Monday, July 31, 2006
First things
Today was spent doing many of the "first things" that must be accomplished before one can move into a new place... water, trash pickup, telephone, electric, cable, internet... and I managed to do it while battling some sort of intestinal malaise that sent me to every bathroom within dashing distance. Nonetheless, it's done and I have the keys to the place. Whee! I'll post more as I'm able, but no guarantees.
Today's English lesson
As requested by my pal "lj".
From Common Errors In English:
Feeling Subjunctive Lately?
The subjunctive mood, always weak in English, has been dwindling away for centuries until it has almost vanished.
According to traditional thought, statements about the conditional future such as "If I were a carpenter..." require the subjunctive "were"; but "was" is certainly much more common.
Still, if you want to impress those in the know with your usage, use "were." The same goes for other pronouns: "you," "she," "he," and "it."
In the case of the plural pronouns "we" and "they", the form "was" is definitely nonstandard, of course, because it is a singular form. Always use "were" for them.
From Common Errors In English:
Feeling Subjunctive Lately?
The subjunctive mood, always weak in English, has been dwindling away for centuries until it has almost vanished.According to traditional thought, statements about the conditional future such as "If I were a carpenter..." require the subjunctive "were"; but "was" is certainly much more common.
Still, if you want to impress those in the know with your usage, use "were." The same goes for other pronouns: "you," "she," "he," and "it."
In the case of the plural pronouns "we" and "they", the form "was" is definitely nonstandard, of course, because it is a singular form. Always use "were" for them.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Today's English lesson
From Common Errors in English:It's natural to think of your mouth watering when you're hungry, hence the phrase "wet your appetite" -- but you'd be incorrect. The word isn't "wet", it's whet, which is the same word you use when you're sharpening a knife... so you whet your appetite, meaning you sharpen or hone it to get ready to eat something particularly delectable.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Posting will be light for the next few days
We're getting ready to move into our rental house very shortly, so posting may be spotty or nonexistent.
The kids are really jazzed about the whole thing, but I can tell that it's beginning to wear on them a bit. It will be a relief to get settled in, for all of us. Your prayers are appreciated.
The kids are really jazzed about the whole thing, but I can tell that it's beginning to wear on them a bit. It will be a relief to get settled in, for all of us. Your prayers are appreciated.
The interesting sight of today
A fiesta! Complete with a very festive clarinetist and percussionist, this shindig was quite a hopping affair. I only regretted that I didn't get a photo of the pinyata before it was completely destroyed; it was gi-NOR-mous.
Yes, I know that isn't the correct spelling for pinyata, but I don't know how to get the tilde mark and I don't have the time or inclination to hunt down the instructions right at this moment. So I'll spell it phonetically for now. Deal, k?
Today's English lesson
From Common Errors in English:
Across
The chicken may have crossed the road, but he did it by walking across it and not "acrossed" or "acrost" it. Lose the final "t" sound if you've acquired the habit.
The chicken may have crossed the road, but he did it by walking across it and not "acrossed" or "acrost" it. Lose the final "t" sound if you've acquired the habit.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Sometimes I just can't think of a good title for a post
This is one of those times. Let's just say that sometimes my dog is flat-out weird, and here's proof:
Don't come a-knockin', cuz I ain't answerin'
Woman in doghouse over Jehovah's Witness sign
Y'know, I know how these people feel. I find it, at the very LEAST, intrusive when someone I haven't invited over comes knocking at my front door. Maybe fifty years ago it was customary and expected to have people come calling, but today's world is different. If I want to hear from you, you'll have my cell phone number or my e-mail address, and if I want you to come to my house, I'll invite you. The religious groups who still commonly practice door-to-door recruitment may find that it's somehow soul-cleansing or good for penance purposes on the part of their adherents, but it can't be that successful in terms of numbers of converts or dollar signs.
I do NOT welcome their presence at my door; if I want to convert to some religious belief, I'll do my own research and seek it out myself. I don't need strangers' help. And I wholeheartedly support this woman's choice to discourage solicitors; I'm sorry there are such lily-livered ninnies around that can't see the humor and leave them alone.
