Lots of people totally mangle the English language when they speak. Part of it is laziness, part of is regional dialect, and I'm sure there's a small amount of wanting to sound more educated/intelligent than they really are. When I hear someone butchering the language I usually just smile inside and don't correct the person. I couldn't care less how someone speaks, only that they can clearly communicate what they are trying to say.
What I could care less about is writers, especially professionals, that can't spend just a few precious seconds making sure they're using their idioms correctly. If you're going to spend time putting thought to words, how about trying to express yourself in a manner that makes at least a little sense.
Do you see what I did there, or could you care less?
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
[Shrek] One Year; Ten Thousand Pages
I have recently accepted a wager that I could read 10,000 pages worth of novels, biographies, etc. It's not a significant amount of money, and it all goes to charity, but seeing as I was planning on reading at least a little this year it seemed like a pretty easy bet to make. The person I'm wagering says it's not possible considering the schedule I keep. He should have taken a closer look at the math:
10,000 pages / 365 days = 28 pages per day.
I read more than that now.
The rules are simple, I can only read books that I would have read if I weren't involved in a bet, and magazines and newspapers don't count; it's only about books. So everyone can follow along, I've listed the books I've already read and the total number of pages. Check back fairly often for updates.
Since I was adding stuff to the layout, I finally got around to adding a couple more links the the list. The first is a list of book reviews The Outlaw Josie is doing as part of a project called "Cannonball Read", which is an attempt to read 100 books in a year and write reviews for each one. The second is a blog based on David Lynch's fiction.
10,000 pages / 365 days = 28 pages per day.
I read more than that now.
The rules are simple, I can only read books that I would have read if I weren't involved in a bet, and magazines and newspapers don't count; it's only about books. So everyone can follow along, I've listed the books I've already read and the total number of pages. Check back fairly often for updates.
Since I was adding stuff to the layout, I finally got around to adding a couple more links the the list. The first is a list of book reviews The Outlaw Josie is doing as part of a project called "Cannonball Read", which is an attempt to read 100 books in a year and write reviews for each one. The second is a blog based on David Lynch's fiction.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
[Fiona] OMG Facebook
Okay so I am a weenie. I should know better. The true definiton of stupid...doing the same thing over and over hoping for a different outcome when there is only one solution. I could not get out of high school fast enough. Small town girl, small time world. I wanted bigger and better. I wanted to be accepted for who I knew I was. Kids can be so unkind. Put you in a box and glue the lid down.
What the hell was I thinking when I joined Facebook. On the surface it seemed harmless. A person sends out a few be my friend requests to relatives and some kids from back in the day who "got" you. The next thing you know people you don't remember find you. Or better yet the ones who still want to step on your neck find you,try to throw you back in the box and glue the lid back on.
It took me almost all of my adult days to come into myself. To like me. I will never know why I didn't measure up in their eyes. Why I wasn't good enough for them. For real it doesn't even matter. In spite of their best efforts I survived. They don't even know what they missed.
Surprise! I am not the same girl from high school and then again in some ways yes, I am the same girl. Today I was pleasantly rewarded with the company of someone from my past. Someone who "got me" even back then. We reconnected through the courtesy of Facebook and made plans to meet for coffee and chat and catch up. I will wholeheartedly admit I was beyond nervous. Twenty plus years has a way of changing people. I know I have changed.
We met at Friendly's in the town we grew up in. I felt like that gunslinger you see in bad westerns walking into a saloon. I just wasn't sure what to expect. What was I going to say. I don't remember all the things we talked about. I can tell you we laughed and almost cried and I know from my side of the table I saw that same friend from days gone by who still "gets" me. Sometimes it is difficult to articulate to someone what they mean to you or how they have affected your life. I just want to say thank you for being the great person you have always been.
What the hell was I thinking when I joined Facebook. On the surface it seemed harmless. A person sends out a few be my friend requests to relatives and some kids from back in the day who "got" you. The next thing you know people you don't remember find you. Or better yet the ones who still want to step on your neck find you,try to throw you back in the box and glue the lid back on.
It took me almost all of my adult days to come into myself. To like me. I will never know why I didn't measure up in their eyes. Why I wasn't good enough for them. For real it doesn't even matter. In spite of their best efforts I survived. They don't even know what they missed.
