Things Off Kilter

~ lindawis


The first known use of “off kilter,” says merriam-webster.com, was in 1944, just two years before I was born, to describe the state of furniture and other structures. The definition is “not in perfect balance. A bit askew.” Synonyms are bizarre, eccentric, unconventional, far-out, and kooky (also kookie) as well as the British “rum.” As in, she’s a bit rum. I kind of like that. It accurately describes my life and my personality. You see, if you are off kilter, you don’t have to pay much attention to the norm. Us off kilter folks, we can pretty much do what we like, as long as nobody gets hurt. And really, whose life is ever “in perfect balance?”

Off Kilter is also the name of a 5-man Celtic rock band formed in 1997. These guys have performed at the Canadian Pavilion of the Epcot Center in Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida ever since. They hail from Kentucky,Florida, Ireland and Puerto Rico – how off kilter is that? And one of them has a Polish surname: Scott Zymowski! That was enough to pique my interest, to be sure. Next up: a trip to Epcot?

Published by lindawis

My writing and teaching focus on the connections we make by giving each other the time and space to be heard. I write for two local newspapers and have published dozens of essays and memoirs, including a piece that was nominated for a Pushcart Prize and became the first chapter of my memoir, Off Kilter, which was published in 2008 by Pearlsong Press. My unpublished novel, Where the Stork Flies, was a finalist for the 2015 Eludia Award.

2 thoughts on “Things Off Kilter”

  2. Thanks, I will check out more of their music on their website. Maybe I can get permission to use their music on my blog, though the ethnicity is different! 😉

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