LONDON (Reuters) - A British woman has been ordered by police to take down a sign on her garden gate which read "Our dogs are fed on Jehovah's Witnesses."
Janet Grove, who owns a terrier puppy called Rabbit, insisted the sign was a gentle joke to discourage callers at her front door.
Her late husband put the sign up more than 30 years ago when members of the church called at their house on Christmas Day.
But police were forced to act after receiving a complaint.
"We were informed by a member of the public who found the sign to be distressing, offensive and inappropriate," a police spokesman said. "Officers attended the address and the sign was voluntarily taken down."
Y'know, I know how these people feel. I find it, at the very LEAST, intrusive when someone I haven't invited over comes knocking at my front door. Maybe fifty years ago it was customary and expected to have people come calling, but today's world is different. If I want to hear from you, you'll have my cell phone number or my e-mail address, and if I want you to come to my house, I'll invite you. The religious groups who still commonly practice door-to-door recruitment may find that it's somehow soul-cleansing or good for penance purposes on the part of their adherents, but it can't be that successful in terms of numbers of converts or dollar signs. I do NOT welcome their presence at my door; if I want to convert to some religious belief, I'll do my own research and seek it out myself. I don't need strangers' help. And I wholeheartedly support this woman's choice to discourage solicitors; I'm sorry there are such lily-livered ninnies around that can't see the humor and leave them alone.
Okay, this makes up my mind for me
I popped in over at Kevin McGehee's place and read this post about Church's Chicken versus Popeye's Chicken.The gloves are officially off. Popeye's is the only chicken place MY family will be patronizing, and that's that. There's a Church's in a town about ten miles south of North Ruralville, but will WE be eating there?
Not likely.
Besides, Church's can't hold a candle to Popeye's. It's no contest. Their red beans & rice are the closest thing to heaven you can get in a styrofoam cup.
Today's English lesson
From Common Errors in English:
Unkempt
(see Gradual Dazzle's hairstyle)
"Unkempt" is an old version of "uncombed." The standard expression for a sloppy-looking person is not "unkept," but "unkempt."
(see Gradual Dazzle's hairstyle)"Unkempt" is an old version of "uncombed." The standard expression for a sloppy-looking person is not "unkept," but "unkempt."
Thursday, July 27, 2006
This doesn't look so good
Landis tests positive on drug screen
Floyd! Say it ain't so!
Landis denies doping
I want to believe him. I want to. But he's right about one thing -- "Regardless of whether [I clear my name] or not, I don't know if this will ever go away."
[sigh]
Floyd! Say it ain't so!
Landis denies doping
I want to believe him. I want to. But he's right about one thing -- "Regardless of whether [I clear my name] or not, I don't know if this will ever go away."
[sigh]
Butterfly
And today I saw a Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae). It should be noted that although its common name implies that it's a fritillary, it is actually classified as a longwing (according to Jeffrey S. Pippen's web site). I took scads of photos but this critter was also rather busy and difficult to photograph. This one's the best I could do:
Progress in my classroom
I dismissed the previous occupant's Minty-Seafoam wall color in favor of this lovely medium green, and then did a wee bit o' decorative brick on the sides. I moved my desk to a place I like better, and I'm beginning to get things organized the way I like them. I spent some time yesterday with the other high school English teacher and it sounds like she and I will probably get along fine.
Some more local residents
Here's a Giant Swallowtail on mom's zinnias. This lady was nearly impossible to get a good photo of, because she was very fluttery and zigzaggy and never sat still. Her surpassing gorgeousness constrained me to make the effort to get a good photo, however.
And here's a lil' guy I found early this morning when I let Bijou out in the backyard to do her bidness. Mom and I did some internet digging and believe that it is a Texas Night Snake (Hypsiglena torquata jani).
The lil' guy was very quick and alert and could stand almost its entire length inside the mayo-jar to try to escape. Very nice! I let him go back in the flowerbed where I found him; he's got some bugs to catch, I'm sure.
And here's a lil' guy I found early this morning when I let Bijou out in the backyard to do her bidness. Mom and I did some internet digging and believe that it is a Texas Night Snake (Hypsiglena torquata jani).
