Jocular Jargon

Bookmarksmanship

Book's fine shooting skills, such as the ability to hit a kneecap from a fair distance while holding his place ["War Stories"].

Niska's men in "War Stories" learned about Bookmarksmanship the hard way.

Book smarts

The real-world knowledge that the mysterious Shepherd Book has amassed, probably from personal experience.

Tell me, Preacher, how'd you get them Book smarts about chop shops ["Our Mrs. Reynolds"] and snipers ["War Stories"] in an abbey?

Also see my filk song: What's Book Got to Hide from Us?.

Book tour

The strange voyage, for a preacher, that paid-passenger Book is taking as he stays on Serenity for his own private reasons.

What's Shepherd's real reason for this Book tour around the Rim?

cobbensation

The cut from every score that mercenary Jayne Cobb expects for his "loyalty."

Is a rainstick adequate cobbensation if Mal got a wife? ["Our Mrs. Reynolds"]

dongma (dongmatic, dongmatism)

Firefly fans' rigid doctrine that they must use dong ma? and other Chinese expressions from the show with people who don't know Chinese and have never seen the show.

I'm sorry if you don't like my dongma, but Firefly has changed my life, dong ma?

Also see my filk songs: Firefly Fans (Spawned a Dongma) and Gorramn, Shiny, Atmo, 'Verse, and Dong Ma.

Firefly high

The state of elation Firefly fans feel whenever anyone mentions the show, innocently says things like "not so much," wears a brown coat, etc.

I got a Firefly high when a saw a guy at the mall in a brown coat.

Firefly-Q

One's total knowledge of Firefly including, but not limited to, quotes, Mandarin translations, and minute-by-minute ratings for all demographic groups and subgroups.

Don't bother trying to stump her on trivia; her Firefly-Q is off the scale.

fireflyty

Describes how Firefly fans may shun responsible behavior when watching Firefly or participating in its forums, such as forgoing food, sleep, and work projects.

Sorry I haven't finished that report, sir. Just a mite fireflyty since I spotted Adam Baldwin on the forum.

Frye high

1. The extra-chipper state Kaylee Frye enters when she sees strawberries ["Serenity"], synchronizers at a junkyard ["Ariel"], Simon [various], etc.

2. The same kind of state Kaylee's fans feel when they see or think about her.

I hope Kaylee and Simon get closer so we can see more Frye highs.

Also see my filk song: We Love You, Kaylee Frye

Frye-Q

One's total knowledge of Serenity mechanic Kaylee Frye, including what gives her a Frye high (1).

I need to rewatch "Shindig" to up my Frye-Q.

Inarapport

The complex, not always harmonious relationship Mal has with Inara (counterpart of Reynolds rapport).

If Mal would stop barging into Inara's shuttle, he'd improve his Inarapport.

Jayne reaction

The response of jumping into a bar fight evoked in Jayne by the stimulus of Mal starting one ["The Train Job," "Shindig"].

Did you see Mal hit that guy? Here comes the Jayne reaction.

Kayleeaison

A romantic interlude involving Kaylee.

Bester the mechanic had a Kayleeaison ["Out of Gas" flashback]; when will Simon's be?

the mock of Zoerro

The sarcastic slicing remarks of Zoe, as unmistakable as the slicing "Z" mark of Zorro.

Mal felt the mock of Zoerro when Zoe clarified that Serenity will be with you until you die because "it's a deathtrap." ["Out of Gas" flashback]

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pilot error

The mistake a network makes when it airs the pilot for a great series only after it has clearly decided to cancel the series.

Without the pilot error Firefly might have had better momentum.

precobbnition

Jayne Cobb's mysterious power that foretells an upperbody wound that day, so he wears an old T-shirt

Did you see how Jayne rewore his "Blue Sun" T-shirt in "Ariel" and it got slashed by River, then he rewore his "28" T-shirt in "War Stories" and it got shot through by Niska's guard? That precobbnition is spooky.

Reavers' psychology

Firefly fans' special reverse psychology, which gets people to stop doing something by telling them to do it.

I used Reavers' psychology on him by saying, "Go ahead and mock Firefly, no skin off my nose. But your skin could be off and adorning my shirt soon."

Reynolds rap sheet

The ever-growing record of crimes commited by Mal and his Serenity crew, which, like a sheet of Reynolds Wrap^® brand aluminum foil, is "shiny" in its own way but gives a distorted reflection of them.

Another day in the black, another crime added to the Reynolds rap sheet.

Reynolds rapport

The complex, not always harmonious relationship Inara has with Mal (counterpart of Inarapport).

Ironically, Inara has bad Reynolds rapport because she cares about him.

Riverratic

Refers to River Tam-like unpredictable jumps among normal, odd, "creepifying," and downright scary behavior.

He's worse than any emotional roller coaster; he's Riverratic.

Serenamenities

The great company one gets to keep on Serenity that more than make up for the scarcity of traditional amenities (e.g., showers).

They don't have much, but the Serenamenities sure make up for it.

Sereniteer (also Serenitite)

One of the crew or passengers of Serenity.

Cap'n Mal and the other Sereniteers seem to find trouble easily.

Also see my filk song: Sereniteers.

serrated

Describes Mal's state after one of Inara Serra's cutting remarks.

Mal got mildly serrated in "Our Mrs. Reynolds" when he said, "I'm a mystery" and Inara responded, "Oh, best keep it that way."

zoening laws

The tough rules Wash must follow in order to avoid being killed by the pinky of his Warrior Woman wife, Zoe.

Wash couldn't accept Saffron's advances in "Our Mrs. Reynolds" because it would violate strict zoening laws.

Zophie's choice

A no-brainer decision, like Zoe curtly choosing to save Wash over Mal from Niska and then going Meryl-y on her way ["War Stories"].

Should I watch this Firefly episode again, or should I pay bills? There's a real Zophie's choice for you.

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