Someunusualwordsdescribehow a personspendshis or hertime. For example, someonewholikes to spend a lot of timesitting or lyingdownwhilewatchingtelevision is sometimescalled a couchpotato. A couch is a piece of furniture that peoplesit on whilewatchingtelevision.
RobertArmstrong, an artist from California, developed the termcouchpotato in nineteenseventy-six. Severalyearslater, he listed the term as a trademarkwith the UnitedStatesgovernment. MisterArmstrongalsohelpedwrite a funnybookaboutlife as a full-timetelevisionwatcher. It is called the “OfficialCouchPotatoHandbook.”
Couchpotatoesenjoywatchingtelevisionjust as mousepotatoesenjoyworking on computers. A computermouse is the device that moves the pointer, or cursor, on a computerscreen. The description of mousepotatobecamepopular in nineteenninety-three. AmericanwriterAliceKahn is said to haveinvented the term to describeyoungpeoplewhospend a lot of timeusingcomputers.
Toomuchtimeinside the houseusing a computer or watchingtelevisioncancausesomeone to getcabinfever. A cabin is a simplehouseusuallybuiltfaraway from the city. People go to a cabin to relax and enjoyquiettime.
cabinfever is not really a disease. However, peoplecanexperienceboredom and restlessnessiftheyspendtoomuchtimeinsidetheirhomes. This is especiallytrueduring the winterwhen it is toocold or snowy to dothingsoutside. Oftenchildrengetcabinfeveriftheycannot go outside to play. Sodotheirparents. This happenswhenthere is somuchsnow that schools and evenoffices and stores are closed.
Somepeopleenjoyspending a lot of time in theirhomes to makethemniceplaces to live. This is callednesting or cocooning. Birdsbuildnests out of sticks to holdtheireggs and babybirds. Someinsectsbuildcocoonsaroundthemselves for protectionwhiletheygrow and change. Nests and cocoonsprovidesecurity for wildlife. Sopeoplelike the idea of nests and cocoons, too.
The termscocooning and nestingbecamepopularmorethantwentyyearsago. Theydescribepeoplebuyingtheirfirsthomes and fillingthemwithmanythings. Thesepeoplethen had children.
Nowthesechildren are grown and haveleft the nest. They are in college. Or they are married and startingfamilies of theirownfaraway. Nowtheseparents are livingalonewithoutchildren in theiremptynest. Theyhavebecomeemptynesters.
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