Are you Xenodochial? – The Alphabet Series continues with Letter X

Xenodochial – friendly to strangers, or user-friendly. What a wonderful word to describe the manner in which we should act toward others, and the way in which the tools and technology we create should be crafted. How’s that for some cocktail party conversation?…”Hey, how xenodochial is your website?”

Riiigghhtt…I’m not so sure that’s a great opening line, but it sure is different! Thanks so much Hajra Khatoon for introducing me to this word:)

Hajra also suggested Xenial, and I truly hope that everyone who drops by my blog finds it to be a Xenial place – friendly and hospitable. As I like to say, the welcome mat is always out:)

Ralph Dopping said he’d never want to be referred to as a Xenon. Now since Xenon is 54 on the Periodic Table, one of the noble gases – tasteless, odorless, and colourless, I’m not sure I get Ralph’s drift. But I do know that the name comes from the Greek word ‘xenos’, meaning stranger. And Ralph…you’re no longer a stranger here:)

Susan Silver dislikes the word Xenophobic (me too!), so offered up Xylopyrography, the act of burning pictures into wood. Susan, Barbara Klein and Erin Feldman suggested Xanadu. Oh my, check out those outfits, hair-dos and roller skates!

Adam Toporek said “My word is X, the universal symbol for the unknown variable. Trying to figure out X in all areas at the heart of business.” And Sharon Gilmour-Glover  added ” why X doesn’t mark the spot anymore”, because the business landscape is changing so rapidly. But X definitely marked the spot when Michael Douglas and Evan Rachel Wood created an “X marks the spot” here.

Sue Snider introduced me to the word Xystarch (I wondered if that was like cornstarch), only to find out that a Xystarch was an Ancient Greek officer in charge of gymnastic exercises. I guess I was a modern-day Xystarch for many years, when I coached world-class and Olympic rhythmic gymnasts.

Xavier, the Saint, was suggested by Jen Holmes Olney, and many institutions of higher learning have adopted that name. And Jayme Soulati introduced me to Xerxes, the ancient King of Persia. It seems that letter X started the names and titles of many leaders, long ago.

And now…a station break, starring Bill Dorman, who said on the W post: “I’m so xcited I didn’t need my x-ray vision to read this xhilarating, x-rated post. I’m certainly no xenophobe when I visit my Canadian buddy’s post, now am I? Will wonders never cease. It will be interesting to see what kind of x words you come up w/ next so I will try to keep my XXX mind out of the gutter to make a contribution. How about, how were your results? They were so good, they were bigger than large. How large? XXL, how’s that for big? Great series ma’am; now I’m xhausted…………..

And to sweeten the pot, I add Carolyn Nicander Mohr‘s word, Xylitol, a sugar substitute .

Lori Gosselin suggested Xanthous, which refers to the colour yellow: a colour we see in Lori’s branding over at Life for Instance.

And has been the habit, I’ll end with the Queen of Alliteration, Vidya Sury‘s submission:

“No xcuse, no xplanation.
I might need Xerox to produce more words starting with X.
Even I am xhausted
Should I xtol the virtues of xerxes?
or the xciting xodus?
xplore xpedia or the x-files?
xtreme measures?
recall biology with xiphiidae, xylem, xanthum?
go to xanadu with xcalibur?
xcessively xtreme!
xtra xpectations…
xonerate me. I ‘xit before i’m xpelled  the great xodus
my xylograph rests.
Peace.”

And may I say, it’s been my pleasure to be your Xenagogue, or tour guide, throughout this Alphabet Series. We’ve only two more letters to go, and then it will be time to do some type of wrap-up of the Alphabet. I’m not sure how we’ll do it, but it would be great to get all of you who read this to suggest your favourite word(s) from the series. I welcome any and all suggestions on how we might make it happen. After all, there are 26 letters and I-don’t-know-how-many-words (except I know there are a lot!) to choose from.

Be sure to submit your Letter Y words in your comments below.

I’m “X”iting stage left from letter X.