Open water swimmers gather in pods all over the world. In the middle of winter in the Czech Republic or during the long summer days in Hawaii, these pods function like mammalian cults.
Swimmers gather religiously with specific goals in mind: to an island, around the island, down to the pier, around the pier, across the river, along the bay, outside the shore break, next to the jetty, The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a new religious movement or other group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre.[1] The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices. The word was first used in the early 17th century denoting homage paid to a divinity and borrowed via the French culte from Latin cultus “worship”, from the adjective cultus “inhabited, cultivated, worshipped”, derived from the verb colere “care, cultivate”.[citation needed]
In the 1930s cults became the object of sociological study in the context of the study of religious behavior. They have been criticized by mainstream Christians for their unorthodox beliefs. In the 1970s the anticult movement arose, partly motivated by acts of violence and other crimes committed by members of some cults (notably the Manson Family and People’s Temple). Some of the claims of the anti-cult movement have been disputed by other scholars, leading to further controversies.
Government reaction to cults has led to controversy. Cults have also been featured in popular culture.
Princessing is when you say you will be at a swim (when you respond over an email thread) and then don’t show up. “Princessa” came about when Marc (the “King of Shaws”) princessed and afterwards sent out an email saying “I am not a princess! Am not! Am not! I am…La Princessa”
The worst kind of princess is when you call a swim and then don’t show up. That is what Scott did last weekend. 🙂
We had a bubble wand that was given to the princess at their next swim. One day it went missing and no one would fess up to stealing it so Lynn went out and bought an entire pack of little wands to give to people. The term was originally given to me by Patsee. It also can be referred to taking a “princess shower” when we used the hot shower at Shaws Cove. I was the original shower princess, and the title was given to me by Gordon. However one time we had a visitor named Mallory who came and took the world’s longest princess shower. Patsee can tell you more about that.
Julian gave Marc a king cap and I got the princess cap. I will try to find and send you some princess wand pictures.Copyright © 2012 by Open Water Source