Blog Schedule

I post on Monday with an occasional random blog thrown in for good measure. I do my best to answer all comments via email and visit around on the days I post.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Thank You and Other Randomness

FIRST: A BIG THANK YOU to all of you wonderful bloggers who visited over St. Patrick's Day, left a comment, and/or became a new follower. I really do appreciate it.

SECOND: I'm a VERY excited winner. Sangu at Echoes of a Wayward Mind, offered up a SIGNED copy Talli Roland's book, THE HATING GAME (also available at Amazon Kindle) and and my name was drawn. It's coming all the way from England. Thank you Sangu and Talli!
THIRD: A while back Sherrie Petersen at Write About Now passed on to me the Beautiful Blogger Award. I like that it's lavender, kind of goes with my color scheme. Thanks Sherrie!
I'm supposed to list seven (7) pet peeves. So here goes.
1. That the English language and/or someone clever hasn't come up with a good and proper neuter pronoun so we don't have sentences like this from Ralph Waldo Emerson: No man is quite sane. Each has a vein of folly in his composition. Personally I don't have a problem with using "man, him, he, his" as a collective pronoun for all us huMANs.
But here it is rewritten: No human is quite sane. Each has a vein of folly in his/her composition. Okay, but awkward.
Or: No person is quite sane. Each has a vein of folly in their composition.

2. Which leads right into using "their" with a singular noun. As in, "The sun was shining on their back." GAK. It should be, "The sun was shining on their backs."

3. "This is arguably the best solution to the problem." People (reporters in particular) use "arguably" A LOT! But if it's the BEST solution then it stands to reason that it CAN'T be argued. Therefore what I think people mean to say is that it is INARGUABLE, in other words, that there can be no argument, it's THE BEST. The sentence should read, "This is inarguably the best solution to the problem."

4. Long ago I learned, "that" is for things, "who" is for people. Even the well known are guilty. Tim Robbins said: I love iconoclast. I love individuals. I love people that are true to themselves, whatever the cost. It should have been "I love people WHO..." I read/hear it all the time for example: "The firefighters that went to the house saved the women." To my ear it should be "The firefighters who went..." THAT is for THINGS, WHO is for PEOPLE.

5. How about this: "She's as good of a truck driver as any man." GAK again. It should simply be: "She's as good a truck driver as any man." Get rid of that of!

6. Over used words and cliches. (Of course I'm guilty myself. Forty lashes with a wet noodle.)

7. People who moan and groan and complain. Particularly now. I've had the following anonymous quote stuck to my computer for some time now: Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

And now dear little bloggers who may this blogger read, I pass on to ALL of you, The Beautiful Blogger Award.

Tell those near and dear to you that you love them. Smile at a stranger. Hug up your pet(s). And remember to be thankful for every little thing you have.

8 comments:

  1. Congrats, Bish!
    And yes, be kinder than necessary is a great rule to live by.

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  2. The world would be a much better place if we all were kinder than necessary.
    And you are a most beautiful blogger.

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  3. Who -- Yeah, I learned that a long time ago. I can't stand to read it either.

    Their -- Oh, another one.

    And let's not forget of -- Oh yes. I cringe.

    Congratulations on your award. You deserve it. But I was going to give it to you on Monday. Guess I'll have to find another one.

    Have a great weekend.

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  4. Congratulations on the award, this is a great blog!

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  5. congrats on your award and prize.
    Are you still in recovery from the 40 lashes with a wet noodle? Must have been stressful ;)

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  6. Sorry, i'm guilty of tripping up on #4 all the time! My crit partner is always lecturing me on that one. It's sinking in, but taking its time about it.

    Great list and even a grumps like me enjoyed the upbeat ending.

    Cool blog - consider me a regular reader as of now.

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  7. Oh, Bish, my post on this topic is coming up 3/31. (I schedule my posts way ahead to keep from panicking and yelling "I have NOTHING to blog about!" and quitting.) Your point 5 is my point 1 (if I remember right)!!!! Amen! :)

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  8. Congratulations! Sounds like you're on a roll. ;)

    You always have the best quotes. It's true, everyone is fighting some sort of battle.

    That's a good one!

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Your Random Thoughts are most welcome!