Woo-Hoo! I signed up on my favorite tea site to be a Tea Chef. Today I received a sample of the November variety, Cranberry (which, incidentally, is yummy just as a beverage). All I have to do is create a recipe using the cranberry tea and post it to their site. I'll post the results of my cranberry culinary creation here, as well. My food won't get me on the Food Network, but hey, it's a start!
Cheers!
11.17.2006
11.09.2006
Buzz...Buzz...Buzz...
Now that you've met my sophomore English teacher, it seems only fitting to meet proper grammar's significant other, correct spelling.
As a student, I can remember being given assignments where the teacher ran the laundry list of what was expected: 500 or more words, complete sentences, complete paragraphs, references appropriately cited and proper grammar. Inevitably, it took all of two seconds for someone to raise the next logical question, "Does spelling count?"
Wearily, the teacher would nod her head and assure us that spelling did indeed count.
While nearly all of my fellow classmates were groaning, I was silently cheering. You see, my fervor for proper grammar is surpassed only by my eagle eye for correct spelling.
Years later, as a teacher, I took some sick pleasure in putting correct spelling at the top of my list of requirements when writing papers.
Where, you might ask, did my love of words like "antidistestablishmentarianism" come from?
Two words: spelling bee.
I was first introduced to the mother of all inter-student competition at age 9. Fourth grade was the earliest one could compete in this event, and I went at it with a vengeance. I was so excited, and studied the official word list for days. Unfortunately, my nerves got the better of me, and I was "dinged" on my first word "maximum", which, to this day I swear I spelled correctly.
The next four years brought two wins, a place, and a show. I'm sure that my love of spelling was cultivated and encouraged through participation in the bee.
Now, for all of you who freely admit that spelling is "not your thing," I don't hold that against you. I do, however, cringe every time I receive an e-mail with spelling errors. I shudder when I read a newspaper article riddled with misspellings. For goodness sake, does "spell check" mean nothing anymore? And what about a good, old-fashioned dictionary?
Any other word-lovers out there?
Cheers!
As a student, I can remember being given assignments where the teacher ran the laundry list of what was expected: 500 or more words, complete sentences, complete paragraphs, references appropriately cited and proper grammar. Inevitably, it took all of two seconds for someone to raise the next logical question, "Does spelling count?"
Wearily, the teacher would nod her head and assure us that spelling did indeed count.
While nearly all of my fellow classmates were groaning, I was silently cheering. You see, my fervor for proper grammar is surpassed only by my eagle eye for correct spelling.
Years later, as a teacher, I took some sick pleasure in putting correct spelling at the top of my list of requirements when writing papers.
Where, you might ask, did my love of words like "antidistestablishmentarianism" come from?
Two words: spelling bee.
I was first introduced to the mother of all inter-student competition at age 9. Fourth grade was the earliest one could compete in this event, and I went at it with a vengeance. I was so excited, and studied the official word list for days. Unfortunately, my nerves got the better of me, and I was "dinged" on my first word "maximum", which, to this day I swear I spelled correctly.
The next four years brought two wins, a place, and a show. I'm sure that my love of spelling was cultivated and encouraged through participation in the bee.
Now, for all of you who freely admit that spelling is "not your thing," I don't hold that against you. I do, however, cringe every time I receive an e-mail with spelling errors. I shudder when I read a newspaper article riddled with misspellings. For goodness sake, does "spell check" mean nothing anymore? And what about a good, old-fashioned dictionary?
Any other word-lovers out there?
Cheers!
11.03.2006
My Sophomore English Teacher
I keep having all of these great blog ideas zoom through my head, especially after reading a few of my favorite sites. Of course I haven't become adept enough at the whole blogging thing to create drafts of entries, so the great ideas typically zoom right on through and don't plant themselves in my memory for very long.
This is not one of those great blog ideas. This is simply something I enjoy, and, as I've said before, since this is my blog, that's all that matters.
Wow, that was a lot of commas.
A perfect segue to today's topic: Grammar.
I am a self-proclaimed member of the Grammar Police. Now, before all of you fellow grammarians (yes, I make up words, as well) out there jump all over my case, I never said that I have perfect grammar. Rather, one of my biggest pet peeves is when people make GLARING grammatical errors in things that are posted publicly. I fully admit that I sometimes overuse commas, and that I really don't know the correct use of a semicolon. I also will be the first to note that blog-grammar tends more toward the creative writing area than actual American English grammar.
I'm talking about people who write things like "all road's lead to Rome", when what they really mean is "all roads lead to Rome". Or signs that read "Car's for Sale", when what they really mean is "Cars for Sale".
I love to proofread things, and once took our hometown newspaper to task. One day I "edited" (grammar and spelling only) an issue. I sent it back to the editor with all of my red marks (and there were many) accompanied by the appropriate corrections and a letter berating his proofreaders. Looking back, it was, perhaps, not the most tactful way to make my point, but I was in high school. I felt that if I, a lowly sophomore, could catch that many mistakes, then they, as professional journalists, should certainly be able to catch at least a few of them.
One of my favorite books has the amusing title of Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss. Ms. Truss has a brilliant way of putting the grammar-challenged in their places in a wonderfully humorous, yet to-the-point manner. I highly recommend it for those of you who never had a sophomore English teacher like mine.
