February (Year in photos 2011)

So I said yesterday how pleased I was that January is now over.  I’ve vigorously waved goodbye to the black month & now I’m thinking ahead to February.  So my plan for February?  Hmm …  I guess it’s to get out there & do even more fun stuff.  To find more time for me.  To have more relaxation time at home so that I can do at least some of those things that I never get around to.  And first on the list?   To read !!!!

So I’m logging off now & getting back to my latest book: The Book Thief.  It’s a good read so far & I just want to read read and read even more to find out what happens next!  I might even post a review once I’ve finished it.  But until then … goodnight

New Year Quotes

Well I’ve just stumbled upon this webpage of quote for New Year.  And seeing’s it’s now 1st January 2011 and hence a New Year, well I thought it was appropriate to share this.  There are far too many good ones for me to copy onto here, so I suggest you check out the page yourself and choose your own favourite.

However (because there just HAS to be an exception) here’s a couple I like:

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

Glory to God in highest heaven,
Who unto man His Son hath given;
While angels sing with tender mirth,
A glad new year to all the earth.
Martin Luther

and the millionth winner is …

Today, the millionth English word has been unveiled. Suspense has been gathering all week – well ok for me it’s only been over the last couple of hours since I heard about this imminent announcement, but still

To be honest, I’m a little disheartened to learn that it’s actually an American group who are going to make this decision.  Yes, American, those of the land of the free who regularly subject great injury & infliction upon our great English language.

Nonetheless, I did wonder what those powers that be would extol on us?  What would they deem to be a word worthy of being added to our potential vocabulary.  I say potential because apparently the average person actually only uses a vocab of about 3000 words!  Quite a waste considering the wealth of options which is seems are available.   Why say colourful when you can say iridescent? (I do like that word)  Why not use irascible instead of angry?  After all Shakespeare had a vocab of some 27,000 words and Victor Hugo, well he stretched his to some 45,000!

A few months ago I wrote about how it was now not pc to use Latin words in everyday life, that we are excluding people by doing so.  Are we not then pandering to those of a lower common denominator, not endeavouring to educate and inform and encourage them to extend their knowledge?  Hmm, if we carried on like that, we’d still be cavemen, using sticks & stones & dressed in rags.  No, I think it’s our duty to educate our children, to help them to become better than us, to increase their options & provide them with even better opportunities than we had.  Granted language might not be the only way to do this, but it’s a good place to start.

Anyway, back to the topic in hand.  That millionth word.  Are you wondering what it is yet?

Well I’m pleased to announce that the newest word in the English language is …  wait for it  …

Web 2.0

Are you as underwhelmed as I am?

I must admit I was hoping for something a bit more original, something interesting, something which told a story.  But I guess this is very much a word of our times, isnt it?  In this techy age in which we live, we are constantly bombarded by new terminology and expressions, constantly seeing words introduced which illustrate the technology around us which we are learning to accept as everyday life.  After all, how many of us google? or surf? or even blog?  So I supposed – reluctantly- that Web 2.0 is another illustration of that world in which we live, of life today.

I’m passionate about words and language and all those things.  After all, they are the essence of communication, the very heart of our conversations.  I believe we should try to increase our personal vocabulary and learn more.  I would even go so far as to say we shouldnt just concentrate on English, but that we should learn other languages as well.  After all communication breaks down boundaries and what better way to communicate but to talk – but that’s a whole different post.

So go forth and talk and learn!

barnyard behaviour

I almost cried when I saw the photo.

They were scattered this way and that, all over the floor. Some were in heaps, others were  just strewn by the wayside. They were rejected, uncared for and unwanted. People were even clambering over them to get to the ones they wanted most of all. It was heartbreaking, truly heartbreaking.

I mean, how can people treat books like that?!

Ok, enough lightheartedness because I don’t mean to sound frivolous or crass.  I really was taken aback when I saw the pictures that accompanied the story of the book warehouse in Bristol.  Apparently the landlords had opened up their doors to let the public come in & clear the stock that had been left there.  In their rush to grab a bargain, these “book-lovers” – and I say that in the loosest sense of the word, had just gone in & seemingly completely disregarded the value of the actual books!  Unbelievably, they were walking on top of them.!  Books?!!  Come on people, have some degree of decorum.  Please.

Passionate writing

I read recently how someone said that it doesn’t matter what it is you write about, just be passionate about it.

Well I like to think that’s what this blog is all about – my thoughts are stirred by things I’m passionate about and they make me want to write, to express those emotions in black & white.  If you hunt online, there are even articles out there telling you how to do it!

Writing is meant to be cathartic and I’ve found that to be true.  Writing about the things that stir my soul …? well it works for me.

How about you?  What are you passionate about?

beautiful vowels

For all you scrabble fans out there, here’s a book which has been written using vowels.

“So what’s so special about that?” I hear you cry.
Well this book is special, in fact I would go so far as to say it’s unique.
The author – Christian Bok – has used only 1 vowel within each chapter.

“Impossible” you might say.
But then you’d be wrong! For there it is, in black and white, chapters written using only 1 vowel in each. Amazing! You can even listen to Christian reading from his book.

And the purpose of this?
Well the author believes that each vowel has its own personality and that his book will demonstrate the flexibility of English as a language.

The book’s title? “Eunoia” – the shortest word in the English lanaguage using all 5 vowels.

Now that’s really one for all your scrabble buffs out there!