My Boys comes back in June. I am thrilled. Who did P.J. take on the trip? As you may recall--the possiblities were 1) The cute ex-cubbie, 2) Thoo-rn, the sing-songy named recently returned ex, 3) The adorable botanist. My vote: Bobby, the hookup turned friend, turned friend that she hooked up with--hes a peach.
On that note, recent article on msn: http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/Features/Columns/?article=VerbsGoneWild>1=27004
Verbs Gone Wild Are we taking too many liberties with language?By Martha Brockenbrough
A while back, I wrote about the most annoying office jargon ever. And while that might have been a slight exaggeration, it is true that most people I surveyed despised the use of "dialogue" as a verb above all else -- including the vaguely dirty-sounding "low-hanging fruit."What's more, people chided me for failing to include "monetize," "productize," "incentivize" and other supremely grating words. And then I realized what these sucky little mosquitoes have in common.They're all verbs made from nouns. Or, as the experts say, they're "denominal" words.I have a least-favorite denominal word of my own: gifted. As in, "She gifted me with a designer knockoff handbag." I once even ranted about it to the Wall Street Journal on behalf of the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar. I called "gifting" all sorts of things that didn't get printed (and a few that did). After the fact, though, I turned to my dictionary, where I learned that my distaste was misplaced. Encarta links "gift" as a verb to the 13th century, where it comes from the Old Norse gipt. The Oxford English Dictionary, which traces usage in English, has found several appearances that date back to the 1600s. Something called "The Wife in Morel's Skin" says this: "The friendes that were together met He gyfted them richely with right good speede." I can't resist pointing out that the OED found a spelling error in this same dusty old sentence. "He gyfted them" was printed as "Be gyfted them." Oops! Careless scribes. It's tempting to say that sort of sloppiness goes hand in hand with the English abuse that is verbing.But I don't think I'd win that case. Shakespeare verbed -- with the word dialogue, no less. In Act II, scene ii of "Timon," he writes, "Dost Dialogue with thy shadow?" This is from 1607, just a year before "The Wife in Morel's Skin." If you're a writer looking to criticize language, you're not going to get very far by picking on Shakespeare -- unless your name is Stephen King, in which case you wouldn't bother anyway, because you're too busy building a fort out of money.This is too bad for my fellow gifting haters, and for fans of Calvin and Hobbes, who no doubt recall the classic "VERBING WEIRDS LANGUAGE" comic strip. Like it or not, we're living with a language that verbs words. What's that thing you use to get the dog hair out of the carpet? It's a vacuum, right? And when you're using it, you're ... vacuuming. Try to find a single word that means the same thing. Likewise, when you're putting butter on your bread, you're buttering it, no? Does anyone, besides a vegan or a dieter, have any objection to that? So the question isn't, "Is it OK to turn nouns into verbs?" We do this all the time. The question really is, "Why is it sometimes so irritating?" As far as I can tell, no one has conducted research into why certain words are annoying. That said, people have researched which nouns we tend to verb, and why. A 1998 paper written by University of Pennsylvania psychologist Michael H. Kelly argued there are two types of denominals -- ones that are rule-derived and relatively predictable, and ones that are idiosyncratically derived.For example, when we ride a bicycle, we say we are bicycling. When we ride in a boat, we are sailing or boating. There are exceptions, but you can see this is a pretty predictable -- and understandable -- way to extend our vocabulary. Other types of nouns aren't so easy. We know what it means to monkey around. But what does it mean to "iguana"? And why does "to fish" mean to catch a fish, but "to dog" means to chase tirelessly? That's what Kelly means by idiosyncratic derivation. You don't necessarily know the meaning of the noun once it's been verbed.And it's not just animals that are kooky. Foods can act that way, too. You can pepper someone with questions, for example. But what would it mean to oregano someone? Would that be a-salt? (Sorry for that. Sort of.)Kelly found that people are a bit more likely to verb a noun if it follows rules, possibly because it's easier for listeners to understand what we mean, and possibly because it's easier to invent them. And maybe, just maybe, that's the most important word of all here: inventing. English has more words than any other language. Who are language purists to block invention? What would we lose by ostriching? The next Shakespeare?That would be a pox upon us! Happy dialoguing.
Friday, April 25, 2008
If the following is the sign posted in the office, how can I have faith in the work being done?
[All spelling, odd capitalization, and phrasing is directly quoted from the sign, sadly. Italics are mine to add emphasis to the numerous mistakes]
Dear Customers, Visitors, and Friends,
Due to Problems in the passed we no longer do payment arrangements.
Please understand that your payment is due at the time you pick up your vehicle.
Any Vehicle left Un-payed for more then thee days will be subjected to a storage Fee of [$#] a day, unless prier written arrangements are made for long term holdings.
ALL [state name] inspections are due at time of the Bill pass or failed.
Please note: the price of a [state name] inspection is determaned by the DMV computer system and is out of the hands of [business name] automotive.