I blame Miss W. for my love of all things grammatical. She used to keep a fork in her desk, and whenever any of us used the phrase "I'm done," she would take it out and poke us (gently, of course), saying "No, you need a few more minutes." Quickly, we learned that a simple "I'm finished" would avoid the potential puncture wounds.
"Can I use the restroom?" would always be followed by the curt "I don't know, can you?" Body spill accidents were averted by learning "May I use the restroom?" was the more appropriate question.
The world would be a much more civilized place if we all had Miss W. for English.
Stay tuned for Part II: The Spelling Bee.
Cheers!
This is not one of those great blog ideas. This is simply something I enjoy, and, as I've said before, since this is my blog, that's all that matters.
Wow, that was a lot of commas.
A perfect segue to today's topic: Grammar.
I am a self-proclaimed member of the Grammar Police. Now, before all of you fellow grammarians (yes, I make up words, as well) out there jump all over my case, I never said that I have perfect grammar. Rather, one of my biggest pet peeves is when people make GLARING grammatical errors in things that are posted publicly. I fully admit that I sometimes overuse commas, and that I really don't know the correct use of a semicolon. I also will be the first to note that blog-grammar tends more toward the creative writing area than actual American English grammar.
I'm talking about people who write things like "all road's lead to Rome", when what they really mean is "all roads lead to Rome". Or signs that read "Car's for Sale", when what they really mean is "Cars for Sale".
I love to proofread things, and once took our hometown newspaper to task. One day I "edited" (grammar and spelling only) an issue. I sent it back to the editor with all of my red marks (and there were many) accompanied by the appropriate corrections and a letter berating his proofreaders. Looking back, it was, perhaps, not the most tactful way to make my point, but I was in high school. I felt that if I, a lowly sophomore, could catch that many mistakes, then they, as professional journalists, should certainly be able to catch at least a few of them.
One of my favorite books has the amusing title of Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss. Ms. Truss has a brilliant way of putting the grammar-challenged in their places in a wonderfully humorous, yet to-the-point manner. I highly recommend it for those of you who never had a sophomore English teacher like mine.
I blame Miss W. for my love of all things grammatical. She used to keep a fork in her desk, and whenever any of us used the phrase "I'm done," she would take it out and poke us (gently, of course), saying "No, you need a few more minutes." Quickly, we learned that a simple "I'm finished" would avoid the potential puncture wounds.
"Can I use the restroom?" would always be followed by the curt "I don't know, can you?" Body spill accidents were averted by learning "May I use the restroom?" was the more appropriate question.
The world would be a much more civilized place if we all had Miss W. for English.
Stay tuned for Part II: The Spelling Bee.
Cheers!
11.01.2006
Sugar High
Well, I survived that annual neighborhood candy trek known as Halloween. Since the baby was sleeping, it was just son #1 and I. The weather, surprisingly, cooperated somewhat. Temps hovered around 45 degrees and, much to the relief of costume-wearing children everywhere, there was not a drop of rain. As a child, there was nothing worse than being forced to wear layers of protective clothing OVER your carefully selected costume.
Like many children this year, my son chose a pirate costume. Since I think it's absurd to spend ridiculous amounts of money on a child's costume, we went with the semi-homemade version, which, if I do say so myself, came out pretty darn cute. He was happy with it, so that's really all that matters.
I saw quite the variety of costumes, both store-bought and homemade. There were your obligatory Disney princesses for the girls, lots of pirates of varying styles, classic witches and generally grotesque-looking indescribable ghouls. Most of the trick-or-treaters were of elementary school age, with a few middle-schoolers trolling for candy as well.
Then there were the high school kids.
I know I must be getting old, because I think that there should be an age limit for Beggar's Night. Or at least a rule that if you want candy, you have to attempt a costume.
If I'm going to spend money to give candy away to small (and not-so-small) humans who ring my doorbell and demand sugar, I feel that they at least owe me the entertainment of seeing their costumes.
Heck, even a few parents got in on the game. I ran into some fellow t-ball parents who I nearly didn't recognize because they were in full costume and makeup while taking their small slugger trick-or-treating. Now if busy parents can take the time to dress up, certainly these high school kids can at least make an attempt. Don't you think?
Cheers!
Like many children this year, my son chose a pirate costume. Since I think it's absurd to spend ridiculous amounts of money on a child's costume, we went with the semi-homemade version, which, if I do say so myself, came out pretty darn cute. He was happy with it, so that's really all that matters.
I saw quite the variety of costumes, both store-bought and homemade. There were your obligatory Disney princesses for the girls, lots of pirates of varying styles, classic witches and generally grotesque-looking indescribable ghouls. Most of the trick-or-treaters were of elementary school age, with a few middle-schoolers trolling for candy as well.
Then there were the high school kids.
I know I must be getting old, because I think that there should be an age limit for Beggar's Night. Or at least a rule that if you want candy, you have to attempt a costume.
If I'm going to spend money to give candy away to small (and not-so-small) humans who ring my doorbell and demand sugar, I feel that they at least owe me the entertainment of seeing their costumes.
Heck, even a few parents got in on the game. I ran into some fellow t-ball parents who I nearly didn't recognize because they were in full costume and makeup while taking their small slugger trick-or-treating. Now if busy parents can take the time to dress up, certainly these high school kids can at least make an attempt. Don't you think?
Cheers!
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