Notes - on being a fool

       Mid-morning. The sky has darkened as a storm arrives from the southwest. Cooler air comes with it – a natural development this time of year. You are ready for a nap not contemplation. Later, dude. – Amorella

       0911 hours. The weather appeared ominous, more so than it is. No sirens. I’m tired. I do enjoy the quiet. The cats are asleep; at least I assume so. The wind upturns the leaves -- a smattering of moody framework. It will be good having Carol safely home later this afternoon.

       The debate is coming up in about forty minutes. Carol is looking forward to it, but you are already embarrassed as to how it might turn out and as such are not really planning on watching it. – Amorella

       2019 hours. I am assuming one or both is going to make a major mistake. Either could make a fool of her or himself. I would be terrified being in either one of their shoes. I watched “Designated Survivor” again, with Carol, before watching the DVRed NBC and ABC News programs. I have been a fool several times in life and I am fairly certain that most people have been played the fool at least once with her or him later realizing this was the case. It’s both embarrassing and humiliating. I don’t know which is worse.

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fool ¹ - noun

a person who acts unwisely or imprudently; a silly person: what a fool I was to do this.

• historical a jester or clown, especially one retained in a noble household.

• informal a person devoted to a particular activity: he is a running fool.

• archaic a person who is duped.

verb [with object]

trick or deceive (someone); dupe: he fooled nightclub managers into believing he was a successful businessman | she had been fooling herself in thinking she could remain indifferent.

• [no object] act in a joking, frivolous, or teasing way: I shouted at him impatiently to stop fooling around.

• [no object] (fool around) chiefly North American engage in casual or extramarital sexual activity.

adjective [attributive] informal

foolish or silly: that damn fool waiter.

PHRASES

be no (or nobody's) fool

be a shrewd or prudent person.

a fool and his money are soon parted

proverb a foolish person spends money carelessly and will soon be penniless.

fools rush in where angels fear to tread

proverb people without good sense or judgment will have no hesitation in tackling a situation that even the wisest would avoid.

make a fool of

trick or deceive (someone) so that they look foolish.

• (make a fool of oneself) behave in an incompetent or inappropriate way that makes one appear foolish.

play (or act) the fool

behave in a playful or silly way.

there's no fool like an old fool

proverb the foolish behavior of an older person seems especially foolish as they are expected to think and act more sensibly than a younger one.

you could have fooled me!

used to express cynicism or doubt about an assertion: “Fun, was it? Well, you could have fooled me!”

PHRASAL VERBS

fool with

toy with; play idly with: I like fooling with cameras.

• tease (a person): we've just been fooling with you.

ORIGIN

Middle English: from Old French fol ‘fool, foolish,’ from Latin follis ‘bellows, bag,’ by extension ‘empty-headed person’; compare with fils¹,follis.

Selected and edited from the Oxford/American software

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       2035 hours. This needs a bit more research. Here’s what Wikipedia says – (surprisingly to me) not much in terms of definition. When someone says, “She is a foolish woman or he is a foolish man,” someone else might say that neither one is a fool. I find this interesting that the meaning of the word is debatable in any context it might find itself. Who is to say who is the fool? The wise woman or man?  Who is to say who is wise (in context) and who is not? A bit of logic fallacy at play here: Definition of a wise person; not foolish. Definition of a foolish person; not wise.

       You learned something tonight, boy. He who plays the wisest of men, may ultimately be found to have been the fool. Or, it may be the other way around. Post. - Amorella