So I’m sitting in a meeting about…well, I have no idea what it was about, and it doesn’t matter anyway. I only remember it because someone said something that cut through the officious, droning static that is someone saying the same thing over and over, and jerked me out of my self-induced coma (I lower my brain activity as a defense mechanism in the same way surgeons lower a patient’s body temperature to protect vital organs during an operation.)

“Let’s not move too quickly on this project,” the speaker said. “We want to be planful.”

I was conscious for the rest of the meeting, hoping to hear him say “planful” again, so I could snicker. No such luck. I got back to my desk and consulted the Oxford American dictionary: just as I suspected, there are many valid variations of the word "plan," but “planful” is not one of them. I told myself the next time I heard it, I’d politely correct the speaker: “Hey, guy, look – I’m sorry to interrupt, but "planful"…that’s not a word. Just so you know.” I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.

Another several weeks went by. I heard the word “planful” used in another meeting, by a different speaker.

“We need to be planful,” the speaker said.

I broke my promise and resisted the urge to correct her. There were too many people watching.

More weeks went by, and I was sitting in a training session being conducted by an outside instructor. During the pre-meeting chat – that early part of every meeting where everyone gives their name and their title to people who already know their name and their title – the instructor encouraged us to speak freely during the session.

“Oh, don’t worry about us speaking up,” someone said. “This is a very voiceful group.”

Voiceful?

And all it once it hit me.

Good Lord, they’re sticking “–ful” on everything!