Tuesday, 26 May 2026

RABBITHOLE: Malarkey -> Tad Dorgan -> Yes We have no bananas song -> I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls song = The Gipsy Girl's dream from The Bohemian Girl opera -> James Joyce / Lewis Carroll / Enya / Scout songs


One of the Prague guys described some k8s pod naming fun as malarkey :-)

https://www.etymonline.com/word/malarkey "malarkey(n.), also malarky, "lies and exaggerations, humbug," 1924, American English, of unknown origin. Green's Dictionary of Slang offers an 1894 Australian use of "Captain Mullurky" [sic] as a "melodious name for military muddle, apparently perpetrated for a malicious 'lark.'" It is an authentic Irish surname meaning "servant of Earc." Another slang term meaning much the same thing at about the same time in U.S. was ackamarackus (1934)."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malarkey


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tad_Dorgan

"Thomas Dorgan (April 29, 1877 – May 2, 1929) was an American cartoonist. He is known for his cartoon panel Indoor Sports and comic strip Judge Rummy, as well as the many English words and expressions he coined or popularized.[1]"

"He was one of at least eleven children[3] – six sons and five daughters – of Thomas J. and Anna Dorgan. [---] Polytechnic High School teachers Rosey Murdoch and Maria Van Vieck recognized and encouraged Tad's talent as an artist. When Dorgan was a child, he lost several fingers of his right hand in an accident whose details are unclear."
"Dorgan is generally credited with either creating or popularizing such words and expressions as "dumbbell" (a stupid person); "for crying out loud" (an exclamation of astonishment); "cat's meow" and "cat's pajamas" (as superlatives); "applesauce" (nonsense); "cheaters" (eyeglasses); "skimmer" (a hat); "hard-boiled" (tough and unsentimental); "drugstore cowboy" (a loafer or ladies' man); "nickel-nurser" (a miser); "as busy as a one-armed paperhanger" (overworked); and "Yes, we have no bananas", which was turned into a popular song."



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yes!_We_Have_No_Bananas - song

"Yes! We Have No Bananas" is an American novelty song by Frank Silver and Irving Cohn published March 23, 1923. It became a major hit that year (placing No. 1 for five weeks)[2] when it was recorded by Billy JonesBilly Murray, Arthur Hall, Snoopy's Classiks on Toys, Irving Kaufman, and others. It was recorded later by " . . .

"The song was the theme of the outdoor relief protests in Belfast in 1932."

"The term has been resurrected on many occasions, including during rationing in the United Kingdom in World War II, when the British government banned imports of bananas for five years. "

. . 

"Musicological entertainer Sigmund Spaeth, in one of his most popular numbers, "dissected" the melody into its component parts[15][16] — the "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's Messiah, "My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean," "I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls," "Aunt Dinah's Quilting Party," and Cole Porter's "An Old-Fashioned Garden."[15] Replacing the original lyrics with the appropriate melodic phrases, said Spaeth, the song becomes:"

Hallelujah, Bananas! Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me.
I dreamt that I dwelt in marble halls—the kind that you seldom see.
I was seeing Nellie home, to an old-fashioned garden: but,
Hallelujah, Bananas! Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me![15][16]

SONG: The Gipsy Girl's Dream - I dreamt that I dwelt in marble halls

"I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls", or "The Gipsy Girl's Dream", is a popular aria from The Bohemian Girl, an 1843 opera by Michael William Balfe, with lyrics by Alfred Bunn.

[VERSE] [Bb] I dreamt that I dwelt in marble halls,

With [F]vassals and serfs at my [Bb] side,

And of [Bb] all who assembled within those walls,

That I was the hope and the [Bb] pride.

[PRE-CHORUS] I [Eb]had riches [Ebm]all too [Bb]great to count, 

[C][could boast of/and] a [A]high [D]ancestral [F]name;


[CHORUS] But [Bb]I also dreamt, which pleased me most,

That [F]you lov'd me still the [Bb]same...

That you [Eb]lov'd me, ..

    You [Bb]lov'd me [F]still the [Bb]same,

That you [Eb]lov'd me, ..

