Thing Not To Do Today: let things rankle.

As Norm has so wisely drawn to our attention, sometimes things just aren't fair, and he suggests that watching sport gives us useful practice in the acceptance of injustice.

However, that doesn't mean we're going to do it cheerfully.

Yes, occasionally things will rankle. I mean, I'm still slightly bitter about the "Hand of God" incident - and I'm not even that interested in football.

As for the corrosive effects of history...well, just don't mention the war, okay?

No, please don't mention any war.


Although...I don't know: a problem shared is said to be a problem halved, so perhaps we should make a point of sharing our grievances.

Mind you, that does leave us listening to a lot of people moaning. 

And that would certainly rankle after a while, wouldn't it.

Thing Not To Do Today: let things rankle. This word is from the Old French draoncler, to fester, from draoncle, an ulcer, and before that from the Latin dracunculus, a small snake* from dracō, a presumably rather bigger snake.

*It's rather sweet, isn't it, to have a word for a small snake.