I suppose I should be lamenting the complete collapse of Western Civilization or perhaps chasing some political rabbit down a hole, but at the moment I am trying to solve the mystery of the druthers, as in what they are and why so many people insist on losing them?
It goes something like this, “if I had my druthers I wouldn’t eat liverwurst.” So apparently some people do not have their druthers, a bit like some people do not have all their marbles, indicating they have been lost or misplaced somewhere. Now, people can lose many things, keys, money, maybe even weight. I have heard rumors that some people can actually lose weight! I’m not sure I believe it, but I’ve heard the rumors.
But can one actually lose their druthers? From observation we have learned that people can lose all common sense, lose their ability to think critically, but can one actually misplace their personal preferences? Or is this some kind of masochistic thing, perhaps something entwined with Catholic guilt, this patheticism that dares not speak it’s own name?
I will not even admit to having any personal preferences, so we’ll just call them “druthers” and I’ll be sure to take note of the fact that I haven’t got any, that my druthers are simply a big “If,” as if to say, I have resigned and reconciled myself to the obvious fact that my opinion and preferences here shall carry no weight. If I had my druthers, but alas, I do not, so go ahead and tell me, what are my personal preferences going to be?
Liverwurst apparently, and head cheese and foie de gras and sardines in a can with tomato sauce. Poof! Having now surrendered your druthers, you will suddenly find these things to be quite delicious. But that isn’t true at all! Most people who surrender their druthers are really quite resentful about it and will murmur and complain endlessly, as if it is all your fault they have lost their druthers in the first place, something they apparently cannot keep track of even with two hands and a flashlight.
I empathize, but only a tiny bit. There is a slipper missing, just one, and since slippers do not have legs and cannot wander off, it must have been misplaced. If I had my druthers, I would locate the thing on behalf of another who has lost it. After two hours of searching however, it became obvious to me that my druthers were not going to rule the day. That is okay, at least I actually know where my “druthers” are.
See, there's this thing called biology... 
You had me at druthers, IB. I’ve never had my druthers. Unless it’s associated with sniffles and coughs, in which case I’ve had my share. 🙂
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Ha! Perhaps there is a vaccine or something? Maybe some people are just immune to the druthers? Heck if I know.
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Well I must confess ms bytes, I do not recall using thus much used word in a sentence. Seems it morphed because of the fast lipped syllable savers we use……’I would rather……Iwouldrather……….I’drather……..drather druthers……. ah heck, I’m still going to try to keep not using it 😉 That said, when I do hear it from others, it sounds perfectly ‘normal.’
Wasn’t there a Mr Druthers ala Green Acres? Oh wait, that was Druckers…………….
But the real story of the day is your observation about the rumors of weight loss……….. too much.
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Ahh very clever, Colorstorm! You may well have hit on the answer. Druthers must be a contraction of I’d rather, mumbled apologetically of course, under the breath.
Just pondering the way we are called to go boldly before the throne of grace, how “you have not because you ask not,” so we than murmur something about how we’ve lost our druthers and go right on murmuring and walking in circles for some 40 years or so! That really is the nature of people. I try to view this foolishness with some affection, because I suspect God is far more merciful about human antics than I am. 😉
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I assumed the same as Colorstorm. Sort of like this:
I checked the dictionary and lo and behold “druthers” is there. Here’s what the Oxford American has for origin:
So apparently “ruther” is also a word! Who knew? Dictionary says it’s a nonstandard spelling of “rather.” Such as, I’d so much ruther go to movie A. That Tom is keeping me from my druthers!
Fun post, IB.
Becky
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Oh how I love this trading of ideas that springs from a simple word. You would not have mentioned ‘going boldly before the throne of grace……..’ (well maybe) unless the case of the druthers was not dissected, and I would not add that going ‘to the throne of grace ON BEHALF OF OTHERS…………….’ may be the more excellent way, and there just may be an express lane for that!!
But just a slight correction: should have read ‘this much, not thus much……….’ but u knew that 😉
And God far more merciful? If we only knew the depths…………..
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Well, well. I wondered when you’d get your druthers. In fact it is rare that any of us even seeks out our druthers – preferring to simply complain about it. That being so I thought it appropriate that we award you this Round Tuit:
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Ha! I love that, Paul. Well played indeed. A Truit, it is. If you ask a man to do something, you should just accept the fact that he’s going to do it. No need to remind him about it every six months. 😉
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Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
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Think maybe I’m guilty of this careless slip of tongue. I hear an echo in my head that says, “If I had my druthers, I’d go to IHOP for breakfast.” Maybe that is the reason I find the whole “weight loss” rumor too much fantasy for belief. More echoes: I druther have pinto beans with buttered cornbread; I’d druther go over to mom’s house to eat; I’druther eat ice cream with fudge than yogurt any day.
No echoes: I’d druther do fifty jumping jacks than take a nap.
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As a linguist (as in, job-description-linguist), it is more along the lines of “If I had it my way”. Sometimes it refers to law, social mores, authority, reality… It just means if the world worked just as you pleased, you would or would not do certain things. It’s an acknowledgement of powerlessness over certain things, of that what we want is not always what’s best, of that sometimes we are not the authority.
For example, if /I/ had my druthers, I /would/ eat liverwurst. But liver is rich in vitamin A and too much vitamin A is no good for TTC, so I should accept reality and trust current medical authorities and not eat a pile of liverwurst. And now I want some more than ever. 😦
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Ha! I’m not sure I should trust someone who actually likes liverwurst….. 😉
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But livers! :O Yum!
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