and it's active form, Kvetching.
As I understand the term, to kvetch is more than just complaining, although that is the simplest translation. There is also a deeper tone of soul-wrenching frustration coupled to a sense of the idiocy of others.
For example, not one half hour ago I was moving some product on my forklift. My boss brought it to me and I was approaching the stacked pallets. Suddenly another forktruck zooms between me and the drums, bringing some packaging supplies back to the warehouse. After I shoved my heart back into my chest I took-up the pallets and turned to bring them into that self-same warehouse. Lo and behold, there sat the interloper, parked infront of the very row in which I had been placing my loads. Five minutes he sat there, examining some paperwork. Finally my patience broke and I dropped my stuff next to the intended, alloted space and gently asked him to move his posterior out of the way.
For his complete lack of awareness of the world around him, I offer my co-worker a sincere and heart-felt KVETCH.
Did he ever notice you? Maybe he had something else on his mind... like tacos. I like to think about tacos. Do you like tacos as much as I like them? I bet I like them more than you do.
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