    You [Bb]lov'd me [F]still the [Bb]same,


[VERSE] I dreamt that suitors sought my hand;

That knights upon bend-ed knee,

And with vows no maiden's heart could withstand,

They pledg'd their faith to me;

[PRE-CHORUS] And I dreamt that one of that noble host

Came forth my hand to claim.


[CHORUS] But I also dreamt, which charmed me most,

That you lov'd me still the same...

    That you lov'd me, you lov'd me still the same,

    That you lov'd me, you lov'd me still the same.


You could divide the verse and chorus like that - OR not the same - still not the same.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Dreamt_I_Dwelt_in_Marble_Halls == The Gipsy Girl's Dream

""I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls", or "The Gipsy Girl's Dream", is a popular aria from The Bohemian Girl, an 1843 opera by Michael William Balfe, with lyrics by Alfred Bunn. It is sung in the opera by the character Arline, who is in love with Thaddeus, a Polish nobleman and political exile."

I know this song from Enya's version, I did not know the opera origin nor the appearance in Joyce's works.

  • Lewis Carroll's parody of the lyrics was published in Lays of Mystery, Imagination and Humour in 1855:[3]

    I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls,
    And each damp thing that creeps and crawls
    went wobble-wobble on the walls...

  • The opera is featured in two short stories from James Joyce's 1914 collection Dubliners: "Clay" and "Eveline".[4]
  • The opera was made into a 1936 Laurel and Hardy film, The Bohemian Girl, which featured an 18-year old Arline singing the song to her adoptive gypsy father, Oliver.
  • The Irish singer Enya recorded an ambient, ethereal cover version for her third studio album, Shepherd Moons, released in 1994

https://www.james-joyce-music.com/song03_discussion.html 

"This song from The Bohemian Girl, a popular opera by Michael Balfe, shows up several times in Finnegans Wake. But the opera itself plays an integral part in two of Joyce's short stories in Dubliners." 

https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/enya/marble-halls-chords-3029570


https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Palace_of_Humbug from The Collected Verse Of Lewis Carroll by Lewis Carroll

I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls,
And each damp thing that creeps and crawls
Went wobble-wobble on the walls.

Faint odours of departed cheese,
Blown on the dank, unwholesome breeze,
Awoke the never ending sneeze.

... 

but the rhythm / timing is different

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Author:Charles_Lutwidge_Dodgson 

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Through_the_Looking-Glass,_and_What_Alice_Found_There/Chapter_IV#72 = The Walrus and the Carpenter

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Phantasmagoria_and_Other_Poems 

 including A Double Acrostic

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Hunting_of_the_Snark_(1876)

WOULD these fit to music e.g. sea shanty or other 

.. myeh the lyrics are not that funny for contemporary times . . 

TODO: lookup more Sigmund Spaeth love that stuff complicated song sing original lyrics of yes, no banana song and gradually re-place each segment with original tune lyric ? Too complicated.

TODO: make a Scout campfire song, using tune of I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls. Linger longer in dream, alot of same lines repeated.

Scout SONG: The Sleepy Scout's Dream to the tune of "I dreamt that I dwelt in marble halls" - by James Coleman 26/5/2026

"I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls", or "The Gipsy Girl's Dream", is a popular aria from The Bohemian Girl, an 1843 opera by Michael William Balfe, with lyrics by Alfred Bunn.

[Maybe start by learning the chorus: "But the bed felt still the same". 

[This is a repeat after me song.]

[maybe SKIP all the SLOWER lines until the very end]

[VERSE 1] I dreamt I slept in my own bed at home,

  Under my wonder-woman duvet.

A soft Harry-Potter[/feathered] pillow lay under my head,

  On black silken sheets I did lay.

[PRE-CHORUS] But when I awoke I was in a Scout tent,

  On top of cold rough old ground,

[CHORUS] Grass, weeds and nettles were my silken sheets, 

 But the bed felt still the same, ..

 Yes the bed felt, .. the bed felt still the same,

 [SLOWER]Yes the bed felt, .. the bed felt still the same.


[VERSE 2] I dreamt I slept in my bed at home,

  And floated on clouds of slumber.

Angels and fairies they flew all around,

 And sang lullabies of peace and tranquility.