The lil' guy was very quick and alert and could stand almost its entire length inside the mayo-jar to try to escape. Very nice! I let him go back in the flowerbed where I found him; he's got some bugs to catch, I'm sure.
Today's English lesson
From Common Errors in English:
Weather... Whether... Wether...
The climate is made up of weather.
A wether is just a castrated sheep.
The climate is made up of weather.Whether it is nice out depends on whether it is raining or not.
A wether is just a castrated sheep.Whether the Weather or the Wether survived intact are still mysteries.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Rorshach Video
Saw this linked over at Maggie Katzen's place and thought it was quite nicely done. Hope you like it as much as I did. It's the video for Gnarls Barkley's song "Crazy."
What is wrong with leftists lately?
Safe anesthesia is a big challenge in big racehorse
I saw this in my dad's copy of Anesthesiology News and thought it was interesting.
Anxiety, lung function, post-op pain were concerns for Barbaro's medical team
No doubt.
Anxiety, lung function, post-op pain were concerns for Barbaro's medical team
How do you anesthetize a 1,100-pound skittish patient? With a special sling, rubber raft and all the drugs a racehorse needs.
After fracturing his right hind leg in three places on May 20 during the Preakness race, Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro underwent major orthopedic surgery at the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center in Kennett Square. The team included two anesthesiologists, one resident and an anesthesia nurse.
...
One of the biggest challenges with horses involves the transition from a conscious to anesthetized state. While human and small animal patients can be restrained on a bed or surgery table, that option is nonexistent with horses. Plus, when the horse loses consciousness, it will drop to the floor, risking further injury. For the induction of anesthesia, Barbaro was suspended in a Liftex sling.
...The Kentucky Derby winner was under general anesthesia for six hours, triple the average for horse surgery at a university-based clinical practice, said Eugene P. Steffey, VMD, PhD, Professor of Anesthesiology, University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
"Much like human anesthesia, the longer the individual is down, the more chances there are for things to happen," Dr. Steffey told Anesthesiology News. "That goes across species and is not unique to the horse."
...
Barbaro was intubated nasotracheally to allow mechanical ventilation of his lungs with oxygen during surgery and in the early recovery period. "Even though the horse may be an athletic individual, we still do not have a lot of good tests to determine which of [them], during general anesthesia, are going to have problems oxygenating and [which] aren't," Dr. Steffey said.
The size and weight of the horse can damage dependent muscles and nerves when the animal is recumbent for long periods. Lung function can also be impaired, with blood–gas exchange deteriorating over time -- which is further exacerbated by the use of inhalant anesthetics, Dr. Driessen said. Maintaining adequate blood circulation with good blood pressure and tissue perfusion is essential, he noted.
"Unlike the vast majority of patients undergoing such a long anesthetic procedure, Barbaro never developed central or peripheral hypothermia, indicating his remarkable athletic performance level and hence very good cardiac function with excellent peripheral blood circulation. At the same time, the administration of epidural and intravenous analgesics helped reduce the amount of inhalant anesthetic needed, which likely further improved Barbaro's cardiovascular function," Dr. Driessen told Anesthesiology News.
The rubber raft helps skittish horses awaken from anesthesia without hurting themselves. Injuries to the musculoskeletal apparatus (e.g., fractures, myopathy) rank among the top three complications associated with perioperative death in the horse, according to Dr. Driessen. At the New Bolton Center, the raft is used in a unique pool-recovery system when the pharmacologic effects of the anesthetics -- such as central nervous system effects and muscle weakness -- wear off. Lying on the raft in warm water, the horse can move its limbs and body without hitting a solid surface, thus reducing the risk for reinjury. A harness is used to hoist the horse in and out of the pool. The raft also prevents the horse -- and its cast and bandages -- from getting wet. "It is completely dry. It's like you sitting in a boat on a lake," said Dr. Driessen.
...
Those involved with the anesthetic aspect played a "significant role" in Barbaro's surgery, Dr. Steffey noted. "That was not a trivial part of the support the horse had. That surgery, maintaining the animal under anesthesia and getting it back without destroying what they took six hours to develop, was a tremendous team effort," he said. "My hat's off to them."
