DAH is me, David Anthony Hance. 
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First up this week: Wobble … 
Decades ago I read a Peter Lovesey mystery, Wobble to Death (Lovesey's debut novel). I was fascinated by the athletic conceit of the book. A highly-anticipated 500-mile speedwalking race … a "wobble" … in 1879 London. Why a wobble? Because of the pronounced wobbling motion of the speedwalking competitors. Looking at my library I see that I was inspired to gather all sorts of books on walking and pedestrianism. How curious, how one might seize upon an idea, shake it like a dog with a bone, then see all the actions (and books) that tumble off into life. Now, I need to get walking (without too much wobbling). 

Second up this week, Wanhappy …
Oh! I'm so wanhappy! But I'm not. I am impressed with the word, which is rather a humpty-dumptyism, I think. It doesn't mean "unhappy" although it sounds like it should do so. I've been thinking about how my father changed his English speaking accent from that of his southern English working class parents to "received pronounciation." In Britain, as around the world, local accents and languages are disappearing. This is, I think, wanhappy … a Scottish word meaning "unfortunate." I feel helpless about it. But I'm also inspired to learn of those who are trying to save and share their local tongues. Do what you can to help. Don't look down upon those who speak differently than you. Work to understand.

Third up this week, With …
With me or against me? With me, I hope. If we're not irredeemably against one another. With is a great word and useful concept. Yet, I find myself in danger of thoughtlessly using it to denigrate others. I've begun hearing and reading as is if "with" meant "oh, yeah -- they were along, too -- somewhere behind the rest of us, I think." Like the stars in a movie, "with" some other folks who provided actor-fodder for the big guns. I've been working to use "and" instead of "with." A variation of the "yes, and" method for keeping a conversation open and flowing. It doesn't always work, but I'm trying. All along deserve honor. 

The book I'm reading now.
If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal: What Animal Intelligence Reveals About Human Stupidity, by Justin Gregg
I've long had concerns and doubts about why so many of us assume human exceptionalism. This thoughtful and entertaining book is helping me think about that. 
"Gregg is a brilliant communicator of complex ideas, with a writing style that is rich in both humour and detail. His argument is also surprisingly convincing. He concludes that Nietzsche would indeed have been better off as a narwhal. The less complex minds of non-human animals should not be regarded as inferior, but rather as wonderfully successful solutions to the problem of how to live pleasurably, without threatening the survival of others." (PD Smith review in The Guardian 8 Feb 2023). 

And a bit more: 

"jay" by Robert Macfarlane

Jay, Jay, plant me an acorn.
I will plant you a thousand acorns.

Acorn, acorn, grow me an oak.
I will grow you an oak that will live
for a thousand years.

Year, year, fledge me a Jay.
I will fledge you a Jay that will plant
you a thousand acorns that will each
grow a thousand oaks that will each
live a thousand years that will each
fledge a bright-backed, blue-winged,
forest-making Jay.

(From The Lost Spells, by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris)

And that's all for this week.
From Mary Oliver's "Sometimes"