[PRE-CHORUS] But then I awoke, .. the tent had blown away,

  The rain and cub[/scout/leader/..] screams filled the air,

[CHORUS]  I was lying in a cold pool of water,  

 But the bed felt still the same, ..

 Yes the bed felt, .. the bed felt still the same,

 [SLOWER]Yes the bed felt, .. the bed felt still the same.


[VERSE 3] I dreamt I slept in my soft bed at home,

  And my Mommy kissed my nose.

She gave me a hug and squeezed me tight,

  And settled me down to repose.

[PRE-CHORUS] But then I awoke and to my dismay,

  I heard a mournful heeee-HAW, [or neigh]

[CHORUS]  A grey furry donkey was sitting on me, 

 But it's lips felt still the same, ..

 Yes it's lips felt, .. it's lips felt still the same,

 [SLOWER]Yes it's lips felt, .. it's lips felt still the same.


[VERSE 4] I dreamt I slept in my warm bed at home,

  And my stuff'd toy was tickling my nose.

It cuddled my neck and [along] my funny bone,

  It crawled down to my toes,

[PRE-CHORUS] But then I awoke and to my surprise,

  I couldn't believe my eyes,

[CHORUS]  great big rhino was chewing my blanket, 

 But it's tongue felt still the same, ..

 Yes it's tongue felt, .. it's tongue felt still the same,

 [SLOWER] Yes it's tongue felt, .. it's tongue felt still the same.


[VERSE 5] I dreamt I slept in my bed at home,

  A warm breath ruffled my hair,

  A soft-burbling sound lulled me to sleep.

  A whiffling filled the air,

[PRE-CHORUS] And THEN, I was gazing, flaming-eyes of a Jabberwock,

  It's sharp JAWS gobbled me down!

[CHORUS]  And now I'm digesting, ..  inside the intestines, 

 It's sharp JAWS gobbled me down,

 Yes it's sharp JAWS, .. it's sharp JAWS gobbled me down,

 [SLOWER] Yes it's sharp JAWS, .. it's sharp JAWS gobbled me down,


ok .. yikes .. now have to learn and try it out sometime.


spider
It crawled down my neck and into my clothes,
  It started to wriggle and writhe,
spider(monkey), mouse, honey badger, armadillo, anteater, coyote, snake/rattlesnake/python
heffalump - sharp teeth - jabberwock
baloo
bigfoot yeti
formorian dragon 
zombies

https://thecomicsdetective.blogspot.com/ on Josette Frank and comics




Wednesday, 22 April 2026

Update Tiramisu and Black Forest Gateaux recipies

Tiramisu - 2020 style

This is PROPER Tiramisu.

Translated from the Italian as "Pick me up" - "Tira mi su". Multiple pick me ups due to the sugar, caffeine and alcohol content :) not to mention chocolate(Theobromine).

Edible ingredients:
Strong coffee (~2 bowls made with a heaped spoon (table) of instant coffee)
 ~80g siucra=sugar (caster|granulated|brown least refined is best)
Finger biscuits 2pkts (or Sponge trifle 200g)
CocoA powder
2 eggs - 2yolks, 1white used
Mascarpone cheese 1pk (200g)
2 spoon bacardi rum (or equivalent)

Tools:
A dish or bowl with sides to hold the finished product, rectangular pyrex dishes are good and a lid is handy.
2 other bowls big enough for beating/mixing.
Spoons or spatulas(silicone ideally) 
Kettle to boil water and instant coffee or coffee maker.
A fork and a strong arm OR a mixing tool.

Method:
1. Mix siucra and 2 yolks.
   Beat really hard + for long time until it goes a light colour.
       Your arm should be falling off now, don't worry >;) there's more
       beating to come.
   Add mascarpone and bacardi and mix in.
   The small amount of liquid should help make sure all the grains of sugar break down.

2. Beat egg-white hard until quite stiff.
       Stiff peaks form. 

3. Mix 1 & 2 gently together to give you some nice creamy gunk.
   N.B. fold gently together, do NOT beat.

4. Make black coffee.

ASSEMBLEY ASCII diagram:

            |_________________________| -sprinkling of cocoa on top
            |CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC|
            |CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC| -layer of creamy gunk
            |BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB|
            |BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB| -layer of coffee-soaked biscuits
            |CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC|
            |CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC|
            |BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB|
            |BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB|
            +-------------------------+

5. Soak each biscuit in the coffee before layering in bottom of dish.
   If you're using the sponge cake (tsk tsk) you'd better skip this pre-soak, you don't
   really want it to disintegrate before it gets to the intended bowl.