Surprise! I am not the same girl from high school and then again in some ways yes, I am the same girl. Today I was pleasantly rewarded with the company of someone from my past. Someone who "got me" even back then. We reconnected through the courtesy of Facebook and made plans to meet for coffee and chat and catch up. I will wholeheartedly admit I was beyond nervous. Twenty plus years has a way of changing people. I know I have changed.
We met at Friendly's in the town we grew up in. I felt like that gunslinger you see in bad westerns walking into a saloon. I just wasn't sure what to expect. What was I going to say. I don't remember all the things we talked about. I can tell you we laughed and almost cried and I know from my side of the table I saw that same friend from days gone by who still "gets" me. Sometimes it is difficult to articulate to someone what they mean to you or how they have affected your life. I just want to say thank you for being the great person you have always been.
[Shrek] A Message For My Conservative Friends
OK folks, this message is really just for my friends who are on the "right" of the political center line. I didn't think I'd need to make a post like this, but recent talk radio comments and political blogs have shown to me that you conservatives need some helpful advice:
Learn which battles to fight.
Remember how silly the liberals looked when they fought every single battle they could find while the previous administration was in the White House, no matter how dumb or trivial it was? That's how silly you look now.
What's raised the ire of the conservatives here in the Commonwealth lately is our governor, Deval Patrick, going on vacation to the Caribbean and taking his State Police body guards with him. The State Police body guards are, not shockingly, paid with tax dollars, and many folks think we shouldn't be wasting tax dollars on protection for our traveling governor.
Well, our two previous governors, both Republicans, also had State Police protection when they traveled. Was money being wasted in those cases, especially when one of those two was running for President and was spending lots of time in New Hampshire and Iowa?
No one will find it odd that these folks that are complaining are saying that the issue they now have is that in our current economic situation we should be cutting all wasteful spending in light of all the projected drops in revenue for the state.
The obvious conclusion is they think wasting money when there isn't an economic crisis is OK.
So you see, not exactly the point people are trying to make.
Listen, if people want to give Governor Patrick crap because he gave State Senator Marian Walsh a $175,000-a-year job as an assistant director at a state bonding authority, a position that had sat vacant for more than a dozen years, I'll stand with you.
If people want to give Governor Patrick crap because he wants to add 19 cents per gallon to the current gas tax, making it the highest in the nation, I'll stand with you.
If people want to give Governor Patrick crap because he wants to raise the tolls on the Mass Pike...well, sorry, you're on your own there. I don't use the Pike, so that's a battle I'm not going to fight.
See, it's a lesson I've already learned.
Learn which battles to fight.
Remember how silly the liberals looked when they fought every single battle they could find while the previous administration was in the White House, no matter how dumb or trivial it was? That's how silly you look now.
What's raised the ire of the conservatives here in the Commonwealth lately is our governor, Deval Patrick, going on vacation to the Caribbean and taking his State Police body guards with him. The State Police body guards are, not shockingly, paid with tax dollars, and many folks think we shouldn't be wasting tax dollars on protection for our traveling governor.
Well, our two previous governors, both Republicans, also had State Police protection when they traveled. Was money being wasted in those cases, especially when one of those two was running for President and was spending lots of time in New Hampshire and Iowa?
No one will find it odd that these folks that are complaining are saying that the issue they now have is that in our current economic situation we should be cutting all wasteful spending in light of all the projected drops in revenue for the state.
The obvious conclusion is they think wasting money when there isn't an economic crisis is OK.
So you see, not exactly the point people are trying to make.
Listen, if people want to give Governor Patrick crap because he gave State Senator Marian Walsh a $175,000-a-year job as an assistant director at a state bonding authority, a position that had sat vacant for more than a dozen years, I'll stand with you.
If people want to give Governor Patrick crap because he wants to add 19 cents per gallon to the current gas tax, making it the highest in the nation, I'll stand with you.
If people want to give Governor Patrick crap because he wants to raise the tolls on the Mass Pike...well, sorry, you're on your own there. I don't use the Pike, so that's a battle I'm not going to fight.
See, it's a lesson I've already learned.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
[Shrek] Why I Love Hockey
People ask why I love hockey, and sometimes it's hard to answer that question without sounding like a raving lunatic. But I will do my best here...
People generally see hockey as grown men beating the crap out of each other, and every once in awhile trying to score a goal to win a game. While fighting is a part of the sport, it almost always isn't an expression of violence, but an expression of their passion for the sport and the intensity of the competition.
Hockey is the fastest and most violent of the major sports, but it can also be the most beautiful to watch.