No doubt.
"We live in an age where parenting is all about martyrdom."
Sorry, but my children bore me to death!
Hear, hear.
The gal's got a point. I, like one of the women quoted in the article, found myself quite depressed at times when I was a stay-at-home mom. It's not the Nirvana Experience that it's made out to be.
That being said, I do love my children and want to be at their ball games and school plays. But I refuse to devote every ounce of my energy toward them. I'm a person with dreams and goals and talents, and I can't think it's healthy for me not to pursue those things. I think there's a balance. My kids understand that I have a need for solitude and personal pursuit occasionally and don't seem to be suffering from my inattention. In fact, I think they're better at coming up with interesting things to do because of it. Some kids I know are simply lost when faced with the prospect of entertaining themselves because they've never had to do it. Plus, I think it gives my kids some street cred when they announce that "that's my MOM up there on stage!" or "my Mom painted these pictures."
And they're not being deprived. I just picked up some information today about a local soccer league, a girls' volleyball league, and taekwando lessons. I think my kids will be doing just fine.
It's the start of the summer holidays, when millions of mothers despair at how to entertain their children for the next six weeks. What none of them dare say is that they would rather their children were still at school or, frankly, anywhere else. Helen Kirwan-Taylor, a 42-year-old writer, lives in Notting Hill, West London, with her businessman husband Charles and their sons Constantin, 12, and Ivan, ten. Here, she argues provocatively that modern women must not be enslaved by their children.
Hear, hear.
To be honest, I spent much of the early years of my children's lives in a workaholic frenzy because the thought of spending time with them was more stressful than any journalistic assignment I could imagine.
Kids are supposed to be fulfilling, life-changing, life-enhancing fun: why was my attitude towards them so different?
While all my girlfriends were dropping important careers and occupying their afternoons with cake baking, I was begging the nanny to stay on, at least until she had read my two a bedtime story. What kind of mother hates reading bedtime stories? A bad mother, that's who, and a mother who is bored rigid by her children.
I know this is one of the last taboos of modern society. To admit that you, a mother of the new millennium, don't find your offspring thoroughly fascinating and enjoyable at all times is a state of affairs very few women are prepared to admit. We feel ashamed, and unfit to be mothers.
It's as though motherhood is an exclusive private club and everybody is a member except for us few. But then, kids have become careers, often the Last Career, for millions of women who have previously trained for years to enter professional fields of business. Consequently, few of those women will admit that they made a bad, or -- worse -- a boring career move to motherhood.
The gal's got a point. I, like one of the women quoted in the article, found myself quite depressed at times when I was a stay-at-home mom. It's not the Nirvana Experience that it's made out to be.
That being said, I do love my children and want to be at their ball games and school plays. But I refuse to devote every ounce of my energy toward them. I'm a person with dreams and goals and talents, and I can't think it's healthy for me not to pursue those things. I think there's a balance. My kids understand that I have a need for solitude and personal pursuit occasionally and don't seem to be suffering from my inattention. In fact, I think they're better at coming up with interesting things to do because of it. Some kids I know are simply lost when faced with the prospect of entertaining themselves because they've never had to do it. Plus, I think it gives my kids some street cred when they announce that "that's my MOM up there on stage!" or "my Mom painted these pictures."
And they're not being deprived. I just picked up some information today about a local soccer league, a girls' volleyball league, and taekwando lessons. I think my kids will be doing just fine.
THE black dress every girl wished she had
Audrey Hepburn's iconic black dress to go on sale
Holy Golightly, Batman! Holly's stunning Givenchy number still packs a wallop. Some things are just timeless, yanno?
Today's English lesson
From Common Errors in English:
You Stupid Ignorant Doodyhead!!
A person can be ignorant (not knowing some fact or idea) without being stupid (incapable of learning because of a basic mental deficiency). And those who say, "That's an ignorant idea" when they mean "stupid idea" are expressing their own ignorance.
So there.
Takes one to know one.
Thbpbpbpt!