6. When you have the layer done use more coffee to soak biscuits/cake thoroughly
   - they should be squishy to touch but not soaking wet.
   Now cover this layer with about half the creamy gunk and smooth it out.

7. Add another layer of soaked biscuits and another layer of creamy gunk.
8. Leave in the fridge to soak and firm up.
9. Sprinkle the top with the cocoa.

Enjoy.

Credit for this excellent dish must go to Lucia Gualteri and the Italian nation in general.

Italians are very precise cooks. Surprisingly, instant coffee is approved ok to use in this dish as long as it's strong. The brown sugar has not been officially approved, just make sure people taste it

I also learned how to cook brocolli with garlic and pasta from Lucia and this in Milenese dialect:

Ehi tu! Tachet i tac a ti.                Hey you! You fix my shoe.
Io!? Tachet i tac a ti ?                  Me!? Fix your shoe ?
Che te tachet i tac a ti !?               Why I fix your shoe !?
Tachet i ti i to tac.                     Fix your own shoe yourself.

In 1998 a few friends made a "dspsrv cookbook" and this recipe originally appeared in the #bake section (t)here:
http://dspsrv.waider.ie/cookbook/bake.html#__Tiramisu_


Tiramisu slice




Ehi tu! Tachet i tac a ti.                Hey you! You fix my shoe.
Io!? Tachet i tac a ti ?                  Me!? Fix your shoe ?
Che te tachet i tac a ti !?               Why I fix your shoe !?
Tachet i ti i to tac.                     Fix your own shoe yourself.


Tiramisu - 1998 style

No! put me down! roughly translated from the Italian as "Pick me up" - "Tira mi su" due to the caffeine and alcohol content :) Full credit for this excellent dish must go to Lucia and the Italian nation in general - James

Ingredients

Strong coffee (~2 bowls made with a heaped spoon (table) of coffee)

~80g siucra (that'd be sugar)

Finger biscuits/Sponge trifle 200g, 2pkts

Cocoa powder

2 eggs - 2yolks, 1white used

Mascarpone cheese 1pk

2 spoon bacardi rum

Method

Mix siucra and 2 yolks. Beat really hard + for long time until it goes a light colour. Your arm should be falling off now, don't worry >;) there's more beating to come. Add mascarpone and bacardi and mix in.

Beat egg-white hard (again! :( ) until stiff. Have fun persuading your fork to stand up! - If it doesn't say 'ahhh - this forks too thin' and give up :).

Mix above mixtures together to give you some creamy gunk. N.B. fold gently together, do NOT beat.

Mix big spoon of coffee with a bowl of boiling water. Don't SCALD yourself! We don't want any dead flesh in this dish, it's meant to be Vegetarian remember! (not that I can see anything vegtablike about coffee, cake, cheese, eggs, sugar or bacardi!)

Soak each biscuit in the coffee before layering in bottom of dish. Again: don't scald! Only a silly person :) would also dunk their fingers into the boiling coffee! :O if you're using the cake you'd better skip this pre-soak, you don't really want it to disintegrate before it gets to the intended bowl.

When you have a layer use more coffee to soak biscuits/cake thoroughly - they should be squishy to touch (ugh!). Now cover this layer with about half the creamy gunk and smooth it out.

After another layer of soaked biscuits and cream leave in the fridge to recover a while. Sprinkle with the cocoa sometime.

Force yourself and some hapless friends to eat the horrible stuff! :)

The compulsory ASCII garfic diagram:

|___________________| -sprinkling of coco on top
|CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC|
|CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC| -layer of creamy gunk
|BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB|
|BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB| -layer of coffee-soaked biscuits
|CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC|
|CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC|
|BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB|
|BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB|
+-------------------+
Underneath of Tiramisu



Tiramisu - 2020 style

No! put me down!
roughly translated from the Italian as "Pick me up" - "Tira mi su" 
due to the caffeine and alcohol content :)
Now that we're accessable by lots of people (not that we're gonna be) full credit for this excellent dish must go to Lucia and the Italian nation in general.