But, yes...as I have mentioned above passions do occasionally spill over. And those passions never run higher than when representing your country. So I now present to you the coolest hockey story I have read in a long while. It's a story about the US Sledge Hockey team at the Hockey Canada Cup.
There is a video after the text.
After watching that, how can you not be a fan?
People generally see hockey as grown men beating the crap out of each other, and every once in awhile trying to score a goal to win a game. While fighting is a part of the sport, it almost always isn't an expression of violence, but an expression of their passion for the sport and the intensity of the competition.
Hockey is the fastest and most violent of the major sports, but it can also be the most beautiful to watch.
But, yes...as I have mentioned above passions do occasionally spill over. And those passions never run higher than when representing your country. So I now present to you the coolest hockey story I have read in a long while. It's a story about the US Sledge Hockey team at the Hockey Canada Cup.
There is a video after the text.
Canadian victory over U.S. includes line brawl
VANCOUVER - They may be missing legs to amputation or birth defects. Some are paraplegics or have other lower-body afflictions that have rendered their legs useless..
But they never said they were choirboys. And their fists still work - as a crowd of 1,200 learned Wednesday night.
An emotion-charged Canada-U.S. sledge hockey game at UBC Arena featured a line brawl with 1.7 seconds remaining after Canadian goaltender Paul Rosen was rammed by American Taylor Chace after he froze the puck.
"I just thought he was going to peel off a little and I would just kill the clock," said the feisty, 48-year-old Rosen after Canada's 2-1 win in round- robin play of the Hockey Canada Cup.
"Once I looked up and realized how close he was," added Rosen with a wry smile, "(well) I love physical hockey."
Captain Jean Labonte immediately came to Rosen's defence and pretty soon all the players on the ice were in a big scrum, some clearly throwing punches with their gloves still on.
"Very nice guy. Dear friend of mine," Rosen, tongue firmly planted in his cheek, said of Chace. "Going out for Christmas dinner."
Two Canadians - forwards Billy Bridges and Greg Westlake - were landing punches, but were only assessed roughing and misconduct penalties, while Chace got a double minor and a misconduct. American Andy Yohe was inexplicably not penalized, although he did come in from behind on Bridges at one point with his fists flailing.
Under IIHF rules, players assessed fighting majors are suspended for the next game and one Team Canada official figured referee Derek Berkebile of the U. S. was showing a bit of leniency in not handing out any majors.
After the final second ticked off the clock - and Canadian defenceman Ray Grassi tried to get at an American as the buzzer went - Berkebile went to both teams separately and talked to them for about a minute before the teams, somewhat reluctantly it appeared, went through the traditional post-game handshake.
Bridges, who scored both Canadian goals in the first period, said Chace "two-handed" Rosen and "we've just got to protect our goalie."
"It was a good scrum," added Bridges, who said he didn't think the melee would sully the sport's image.
"We're fighting day and night to proclaim ourselves as a good sport. Obviously that doesn't define our sport, but it's a part of it. We play a physical game and we're very competitive and that's what it's all about."
Canada will play Japan in the final round-robin game Thursday. The Japanese are also 2-0 after beating Germany 4-1 on Wednesday
After watching that, how can you not be a fan?
Friday, February 6, 2009
[Fiona] Today is for Brenda
Today...I used to dread the arrival of this day. Yes, this day, during this month for the past four years. Today is her birthday. Today I celebrate her. My kid sister, Brenda.
She died almost five years ago in a car accident. It has taken me a long time in my grief to get to this point but I think I finally understand. It is okay to let go of the pain and hold onto something worth having. It is more important to remember who she was. I am certain in my heart that someday we will be together again,laughing in the sun. I feel it in my very being.
Brenda had a huge capacity for love. She loved with her whole being and if you belonged to her there was no question over how she felt about you. She had a beautiful smile and a contagious laugh. She was fair of face with locks of flame. She was my best friend and my sister. The joy she gave me goes on and on.
Whenever I dream about her we are laughing, just happy to be.
This winter I decided on my own that I needed to stop being angry and hurt over her death. She is gone but lives on; in my heart, in my memories and in the memories of the people she knew and loved. I was truly blessed to have her in my life for as long as I did. She helped me to become the person I am. She taught me so much: not to be afraid, to be patient, to have compassion, things too numerous to list here.
I miss her still. I think I always will.
LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE words she tried to live by, actions she tried to teach me. For her I will carry on.