A person can be ignorant (not knowing some fact or idea) without being stupid (incapable of learning because of a basic mental deficiency). And those who say, "That's an ignorant idea" when they mean "stupid idea" are expressing their own ignorance.
So there.Takes one to know one.
Thbpbpbpt!
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Atlanta, Georgia is desperate for teachers
Cobb County Rushes To Fill Teacher Slots
Texas seems to be having the same trouble. Since I accepted a position at North Ruralville, I've gotten numerous voicemails from Dallas high schools wanting me to come to work for them.
The pay would've been far and away better, I know, but I think I made the right choice for my family. Once we get settled and stay here for a year, we'll evaluate our situation and see what we need to do. I'm going to try to establish a piano-teaching practice and perhaps sell some of my artwork again... maybe with all that, we'll get by. I hope.
The health insurance is going to eat us alive, I'm afraid. Here, the district only kicks in a tiny portion of the cost of health insurance, and the rest comes out of my check every month. Which then means I may end up making a fourth of what I was making in Des Moines public schools (which fully funded the employee health benefits). OUCH!! Our family's healthcare costs are enormous.
Good thing we like ramen noodles. That may be all we get to eat this year.
Texas seems to be having the same trouble. Since I accepted a position at North Ruralville, I've gotten numerous voicemails from Dallas high schools wanting me to come to work for them.
The pay would've been far and away better, I know, but I think I made the right choice for my family. Once we get settled and stay here for a year, we'll evaluate our situation and see what we need to do. I'm going to try to establish a piano-teaching practice and perhaps sell some of my artwork again... maybe with all that, we'll get by. I hope.
The health insurance is going to eat us alive, I'm afraid. Here, the district only kicks in a tiny portion of the cost of health insurance, and the rest comes out of my check every month. Which then means I may end up making a fourth of what I was making in Des Moines public schools (which fully funded the employee health benefits). OUCH!! Our family's healthcare costs are enormous.
Good thing we like ramen noodles. That may be all we get to eat this year.
Today's English lesson
From Common Errors in English:A bazaar is a market where miscellaneous goods are sold.
Bizarre in contrast, is an adjective meaning strange, weird.
Today's fortune cookie
Sorry this one's so late. I was out working hard all day and didn't have internet access.
As for my dream coming true, I have yet to see Johnny Depp at my front door with a can of whipped cream.
Monday, July 24, 2006
Haven't seen one of these in, oh, eleven years or so
It's a brown recluse spider, or a fiddleback. And one just like it was in my classroom this morning. I became very familiar with this little brand of arachnid when I lived in Texas before, because we had an infestation of them in our house and had to have the exterminator come give us a hand dealing with them.
Anyhoo, I took the paint-roller pole that I had been using to paint the back wall of the classroom, and I smooshed him. This was a Very Brave Thing for me to do, and not something I do unless I have no other options. There was no way I was stepping on him because I had on sandals, but I probably wouldn't have been able to even if I were wearing knee-high combat boots because I just don't like getting that close to a spider. It was a him, thankfully; the female ones always seem to be more aggressive and fast-moving (in my experience). Nonetheless, spiders and I cannot coexist. Particularly the kind whose bite will rot my flesh.
One thing I can say about my classroom back in Des Moines -- there were no bugs. I don't think I saw one single insect in the entire two years I was there. Doesn't mean there weren't any, but I sure didn't run across them. Here, my room is full of crickets (alive and dead), and the one ginormous dead cockroach I showed you the other day, and now a fiddleback. Whee! Welcome to Texas, y'all.
Added to the Wal-Mart shopping list: Raid. The kind that you get for wasps that shoots a stream, 'cuz I don't like to get close enough to spiders to risk having them scurry toward me and, like, run up my leg or something. No way, man. GAH! [shudder] The very thought of that puts me in danger of losing bladder control.
"But it's all worth it when everything blows up right."
This teacher may have gotten the BEST. SUMMER. GIG. EVAR.
Today's English lesson
From Common Errors in English:
Really really really really really intense
People are always looking for ways to emphasize how really, really special the subject under discussion is. (The use of "really" is one of the weakest and least effective of these.)