Failer to pay will be turned into collections.
Understand that if you bill goes to collections there wil be a [#%] fee added to your overall total bill.
I got to move. Seriously.
Dear Customers, Visitors, and Friends,
Due to Problems in the passed we no longer do payment arrangements.
Please understand that your payment is due at the time you pick up your vehicle.
Any Vehicle left Un-payed for more then thee days will be subjected to a storage Fee of [$#] a day, unless prier written arrangements are made for long term holdings.
ALL [state name] inspections are due at time of the Bill pass or failed.
Please note: the price of a [state name] inspection is determaned by the DMV computer system and is out of the hands of [business name] automotive.
Failer to pay will be turned into collections.
Understand that if you bill goes to collections there wil be a [#%] fee added to your overall total bill.
I got to move. Seriously.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Today I will...
write 500 words for Themes Paper
Update: Just realized paper is already 183 words over limit. As more writing still needs to be done, change goal to cut 500 words. Damn, Damn, Damn
Saturday Morning Update: Made Some progress, got frustrated, trying to figure out if I should send paper somwhere with longer limit
clean my kitchen (or buy all new dishes, but cleaning would just be cheaper)
Saturday morning update: halfway done, massive improvement, finish today
organize front room of house
Saturday morning update: halfway done, massive improvement, finish today
pay bills (Thanks tax return)
Done!
post instructions for Introduction to Advanced Sub-Discipline class assignment
Saturday morning update: Done
blog about post-doc
unpack rooms
Thursday, March 6, 2008
My so called life thoughts...
I loved this show when it came out--I felt like it spoke to my generation and was an honest depiction of what it was like to be a 15 year old in the mid-90s. So, I offer up a few of the best quotes, cause I am feeling a bit angsty and a bit out of place.
"Sometimes it seems like we're all living in some kind of prison, and the crime is how much we all hate ourselves. It's good to get really dressed up once in a while and admit the truth -- that when you really look closely, people are so strange and so complicated that they're actually beautiful. Possibly even me."
"It just seems like, you agree to have a certain personality or something. For no reason. Just to make things easier for everyone. But when you think about it, I mean, how do you know it's even you? And, I mean, this whole thing with yearbook -- it's like, everybody's in this big hurry to make this book, to supposedly remember what happened. Because if you made a book of what really happened, it'd be a really upsetting book."
"What I, like, dread is when people who know you in completely different ways end up in the same area. You have to develop this, like, combination you on the spot."
"There are so many different ways to be connected to people. There are the people you feel this unspoken connection to, even though there's not even a word for it. There's the people who you've known forever who know you in this way that other people can't because they've seen you change. They've let you change."
My parents keep asking how school was. It's like saying, "How was that drive-by shooting?" You don't care how it *was*, you're lucky to get out alive.
This life has been a test. If this had been an actual life, you would have received instructions on where to go and what to do.
The worst feeling is suddenly realizing that you don't measure up. And that, in the past, when you thought you did, you were a fool.
Sometimes I think if my mother wasn't so good at pretending to be happy she might be better at actually being happy.
Sometimes someone says something really small and it just fits into this empty place in your heart.
People are always saying you should be yourself, like yourself is this definite thing, like a toaster. Like you know what it is even. But every so often I'll have, like, a moment, where just being myself in my life right where I am is, like, enough.
"Sometimes it seems like we're all living in some kind of prison, and the crime is how much we all hate ourselves. It's good to get really dressed up once in a while and admit the truth -- that when you really look closely, people are so strange and so complicated that they're actually beautiful. Possibly even me."
"It just seems like, you agree to have a certain personality or something. For no reason. Just to make things easier for everyone. But when you think about it, I mean, how do you know it's even you? And, I mean, this whole thing with yearbook -- it's like, everybody's in this big hurry to make this book, to supposedly remember what happened. Because if you made a book of what really happened, it'd be a really upsetting book."
"What I, like, dread is when people who know you in completely different ways end up in the same area. You have to develop this, like, combination you on the spot."
"There are so many different ways to be connected to people. There are the people you feel this unspoken connection to, even though there's not even a word for it. There's the people who you've known forever who know you in this way that other people can't because they've seen you change. They've let you change."
My parents keep asking how school was. It's like saying, "How was that drive-by shooting?" You don't care how it *was*, you're lucky to get out alive.
This life has been a test. If this had been an actual life, you would have received instructions on where to go and what to do.
The worst feeling is suddenly realizing that you don't measure up. And that, in the past, when you thought you did, you were a fool.
Sometimes I think if my mother wasn't so good at pretending to be happy she might be better at actually being happy.
Sometimes someone says something really small and it just fits into this empty place in your heart.
People are always saying you should be yourself, like yourself is this definite thing, like a toaster. Like you know what it is even. But every so often I'll have, like, a moment, where just being myself in my life right where I am is, like, enough.