She died almost five years ago in a car accident. It has taken me a long time in my grief to get to this point but I think I finally understand. It is okay to let go of the pain and hold onto something worth having. It is more important to remember who she was. I am certain in my heart that someday we will be together again,laughing in the sun. I feel it in my very being.
Brenda had a huge capacity for love. She loved with her whole being and if you belonged to her there was no question over how she felt about you. She had a beautiful smile and a contagious laugh. She was fair of face with locks of flame. She was my best friend and my sister. The joy she gave me goes on and on.
Whenever I dream about her we are laughing, just happy to be.
This winter I decided on my own that I needed to stop being angry and hurt over her death. She is gone but lives on; in my heart, in my memories and in the memories of the people she knew and loved. I was truly blessed to have her in my life for as long as I did. She helped me to become the person I am. She taught me so much: not to be afraid, to be patient, to have compassion, things too numerous to list here.
I miss her still. I think I always will.
LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE words she tried to live by, actions she tried to teach me. For her I will carry on.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
[Shrek] One Toke Over The Line
Apparently the world is about to come to an end. Yep, it seems that something so grotesque has happened that civilization as we know it is about to cease to exist, to be replaced by lawlessness and anarchy.
Michael Phelps got caught smoking weed.
OH NO, WHAT WILL WE EVER DO!?!?!?!?!
I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to go about my life like it never happened. I personally don't care he was smoking weed. He's a 23 year old that has won 14 Olympic gold medals, is an 18 time World Champion, and has broken world records 32 times and is currently the holder of seven world records.
Sounds like a damn troublemaker to me.
I understand the argument "pot is illegal", but let's be honest here; marijuana is only illegal because the government can't figure out a way to tax it. Tobacco is legal because it can't easily be grown in vast quantities at home, and is easily taxed at distribution points. The same is true with alcohol, tough to make large quantities in, and is also easily taxed at manufacturers.
Marijuana, on the other hand, is easily grown in just about any environment which makes collecting taxes on it near impossible. In fact, nearly half of all states have laws that tax the sale of pot, and have used those laws to charge folks caught with large amounts of weed with tax evasion. If they could find a way to actually collect that tax, trust me, it would be legal.
I'm also laughing at the folks that say Phelps should be charged. There is a sheriff in South Carolina, who I won't name but will refer to as "Attention Whore", that is saying he "would file charges against Phelps if he determines the swimmer smoked marijuana in (his) county."
Based on a picture? Really? How many prosecutions happen in that county based on pictures on Myspace, Facebook, et al? There are lots of pictures of under-aged drinking on those type of sites, so there must be someone from Richland County--where the Phelps picture was allegedly taken--going through them trying to find evidence of other crimes they can prosecute, right?
Ladies and Gentleman, your tax dollars in action.
I'm also not very happy with folks that claim this will somehow hurt children because Phelps is supposed to be a role model for them. Supposed to be a role model? Here's an idea, why don't you parent your kids correctly and you be their role model? Talk to your kids about what you believe is right or wrong, and don't rely on some athlete or celebrity to fill a gap in your child's life that you should be filling.
Of course, if you actually took some responsibility over your children you'd have no one to blame if they turned out to be an axe murderer, child molester, or worse, a pot smoking Olympic champion.
Michael Phelps got caught smoking weed.
OH NO, WHAT WILL WE EVER DO!?!?!?!?!
I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to go about my life like it never happened. I personally don't care he was smoking weed. He's a 23 year old that has won 14 Olympic gold medals, is an 18 time World Champion, and has broken world records 32 times and is currently the holder of seven world records.
Sounds like a damn troublemaker to me.
I understand the argument "pot is illegal", but let's be honest here; marijuana is only illegal because the government can't figure out a way to tax it. Tobacco is legal because it can't easily be grown in vast quantities at home, and is easily taxed at distribution points. The same is true with alcohol, tough to make large quantities in, and is also easily taxed at manufacturers.
Marijuana, on the other hand, is easily grown in just about any environment which makes collecting taxes on it near impossible. In fact, nearly half of all states have laws that tax the sale of pot, and have used those laws to charge folks caught with large amounts of weed with tax evasion. If they could find a way to actually collect that tax, trust me, it would be legal.
I'm also laughing at the folks that say Phelps should be charged. There is a sheriff in South Carolina, who I won't name but will refer to as "Attention Whore", that is saying he "would file charges against Phelps if he determines the swimmer smoked marijuana in (his) county."