A host of words have been worn down in this service to near-meaninglessness.
It is good to remember the etymological roots of such words to avoid such absurdities as "fantastically realistic," "absolutely relative," and "incredibly convincing."
When you are tempted to use one of these vague intensifiers consider rewriting your prose to explain more precisely and vividly what you mean: "Fred's cooking was incredibly bad" could be changed to "When I tasted Fred's cooking I almost thought I was back in the middle-school cafeteria."
People are always looking for ways to emphasize how really, really special the subject under discussion is. (The use of "really" is one of the weakest and least effective of these.)A host of words have been worn down in this service to near-meaninglessness.
It is good to remember the etymological roots of such words to avoid such absurdities as "fantastically realistic," "absolutely relative," and "incredibly convincing."
When you are tempted to use one of these vague intensifiers consider rewriting your prose to explain more precisely and vividly what you mean: "Fred's cooking was incredibly bad" could be changed to "When I tasted Fred's cooking I almost thought I was back in the middle-school cafeteria."
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Tiger, Tiger, burning bright
Tiger Woods wins the British Open
I've always liked Tiger Woods. I know there are those who don't, but he just seems to have class and grace.
I've always liked Tiger Woods. I know there are those who don't, but he just seems to have class and grace.
Vive le Landis!!
U.S.A.'s Floyd Landis wins the Tour de France
Floyd Landis with his daughter Ryan
And Landis is slated for hip replacement this fall. I love underdogs and come-from-behinds and stories of people who push through adversity and pain to emerge on top.
And Landis is slated for hip replacement this fall. I love underdogs and come-from-behinds and stories of people who push through adversity and pain to emerge on top.
Fifty Thousand!!
Yesterday, my blog had its 50,000th visitor. It was someone from San Antonio, Texas, and they found my blog by searching for "sag paneer." I suppose if I have to be remembered for something, it's not bad to be remembered for posting the recipe for a spicy Indian spinach and cheese dish, eh?
Today's English lesson
From Common Errors in English:
Me, Myself and I
In the old days when people studied traditional grammar, we could simply say, "The first person singular pronoun is "I" when it's a subject and "me" when it's an object, but now few people know what that means.
Let's see if we can apply some common sense here.
The misuse of "I" and "myself" for "me" is caused by nervousness about "me." Educated people know that "Jim and me is goin' down to slop the hogs," is not elegant speech, not "correct." It should be "Jim and I" because if I were slopping the hogs alone I would never say "Me is going... " So far so good.
But the notion that there is something wrong with "me" leads people to overcorrect and avoid it where it is perfectly appropriate. People will say "The document had to be signed by both Susan and I" when the correct statement would be, "The document had to be signed by both Susan and me."
Trying even harder to avoid the lowly "me," many people will substitute "myself," as in "The suspect uttered epithets at Officer O' Leary and myself." "Myself" is no better than "I" as an object. "Myself" is not a sort of all-purpose intensive form of "me" or "I."
Use "myself" only when you have used "I" earlier in the same sentence: "I am not particularly fond of goat cheese myself." "I kept half the loot for myself."
All this confusion can easily be avoided if you just remove the second party from the sentences where you feel tempted to use "myself" as an object or feel nervous about "me." You wouldn't say, "The IRS sent the refund check to I," so you shouldn't say "The IRS sent the refund check to my wife and I" either. And you shouldn't say "to my wife and myself." The only correct way to say this is, "The IRS sent the refund check to my wife and me." Still sounds too casual? Get over it.
On a related point, those who continue to announce "It is I" have traditional grammatical correctness on their side, but they are vastly outnumbered by those who proudly boast "it's me!" There's not much that can be done about this now. Similarly, if a caller asks for Susan and Susan answers "This is she," her somewhat antiquated correctness is likely to startle the questioner into confusion.
In the old days when people studied traditional grammar, we could simply say, "The first person singular pronoun is "I" when it's a subject and "me" when it's an object, but now few people know what that means.
Let's see if we can apply some common sense here.
