Wednesday, January 12, 2011

January Musings

We're almost to the middle of January and the clothing experiment goes on. I haven't posted any pictures these past few days as I have mostly been hanging out in my jeans.

We did go to New Jersey this past weekend to celebrate LaVerne and Cathy's first wedding anniversary but somehow my camera never made it out of the suitcase. We had a good time celebrating with LaVerne and Cathy's friends and family. They sure are happy.

They did all the food for the party themselves and I came home with a couple of great recipes. I plan to make Paul's bean dip for the Super Bowl party .....Okay here is my dilemma.....I am really trying to use proper grammar. So....the Super Bowl party we are going to....is incorrect useage. I need to say the Super Bowl party to which we are going. And that sounds stilted, even though it is correct.

Okay, I had no intention of writing about this, but now that I've started my rant, let me continue. I am so bothered by the way people butcher grammar these days. I admit that I may have become a little obsessive, but at the same time people have become really, really lazy.

Some of the problem stems from the lack of teaching. No longer do children learn the parts of speech, diagram sentences, or even drill on spelling words. Whole Language has ruined the English language in my opinion.

I was reading a book by Mary Jane Clark in which I found this line: "What time do you need the papers by?" I screamed and threw the book on the hassock. My brother in law, sister in law and husband just laughed. They really think I'm losing it. But, I ask you, is it too much to expect writers and news reporters to use good grammar? If we can't look up to these people, then who?

Then there is the matter of your and you're. Even ads in the newspapers get that wrong now. Some of my Facebook friends, intelligent, educated people, don't seem to know the difference. It's enough to make me want to unfriend them.

Here and now I admit that I don't always get it right, but I am trying. Maybe I should thank all these people who hack away at the language I love. They really make me think.

Okay, the rant is over. I'm off to clean my upstairs and throw away all those size ten pieces of clothing that I will never wear again. Wonder where the trash can is at?

Put your heart, mind, intellect,
and souleven to your smallest acts.
This is the secret of success.
~Swami Sivananda~
~Hippo Hugs~

5 comments:

Lynilu said...

LOL!! I feel your grammatical pain! And in spite of being a bit of a fussbudget about it, I find myself occasionally dangling participles. I think I'm probably better than the average, but I make my mistakes, just like everyone does.

As far as I'm concerned, rant on!

Midlife Mom said...

Great rant! I think we get so hurried with everything, including our writing, that we tend to slack off on proper language. Sometimes when I am talking I hear myself falling deeper into the ole' Maine accent and I must admit it's not pretty! :o)

Interesting challenge that you are doing! I tend to wear some of the same things over and over and my closet is full of clothes. We all could weed out a lot and still have more then plenty to wear. I told my husband the other day that we need a bigger closet and then I thought for a minute and said, no we need to weed out a lot of these clothes and the closet will be just fine! Another great post my friend!

Tracy said...

I agree. I can't believe students don't diagram sentences anymore. I'm nerdy in that way used to love doing that much better than I liked math. They don't focus on penmanship or letter writing skills. Mr. Wolfanger taught me everything I know about penmanship! When I am writing a letter that I want to look nice I always think of him. Cami has told me that she gets nervous when she has to "sign" something because she is unsure about cursive writing! I have a young friend who graduated from HS in June (not MCS). She told me that her mother was upset because she had no idea how write proper thank you notes to her grad. party guests.
Often when I am creating an entry in my blog or something on FB I choose to put it down like I might say it, which isn't always proper grammar. I don't know why. I guess it's like a brain dump.
Did you know there's a group on FB called, "I Judge You When You Use Poor Grammar?" Look for it!

Sharon said...

I am so surprised that the younger generation is not being taught proper writing skills.
I do not often use the proper grammar but I keep trying to improve.
Have a great weekend.

Country Mouse, City Mouse said...

Don't get me started on the lack of spelling tests at school now. I have asked where the spellers are, and the teachers look at me like I have two heads.