Based on a picture? Really? How many prosecutions happen in that county based on pictures on Myspace, Facebook, et al? There are lots of pictures of under-aged drinking on those type of sites, so there must be someone from Richland County--where the Phelps picture was allegedly taken--going through them trying to find evidence of other crimes they can prosecute, right?
Ladies and Gentleman, your tax dollars in action.
I'm also not very happy with folks that claim this will somehow hurt children because Phelps is supposed to be a role model for them. Supposed to be a role model? Here's an idea, why don't you parent your kids correctly and you be their role model? Talk to your kids about what you believe is right or wrong, and don't rely on some athlete or celebrity to fill a gap in your child's life that you should be filling.
Of course, if you actually took some responsibility over your children you'd have no one to blame if they turned out to be an axe murderer, child molester, or worse, a pot smoking Olympic champion.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
[Shrek] Give Me That Cup Of Fat, Hold The Caffeine
I just saw this news story while making my normal morning "internet rounds" seeing what important things are happening here on planet Earth.
Something confuses me here...why the hell would you order a decaf at Starbucks anyway?
If you're ordering a Venti "Mint Chocolaty Chip Frappuccino blended creme with Chocolate Whipped Cream", a 680 calorie monstrosity that has more fat than a Quarter Pounder with cheese, more cholesterol than an order of six piece chicken McNuggets, and contains about a quarter of the recommended maximum amount of sodium a person should intake, is caffeine really the problem?
(I won't even get into that whole "venti" thing. Just get over yourselves and call it a large like everyone else does).
For the record, I've only had Starbucks coffee twice. The first time it was terrible. The second time was because I couldn't believe how terrible it was the first time, thinking that perhaps it was just a bad pot. It wasn't. It sucks.
Starbucks Stops Brewing Decaf After Noon
(CBS) Starbucks customers who are used to getting their decaf grande mochachino after lunch will have to wait a little longer than usual to get their fix.
Caffeine-free coffee will be made-to-order only after noon, which should add about four minutes to the wait time, according to an e-mail statement from the company issued Tuesday.
"For many of our stores, the demand for decaf is greatly reduced in the afternoon," the company said in the statement. "With our current standard of continually brewing decaf after 12 p.m. regardless of demand, we have seen a high amount of waste."
Bloomberg reports that the world's largest coffee chain is cutting off the decaf after noon in an effort to save $400 million in the next eight months.
Something confuses me here...why the hell would you order a decaf at Starbucks anyway?
If you're ordering a Venti "Mint Chocolaty Chip Frappuccino blended creme with Chocolate Whipped Cream", a 680 calorie monstrosity that has more fat than a Quarter Pounder with cheese, more cholesterol than an order of six piece chicken McNuggets, and contains about a quarter of the recommended maximum amount of sodium a person should intake, is caffeine really the problem?
(I won't even get into that whole "venti" thing. Just get over yourselves and call it a large like everyone else does).
For the record, I've only had Starbucks coffee twice. The first time it was terrible. The second time was because I couldn't believe how terrible it was the first time, thinking that perhaps it was just a bad pot. It wasn't. It sucks.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
[Fiona] Old Eyebones
Wow ! Another year begins. I am getting bifocals...crap. I have dreaded this moment. I knew that someday in my life the time would arrive when I would be on the other side of my youth. The decline begins. How's that for melodrama?
I was not overly surprised or disappointed when I went to my eye guy today. I have been having a difficult time focusing on small print for awhile and my eyebones have felt stressed and overworked. Just imagine if we could fix all of our problems with new glasses. The world really could be a happier place and that stupid phrase,"views the world through rose-colored glasses" might actually gain some true meaning.
Eyeglasses are stupidly expensive! Both hubby and I are getting new glasses. The company we work for offers reimbursement. Still, wow, what a chunk of change we are dropping. It has to be tough if everyone in a family needs glasses.
I was not overly surprised or disappointed when I went to my eye guy today. I have been having a difficult time focusing on small print for awhile and my eyebones have felt stressed and overworked. Just imagine if we could fix all of our problems with new glasses. The world really could be a happier place and that stupid phrase,"views the world through rose-colored glasses" might actually gain some true meaning.
Eyeglasses are stupidly expensive! Both hubby and I are getting new glasses. The company we work for offers reimbursement. Still, wow, what a chunk of change we are dropping. It has to be tough if everyone in a family needs glasses.
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