How ironic can you get without, like, puking?
So, I spent the afternoon lying in bed. Depressed about the post doc not calling. I know that 4 days is not enough time since I put in my application to begin to get anxious. I just couldn't help myself. I needed a pity party for a few hours. In that pity party, I managed to watch 2 episodes of 'My so-called life' which is where I drew the inspiration of the title of this blog.
The irony, in my case, comes from the fact that Minnie Mouse (pre-tenure colleague in my department) announced today that she is going on an interview next week. The job is near her hometown and she has a variety of family issues that make moving closer to home an ideal situation. Our department would be screwed if two of us left at once. I, of course, am not making my decisions based on anything other than what is best for me.
It may be good, in part, because if she doesn't get or take the job, than the department will be less shocked (and less unprepared) if I leave. I also feel less traitorous for seeing what other jobs are out there. If she (who is happy here, likes the job, likes the students, has a family, is all settled, etc) gets a job this year somewhere else, and I do not--the irony will make me puke.
The irony, in my case, comes from the fact that Minnie Mouse (pre-tenure colleague in my department) announced today that she is going on an interview next week. The job is near her hometown and she has a variety of family issues that make moving closer to home an ideal situation. Our department would be screwed if two of us left at once. I, of course, am not making my decisions based on anything other than what is best for me.
It may be good, in part, because if she doesn't get or take the job, than the department will be less shocked (and less unprepared) if I leave. I also feel less traitorous for seeing what other jobs are out there. If she (who is happy here, likes the job, likes the students, has a family, is all settled, etc) gets a job this year somewhere else, and I do not--the irony will make me puke.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
The blinking light on my phone was...
not the amazing post doc opportunity. I am so stressed out. I check my phone (office and cell) and email (personal and school) obsessively. How long should I expect the initial review of applications to take. Applications were due this weekend--so Monday would be the first concievable day they could peruse applications. If they have 15 applications, what day would they call people on? Today is wednesday. If I don't hear from them by the end of Friday, have they found someone else. Don't they remember anxiously wanting to hear from places they had applied. So today my mood (punky moods hasn't caught up to Dane Cook humor) is "Ugh! Just..ugh! With a side of ugh.
The message on my office line was my mom. She has got to stop calling me at work. Not because I don't want to hear from her, becuase I do. Not because my office line is only for office stuff, I don't mind getting personal calls here. But because everytime I see that light blinking I think it is a job prospect. Damn, Damn, Damn.
The message on my office line was my mom. She has got to stop calling me at work. Not because I don't want to hear from her, becuase I do. Not because my office line is only for office stuff, I don't mind getting personal calls here. But because everytime I see that light blinking I think it is a job prospect. Damn, Damn, Damn.
Monday, March 3, 2008
My long awaited blog about Introduction to Advanced Sub-Discipline class
So, I started this blog post (mentally) because I had a really bad lecture. Some days I am 'on' and everything flows. It is organic and natural, the students enjoy it, the learning is easy. It is a perfect teaching day. Most days it is good (not perfect, but good). Some days I suck. This blog was inspired because one Monday, I sucked. The lecture was forced and awkward. The students looked confused, I felt confused. I should say that Sub-Discipline is my field (what my PHD is in) and that day we were lecturing on my specific area of speciality within sub-discipline. I got a bit freaked out. How could I suck at my speciality within my discipline? Here at TBU, I only get to teach my sub-discipline about once a year. The following class (Wed) went significantly better. I know I need to read more, prepare more, etc. Not massive levels, but I shouldn't 'wing it' (just print out lecture notes the moments before class. If not for the students (which is a first reason), for me because I enjoy the lecture more when I am a bit better briefed before I go in.
Two other issues related to this class:
The student with the second messiest handwriting (they do writing in class, so I can evaluate this fairly well) told me he couldn't read my handwriting. Granted my comments were a bit sloppy, but I had to write the same thing on everyone's page. I was going to explain the abbreviations when the whole class arrived.
Finally, students in the class SUCKED on final exam. Really. It is like they tried to get bad grades. I have used almost all of these items before, they actually discriminated well, so I know they are good items. These students are really ticking me off. I am not going to dumb down this course because these students aren't willing to work. I have this course later today, we are going to talk about their performance and how to study for exams. A come-to-Jesus-class of sorts.
Two other issues related to this class:
The student with the second messiest handwriting (they do writing in class, so I can evaluate this fairly well) told me he couldn't read my handwriting. Granted my comments were a bit sloppy, but I had to write the same thing on everyone's page. I was going to explain the abbreviations when the whole class arrived.
Finally, students in the class SUCKED on final exam. Really. It is like they tried to get bad grades. I have used almost all of these items before, they actually discriminated well, so I know they are good items. These students are really ticking me off. I am not going to dumb down this course because these students aren't willing to work. I have this course later today, we are going to talk about their performance and how to study for exams. A come-to-Jesus-class of sorts.
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