So the other day I'm explaining to a group of ladies at card class about how to do this rather futzy project, and they all start twittering about my use of the word "futzy". Seems no one's ever heard that word before. And they want to know where I'd heard it.

Well, truth is, I have no idea. I just know it's been part of my vocabulary for as long as I can remember. It's a word. It has meaning. And it pops out of my mouth when it's the most appropriate adjective for the circumstances.

I grew up in the Midwest (except for several years in Spain), but have been on the West Coast since my middle teens. If any of that's meaningful, then that's probably where I learned the word.

So the ladies tried to educate me. "Fussy", they corrected. Well, yeah, I guess that could be a synonym for "futzy"…. yet it's not exactly the same. Doesn't go to the exact point; doesn't have the same punch. There's "fussy cutting", which we papercrafters all know about, but this project was a bit "futzy". Definitely NOT the same thing!

Curious, I went to Google for a definition. To prove that "futzy" is a real word. 'Cuz Google knows everything. And guess what? Even Google couldn't turn up a definition! But it did find references where the word in question had been used in various writings. Most, in the correct context even. (Compilation of more or less correct usages can be found here, and it's fairly easy to surmise the definition from its context.)

Next, I looked up "futz", 'cuz I figured it was related. As in, I futzed (v.) around a bit while designing (v.) the card in question, and therefore (per my reasoning), the design (n.) is a bit "futzy" (adj.).  And what I discovered is that if you're looking for a cool way to play your "z" in Scrabble, then laying out "f-u-t-z" is perfectly legit. I also learned some real interesting background about the origins of the word. But I won't recite them here 'cuz they make me blush and this is a G-rated blog.  

But I guess I'll have to keep digging to uncover why there's an adjective out there with obvious meaning and usage, yet apparently no definition.