Before this little bit of paper disintegrates :-

Edible ingredients:

Strong coffee    (~2 bowls made with a heaped spoon (table) of coffee)
 ~80g siucra
Finger biscuits/Sponge trifle 200g, 2pkts
CocoA powder
2 eggs - 2yolks, 1white used
Mascarpone cheese 1pk
2 spoon bacardi rum (not too much Paul!)

Tools:
A bowl to hold the finished product - say roughly dish size but it
needs sides to hold the floppy stuff in!
Various other bowls, spoons & forks, kettle to boil water 'n stuff.
An arm like a WWF SuperWrestler or Lucia.

The compulsory ASCII barfic diagram:

            |_________________________| -sprinkling of coco on top
            |CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC|
            |CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC| -layer of creamy gunk
            |BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB|
            |BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB| -layer of coffee-soaked biscuits
            |CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC|
            |CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC|
            |BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB|
            |BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB|
            +-------------------------+

1. Mix siucra and 2 yolks.
   Beat really hard + for long time until it goes a light colour.
       Your arm should be falling off now, don't worry >;) there's more
       beating to come.
   Add mascarpone and bacardi and mix in.

2. Beat egg-white hard (again! :( ) until stiff.
       Have fun persuading your fork to stand up! - If it doesn't
       say 'ahhh - this forks too thin' and give up :).

3. Mix 1 & 2 together to give you some creamy gunk.
   N.B. fold gently together, do NOT beat.

4. Mix big spoon of coffee with a bowl of boiling water.
       Don't SCALD yourself! We don't want any dead flesh in this dish,
       it's meant to be Vegetarian remember! (not that I can see anything
       vegtablike about coffee, cake, cheese, eggs, sugar or bacardi!)

5. Soak each biscuit in the coffee before layering in bottom of dish.
       Again: don't scald! Only a silly person :) like, say, Lucia would
       also dunk her fingers into the boiling coffee! :O
   If you're using the cake you'd better skip this pre-soak, you don't
   really want it to disintegrate before it gets to the intended bowl.

6. When you have a layer use more coffee to soak biscuits/cake thoroughly
   - they should be squishy to touch (ugh!).
   Now cover this layer with about half the creamy gunk and smooth it out.

7. After another layer of soaked biscuits and cream leave in the fridge to
   recover a while. Sprinkle with the cocoa sometime.

8. Force yourself and some hapless friends to eat the horrible stuff! :)

Ingredients, beating eggs



 The DSPs shared some recipies and made a cookbook. 

https://www.dspsrv.com/~setanta/dspcook.html

What year was that ? Maybe 1998.




https://www.dspsrv.com/~setanta/bake.html#Black_Forest_Gateau_ 

Black Forest Gateau

Originally from "Nan Nestor". It has since been modified and taken on a distinctly Coleman character. Thanks to Mum for the good tips on "The Science of making Sponge". Basically (I'll get my notes later) - James

Ingredients

6 eggs

6oz caster sugar

6oz flour & cocoa/coco mix

75/100ml water (recommendation from Brenda Costigan's book)

Black cherries or grapes

cherry/cranberry/blackcurrant/apple juice

kirsch/red jamacian rum/bacardi/sherry/wine/cider?

Whipped cream.

Grated chocolate.

Method

Turn on the damn oven. 180 degrees. (I keep on forgetting to do this at this stage.)

Separate the yolks from the whites.

Mix the yolks, sugar, flour & cocoa and water and beat (with a whisk). Really beat the ____ out of it. Get it nice and creamy. When you rub a finger in it and it holds the streak for just a second you're done. (thanks Mum)

Now beat up the egg whites until they're stiff. Fold the eggwhites gently into the other mix and transfer to the baking trays. Into the oven rapido super quick but treat the sponge gently.

Be paranoid and don't open the oven too soon. Don't BANG the oven door - the sponge doesn't like it.

It could be done in 20 minutes, but for 6:6:6 IN TWO BREAD-LOAF TINS it took 35/40 minutes to bake. Less time if the sponge is split into smaller/flatter cakes.