The misuse of "I" and "myself" for "me" is caused by nervousness about "me." Educated people know that "Jim and me is goin' down to slop the hogs," is not elegant speech, not "correct." It should be "Jim and I" because if I were slopping the hogs alone I would never say "Me is going... " So far so good.
But the notion that there is something wrong with "me" leads people to overcorrect and avoid it where it is perfectly appropriate. People will say "The document had to be signed by both Susan and I" when the correct statement would be, "The document had to be signed by both Susan and me."
Trying even harder to avoid the lowly "me," many people will substitute "myself," as in "The suspect uttered epithets at Officer O' Leary and myself." "Myself" is no better than "I" as an object. "Myself" is not a sort of all-purpose intensive form of "me" or "I."
Use "myself" only when you have used "I" earlier in the same sentence: "I am not particularly fond of goat cheese myself." "I kept half the loot for myself."
All this confusion can easily be avoided if you just remove the second party from the sentences where you feel tempted to use "myself" as an object or feel nervous about "me." You wouldn't say, "The IRS sent the refund check to I," so you shouldn't say "The IRS sent the refund check to my wife and I" either. And you shouldn't say "to my wife and myself." The only correct way to say this is, "The IRS sent the refund check to my wife and me." Still sounds too casual? Get over it.
On a related point, those who continue to announce "It is I" have traditional grammatical correctness on their side, but they are vastly outnumbered by those who proudly boast "it's me!" There's not much that can be done about this now. Similarly, if a caller asks for Susan and Susan answers "This is she," her somewhat antiquated correctness is likely to startle the questioner into confusion.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Grammarians a dying breed?
I hope not. I intend to do my best to remedy it among my own students, if I can help it.
Academics KO Grammar Again
'Tis a shame. The dismissal of traditional absolutes by the "no rules" liberals (and the subsequent replacement of them by their own absolutes) has been a disastrous experiment. Let's end it.
Academics KO Grammar Again
The academic left has painted itself into a peculiar corner. They urge the rejection of traditional grammar as chauvinistic, or, more frequently, "hegemonic." Unfortunately for them, they eventually have to read papers by students who have previously been taught by teachers who also share this outlook.
'Tis a shame. The dismissal of traditional absolutes by the "no rules" liberals (and the subsequent replacement of them by their own absolutes) has been a disastrous experiment. Let's end it.
Today's English lesson
From Common Errors in English:
Farther or Further?
Some authorities (like the Associated Press) insist on "farther" to refer to physical distance and on "further" to refer to an extent of time or degree, but others treat the two words as interchangeable except for insisting on "further" for "in addition," and "moreover." You'll always be safe in making the distinction; some people get really testy about this.
Some authorities (like the Associated Press) insist on "farther" to refer to physical distance and on "further" to refer to an extent of time or degree, but others treat the two words as interchangeable except for insisting on "further" for "in addition," and "moreover." You'll always be safe in making the distinction; some people get really testy about this.
Friday, July 21, 2006
I found something beautiful today
So I decided to share it with you. It's a Tiger Swallowtail butterfly, and it was feasting on my mom's yellow lantanas this afternoon.
File this one under DUH category
Customers Pan 'Healthy' Potato Chips
Told the company if they wanted healthy snacks, they wouldn't be eating chips in the first place. HELLO!?!
Told the company if they wanted healthy snacks, they wouldn't be eating chips in the first place. HELLO!?!
Progress halted on off chance it might disturb an extinct woodpecker
Okay, it might not be extinct. But all we have to go on is the word of one dude who says he saw one. And for that, we're going to hold up an irrigation project that would bring water to farmers, according to Discovery Channel online. Gotta love environmentalist wacko judges.
Today's English lesson
From Common Errors in English:
Stock and Trade or Stock In Trade?
In this context, "trade" means "business." The items a business trades in are its stock in trade. Metaphorically, the stuff needed by people to carry on their activities can also be called their stock in trade: "Bushy eyebrows, cigars, and quips were Groucho's stock in trade." This expression has nothing to do with trading stock, as on a stock exchange, and it should not be transformed into "stock and trade."
