Present-Tense

a close-up of a stopwatch

Present-Tense

adj.
intimidated by the awareness that you’re in the present moment, right now, inhabiting the single fleeting second that exists, feeling like a surfer riding a cresting wave across an infinite sea, desperate to keep your balance, but unsure whether to lean forward or lean back.

From present, the moment at hand + tense, in a state of nervous strain.

Lap Year

several people racing bicycles uphill in a forest

Etterath

a graduation cap and gown on a chair

Spinning Playback Head

silhouette of a person looking out a window

Kerisl

piles of old books scattered in an abandoned room

Inerrata

a hand holding a broken cup

Solla, Solla, Solla

a hand reaching out for plant tendril

O’Erpine

a person looking at a grave

Cullaways

a lone sand castle on a beach at low tide

Backmasking

a woman's face with a double exposure

Present-Tense

a close-up of a stopwatch

Anchorage

a person's arm extended over river rapids

Affogatia

miscellaneous items on a table

Midsummer

a person standing in a garden holding a clock

Heart Of Aces

a person covering their eyes with their hands

Halfwise

a train coming towards the camera shot from the tracks

Fellchaser

a blurred shadow of a person in a dark room

Keta

a hand reaching through paper with a flower drawing

Nowlings

a pile of black and white puzzle pieces

Future-Tense

a person looking at their reflection

The Meantime

Cover image for the The Meantime word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Wollah

a person with shapes raining on them

Pithered

stacks of papers and folders piled high on a table

Ironsick

a group of random devices

Dolorblindness

Cover image for the Dolorblindness word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Blinkback

a wall full of pictures and objects

Rasque

close-up of the shards of a broken vase

Hiddled

Cover image for the Hiddled word card on the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows