Friday, May 16, 2008

New word: Parkour

I learned a new word today: parkour. At least one writer has referred to it as "urban gymnastics," but that's not an accurate synonym, as parkour can be used in a rural setting as well. It's all about using efficient body movements to overcome obstacles.

A recent Spider-Man issue had Spidey battling an urban gymnast who claimed to have the "parkour luck." This made Spider-Man cringe, since Spidey has often lamented the "Parker luck"; that is, the way bad things keep happening to him.

(As an aside, Johnny Storm once noted that the Parker luck also involves him dating all manner of incredibly beautiful women -- Gwen Stacey, Felicia Hardy, and Mary Jane Watson, to name the obvious standouts. But I digress.)