Slice a knife into the sponge. If it comes out clean it's done.

Assembly of Black Forest Gateau:

Seed the grapes and stone the cherries. Mmmmm. Lick each one. (just kidding!) Nice juice :-P''''

Chop the sponge in three thin slices.

Lay the bottom slice on the tray the cake will be served on. This tray is best flat, without edges. (edges interfere with slicing and attachment of grated chocolate).

Pour juice and kirsch/red jamacian rum/bacardi on the sponge. I like to get it really moist ... but this makes sure the slices will never be able to stand up by themselves.

Lay out grapes/cherries on top of the sponge.

Spread a thin layer of cream on top to help the next layer stick.

Lay the next layer of sponge on top of this, soak with juice, pile with grapes and spread with cream as before.

Repeat again but don't put any cream right on the top. If you want to be really fancy heat some juice and thicken it with some cornflour or arrowroot. Pour this syrup on top to make the cherries really Shiny.

Please note I disclaim all responsability for how any these diagrams display on your browser - BPC.

The compulsory ASCII barfic diagram:

____________________________ -syrup on top for shine (usually omitted)
cCGCGCGCGCGCGCGCGCGCc -layer of cherries only (grapes okay too)
cCSSJSSJSJSSJSSJSSJSSJSSJSCc
cCSSJSSJSJSSJSSJSSJSSJSSJSCc
cCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCc -layer of cream
cCGCGCGCGCGCGCGCGCGCc -layer of grapes/cherries
cCSSJSSJSJSSJSSJSSJSSJSSJSCc -layer of juice/rum-soaked sponge
cCSSJSSJSJSSJSSJSSJSSJSSJSCc
cCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCc
cCGCGCGCGCGCGCGCGCGCc
cCSSJSSJSJSSJSSJSSJSSJSSJSCc
cCSSJSSJSJSSJSSJSSJSSJSSJSCc
-------------------------------------------

Cream (C) is slathered around the outside.

Grated chocolate (c) is stuck to that all around the edge.

Note

Self raising flour (or flour + baking powder) used mix about 2/3 flour and 1/3 cocoa. Coco makes a the sponge a bit pale but as it's hidden by cream & grape and doused in juice & rum/kirsch/whatever it hardly makes a difference. If using electric whisk much more air is incorporated so they say use normal flour.

Interesting to note the 1egg:1oz ratio. the 6:6:6 is for two bread-loaf sized cakes. Which makes a good amount of gateau - enough for 10/a few more people. The ratio is varied according to cake made and quantity desired. Cooking time will of course then vary ... depending on amount of sponge and size of container.






Wednesday, 4 February 2026

Words of today are nixer and nix, brought to you by the letters N and X , unrelated to knack or nack or knackered

This is like Sesame Street 🙂. 

Words of today are nixer and nix, brought to you by the letters N and X , unrelated to knack or nack or knackered (except, perhaps in an onomatopaeic, no, alliterative ? way).

https://www.etymonline.com/word/nix  nixer is an Irish slang term for a casual,, often "off-the-books" or part-time, job, .. The term originates from " nix " (meaning "nothing" or "no")  .. implying work done for cash with no tax or insurance declared. Origin: The term is derived from "nix," which stems from the German nichts or colloquial nix (meaning nothing)

https://www.etymonline.com/word/knack knack "a deception, trick, device," a word of uncertain origin. .. "a sharp sounding blow" .. knak, .. German knacken "to crack;" also knap) .. Sense of "special skill" .. is first recorded 1580s. In old slang (mid-18c. to mid-19c.) nacky meant "full of knacks; ingenious, dexterous."  

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/nack nack (networking) To acknowledge negatively; to send a NAK signal to.

https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=knackered knackered "worn out, tired," .. knacker/nacker "harness-maker" (1570s) .. Old Norse hnakkur "saddle," related to hnakki "back of the neck,"

[15:33, 04/02/2026] James Coleman: 😀 possibly sign of light headedness just cycled back up the road after donating a pint of blood

nix sounds latin, doesn't it ? .. nix means snow in latin

Brought to you by the surprising gap in knowledge of someone on family whatsapp group (not knowing what a nixer is).