In this context, "trade" means "business." The items a business trades in are its stock in trade. Metaphorically, the stuff needed by people to carry on their activities can also be called their stock in trade: "Bushy eyebrows, cigars, and quips were Groucho's stock in trade." This expression has nothing to do with trading stock, as on a stock exchange, and it should not be transformed into "stock and trade."
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Quote for the day
is one that is lived
through understanding
and pursuing
one's own path,
not chasing after
the dreams of others.
-- Chin Ning Chu --
Today's English lesson
From Common Errors in English:
Oriental
Wikipedia explains the origin of the term:
"Oriental" is generally considered old-fashioned now, and many find it offensive. "Asian" is preferred, but not "Asiatic." It's better to write the nationality involved, for example "Chinese" or "Indian," if you know it. "Asian" is often taken to mean exclusively "East Asian," which irritates South Asian and Central Asian people.
Wikipedia explains the origin of the term:
The term is derived from the Latin word oriens, which is the present participle of "orior": to rise. The implication is the rising sun, hence the use of orient to describe the "land of the rising sun", i.e. the Far East. The opposite term "Occident" -- derived from the Latin word occidens, from the verb "occido": I fall -- was once used to describe the western world, i.e. the "land of the falling (setting) sun", but has, coincidentally, fallen into disuse.
Today's fortune cookie
I beg to differ, somewhat. I can choose how I will die IF I take matters into my own hands. But I'm not contemplating such things; I'm too busy living to wish I were dead. Anyhoo, this lil' fortune cookie paper seems to be a distillation of a quote from Joseph Epstein:
All men and women are born, live suffer and die; what distinguishes us one from another is our dreams, whether they be dreams about worldly or unworldly things, and what we do to make them come about... We do not choose to be born. We do not choose our parents. We do not choose our historical epoch, the country of our birth, or the immediate circumstances of our upbringing. We do not, most of us, choose to die; nor do we choose the time and conditions of our death. But within this realm of choicelessness, we do choose how we live.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
My new digs
Here are some photos of my new classroom:
There was a dead cockroach on the floor (I had forgotten how buggy Texas is!) the size of a quarter, so I thought I'd share it with you all:
I am VERY excited about the upcoming year. I have tons and tons of ideas and plans and hopes; we'll see how they pan out. In the meantime, here are some photos of the house we're (probably) going to rent for a while:
Not fancy, but decent, with enough room for the kids.
There is so much to remember and get done and keep organized... so far I'm managing, but being focused is not one of my strong points. Just have to keep it together and keep it all written down. I'm doing lots of scribbling in a calendar planner.
I met the pastor of the First Baptist Church in town and he seems to be a very nice fellow. They have established musicians, which means I don't have to walk into a permanent position and can just be a church member for a while... and I may be able to find a band to gig with or something fun like that -- something that PAYS, unlike church music. They're pretty traditional but large enough that they have activities for the kids -- that's pretty much my priority. I can live with whatever, personally, as long as my kids are okay.
I can't believe we're actually doing this. Total culture shock. Small town life is going to be a huge change for me and the kids; I hope we can handle it gracefully.
There was a dead cockroach on the floor (I had forgotten how buggy Texas is!) the size of a quarter, so I thought I'd share it with you all:
I am VERY excited about the upcoming year. I have tons and tons of ideas and plans and hopes; we'll see how they pan out. In the meantime, here are some photos of the house we're (probably) going to rent for a while:
Not fancy, but decent, with enough room for the kids.
There is so much to remember and get done and keep organized... so far I'm managing, but being focused is not one of my strong points. Just have to keep it together and keep it all written down. I'm doing lots of scribbling in a calendar planner.
I met the pastor of the First Baptist Church in town and he seems to be a very nice fellow. They have established musicians, which means I don't have to walk into a permanent position and can just be a church member for a while... and I may be able to find a band to gig with or something fun like that -- something that PAYS, unlike church music. They're pretty traditional but large enough that they have activities for the kids -- that's pretty much my priority. I can live with whatever, personally, as long as my kids are okay.
I can't believe we're actually doing this. Total culture shock. Small town life is going to be a huge change for me and the kids; I hope we can handle it gracefully.
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