Zany /ˈzānē/ Adjective crazy, comic, absurd Who hasn’t felt creatively liberated writing in a private diary or doodling in a notebook, knowing no one will ever see these zany scribbles? Eric Weiner (1963-)

Chaos /ˈkāˌäs/ Noun disorder, confusion, upheaval Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos. Stephen Sondheim (1930-2021)

Stimulate /ˈstimyəˌlāt/ Verb to activate, to excite A society’s competitive advantage will come not from how well its schools teach the multiplication and periodic tables, but from how well they stimulate imagination and creativity. Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

Ferment /ˌfərmənˈt/ Verb to undergo the process by which sugars are broken down into alcohol, lactic acid, or carbon dioxide As I travel through life, I gather experiences that lie imprinted on the deepest strata of memory, and there they ferment, are transformed, and sometimes rise to the surface and sprout like strange plants from other worlds. Isabel Allende (1942-)

Paramount /ˈperəˌmount/ Adjective of vital importance How paramount the future is to the present when one is surrounded by children. Charles Darwin (1809-1882)

Arid /ˈerəd/ Adjective dried, parched, dusty The will to win… the will to achieve…goes dry and arid without continuous renewal. Vince Lombardi (1913-1917)

Wisdom /ˈwizdəm/ Noun noun 1. knowledge and understanding of what is proper or reasonable Patience is the companion of wisdom. Saint Augustine (354-430) 2. understanding, insight The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing. Socrates (470 BC – 390 BC) 3. the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment A loving heart is the truest wisdom. Charles Dickens (1812-1870)

National /ˈnaSHən(ə)l,ˈnaSHn(ə)l/ Adjective of or pertaining to a country A national language is a band of national union. Noah Webster (1758-1843)