Spiel

Spiel

The area in which I grew up used to call curling tournaments bonspiels. Probably still does. Unless they call them tournaments now. Or perhaps bonspiel tournaments, just to cover their bases.* Ironically (or not!) in between bouts - or 'games' as they used to call them - there would be glockenspiel bands that played. Who knew that in a town of 3,000 people up to 10% of the population at any given time would be practically professional on the glockenspiel? Have you ever heard Bohemian Rhapsody played on 12 glockenspiels? Brings a tear to the eye, it does.

But I digress. What I really wanted to discuss was how, after reading the spiel on 'spiel,' it struck me that the word is quite the warhorse. It can describe everything! Thus today I proclaim May 1, 2012 Spiel Appreciation Day, where we do our darnedest to expand the usage of this amazingly complex and underutilized word:

"Yes, I'm hungover - I went on a total spiel last night."
"You know how it is at the holidays. Spiel after spiel - ate so much I thought I would burst."
"The newest Richard Bay spiel opened to mixed reviews."
"We're here at the Both Directions concert where a huge giggle of girls is waiting for the doors to open."**
"Shock the crap out of me, I opened the door to a spiel - naked bodies everywhere."
"The Miss America Spiel will return after these messages!"
"Yep, me and Ma rounded up the whole spiel of cows to be taken away for butcherin'."

Your assignment: what will you do to expand this word's usage? Share it with my other reader!

PS: "Spiel, Chicago, Illinois, 60609"***

*Or 'backsides' if you don;t like sports metaphors.
**Oops, sorry, 'giggle' was meant for a different day.
***Sorry, I realize half my readership won't get the reference, but I'm thinking the other person might.