Top of the List

What do the FBI, the Merriam Webster Dictionary and David Letterman have in common?  Want a hint?  They are doing the hip and cool thing that is being done by trendsetters in the know.  “It” appears to be familiar with all that is, was and could be and has the power to make or break, but is fickle as the day is long.  The “it” these folks, as well as everyone and their brother, are doing is making a top ten list.

The proliferation of recording for posterity the brightest and best of just about anything has become our society’s measure of success. For some reason if a person, place or thing doesn’t make the cut to the upper echelon, we wonder if they are a viable entity and worthy of our time, energy and money.  What happens to the perpetual elevens and twelves of the world? Are they doomed to a fruitless, futile and futureless existence?

We seek advice from the top ten book lists for reading suggestions and consult the elite 10 hottest films registry to see which movie we can’t miss.  We laugh at the observable humor of Dave’s top ten and ponder the significance of the top 10 surprising results of global warming.  I, however, question the accuracy of the top ten restaurants in the area and don’t quite understand how the top 10 Rock and Roll Hedonists were determined.

There are hundreds, if not thousands of lists in the world and depending on the maker of the list, the accuracy of said list may be in question.  This makes the whole process of lists bewildering and takes away from the perceived value and the effort of those who actually made the cut.  If the obvious weren’t enough, there is even the top ten list of top ten lists!

But, how much do we really know about these lists?  How are they determined, and why do we care (case in point, the top ten list of interstitial lung diseases)?  Who actually are the people behind the decision if something “makes” the list or not and where do they find the time to research the applicants (is there a list of those who will make the list?) and do they get paid for such a job? What is the life span of a list?  What if you don’t agree with something on the list and want to challenge its listing?  Is there a day or month that pays homage to the list?

I obviously need to formulate my top ten questions to get to the bottom of the top ten lists.  In the meantime, I will cosset my cravings and indulge my intellect with any and all lists that are willing to present themselves.  And I will leave you with one of my favorite top tens in hopes that you too will woot out loud in honor of anything that is top ten in your book.

Top Ten Favorite Words (not currently in the dictionary), from Merriam Webster:

1. ginormous (adj): bigger than gigantic and bigger than enormous
2. confuzzled (adj): confused and puzzled at the same time
3. woot (interj): an exclamation of joy or excitement
4. chillax (v): chill out/relax, hang out with friends
5. cognitive displaysia (n): the feeling you have before you even leave the house that you are going to forget something and not remember it until you're on the highway
6. gription (n): the purchase gained by friction: "My car needs new tires because the old ones have lost their gription."
7. phonecrastinate (v): to put off answering the phone until caller ID displays the incoming name and number
8. slickery (adj): having a surface that is wet and icy
9. snirt (n): snow that is dirty, often seen by the side of roads and parking lots that have been plowed
10. lingweenie (n): a person incapable of producing neologisms

Cynthia A. McClelland, curious observer of the obvious with interpretations of the oddities of daily life.  Mother, wife and lover of the furry, resides in the north Lake Tahoe area.

Cynthia A. McClelland © 2003-