punctuation

I have said previously that words are materials with which we build. I wish to take that as my basis for the topic of punctuation. Punctuation seems to me to be the element that brings those sentences, those paragraphs to life. Not just that but can you imagine reading with no punctuation. I have actually done this and it is not very easy. Several of my brothers in writing letters fail to punctuate so in attempting to read meaning may get lost, or worse, misinterpreted. Every individual has his or her unique style of thinking and consequently his or her unique style of both writing and reading. The way we create sentences is derived from the way we think. Because I think up sentences different from the way that even my brother may think up sentences punctuation is the key, the cipher if you will used to comprehend that sentence. True also is the fact that a sentence can take on an entirely different meaning if punctuated differently. Now, I am by no means an English major, in fact English was one of two least favorite subjects throughout high school. However, even though I am not very schooled in the art of punctuation it seems to me a not to difficult task to punctuate my thoughts. I know I mess up but it is better to try and fail than to not have it there at all. Punctuation is the top hat on the Frosty of words. It’s the pixie dust to their happy thoughts. It does something magical to them. It transforms them. It brings them to life.

unfinished thought

You ever have a thought and write half of it down but then get busy and forget to finish it? Or formulate an idea and start talking only to realize that that idea was only half realized and was interrupted by the opening of the mouth? We have all done it. I have a thought that I started to record one day but did not finish. Now I have a good portion of a thought recorded with no idea where I was headed with it. I suppose I could continue with the thought in a direction that seems suiting but then it wouldn’t really be the same. I can’t just leave it. I have noticed several of these occurrences in my journal- lying in bed at 11:00 or 12:00 at night, tired ready to go to bed but want to jot down the proceedings of the day. So I start and soon realize that I had more than I thought I had to say so I put it down telling myself that I will finish it the next night only to get to the next night and find myself in the same predicament. It is a vicious cycle. It was an excellent stopping point, it really was. It is just too bad that it gives no hint or insight to the next sentence. I know there was more to be said but what? Not what would make sense coming next but what had I meant to say next. That’s the killer. It is just enough to clearly be going somewhere but not quite enough to know where that where is. It was something masterful, something crafty, something thought provoking; I know it was.

what if...?

What does it really matter? You read it or hear it all the time; What if…? To me what if, as far as the past is concerned, never happened so why bother with it. What if I was never born? What if my father married someone else? What if the South won the war? Sure it might be fun to think about every now and then but to me it is not a serious question. In my amateur understanding of the universe no action or event is entirely without cause or effect so to capitulate the notion of one act or event not happening is submit too that the events surrounding it must have never happened or must not have gone down the way they did, and according to the law of snowballs this can have a very serious impact. The example of “what if I was never born?” leads me to think of the classic Jimmy Stewart movie It’s a Wonderful Life. I think the movie does a nice job of capturing the complete change of an entire town in one what if. It is like a completely separate dimension. With each event building on the next in time to remove or alter one is to affect all that proceed. To ask if there would be slavery today if the South had won the Civil War, or if you could have had a chance with a girl (or boy) if you had done something a little different are not, in my opinion, accurate questions. There may be stipulations in which it is appropriate but no event, as individuals, stands alone being affected by only one thing, one instance. Furthermore, that fact is that it didn’t happen so why fret it. As said by Disney, “hakuna matata!”

tv commercials

“You can tell the state of a society by their TV commercials.” In church on Sunday someone gave a talk and they made this comment. It is funny that this was mentioned because a week or two ago I was doing something on the computer and the TV was on and there was some sort of show on, anyway the show wasn’t’ important what is important was the commercials. It seemed that all the commercials were on diets or weight loss pills or exercise programs or something of the sort. The thought came to mind, “What does it say about the show if the only commercials associated with it are diet commercials?” I think I could hear the TV set screaming out “you must be fat and lazy to sit and watch this stupid show so here, try out these products.”

fun with words

Building things with words? I can build things with words! I enjoy building things. Though I have never been a big fan of reading or writing I realize something- writing is building. It is building things with words. Not only is it building sentences but it is building stories, characters, plots, ideas. It is great. You should try it; thinking of it as building makes it so much more fun.

canada

Where does Canada come from? We in the US of A are taught about our blessed nation and its divine origin, with its Heavenly inspired constitution, but what about our neighbors. Now it may have been during one of the many years of schooling in which I was not paying attention, for which I regret immensely, but I do not recall learning of the formation and history of our neighbor countries. Is it important? I think it is; and I am not very much in to history. I am starting to get more and more in to it but in the past I could probably care less. I regret that too. I know we (the United States) ran in to a little trouble with Mexico in our establishing our self as a nation. That I remember, but I don’t recall any thing about Canada. Perhaps I am just ignorant and every other 23 year old out there knows and paid attention in school, but I think it is important to know not only of the nation in which you live and breathe and have your freedom, but of those nations that border it. Often those bordering nations have an influence on how the one nation comes to be. What strikes me is that the America’s were a ‘new’ land in the late 1700s and people of all over Europe traveled, risking their lives, in coming here to escape religious oppression. Canada I believe was mainly French populated, right? So did the French just not like the way the “American’s” were doing things in establishing a constitution and decided to go off and make their own new nation? Did Canada battle with France as America battled with Brittan? Why was I not interested in these things in high school where I may have been taught them?

courious

It seems to me a cruelty of life that women, who are the ones most concerned with their figure and their belly, are the ones that get pregnant. But maybe that is none of my business.

the cool new hot

Hot and Cool practically mean the same thing. Why is that? You can say about an item that you like, "hey, that is cool," or "try out this cool new...." Now hot is used in more of an exclaimitive way as in "that's hot!" but I have read the beckon "try our hot new..." before. So you can have your hot new toy and I will get my cool new toy and it can still be the same thing. Maybe it is seasonal? What then would you get in the summer? Summer is hot so it could be 'hot new' however because it is hot you might want to get 'cool new'. But I think that winter always gets 'hot new' I am not sure that anybody is interested in 'cool new' in the winter season. And I have no idea what goes on in the spring and autumn.

grammar

I have no idea why I am posting about grammar I am hardly qualified on the subject; I have been speaking the language for about 22 years now so here it goes. I threw an amazing going away party for 2007 the other day. To many it was a New Year's Eve party but to me it was a Celebration for 2007, the amazing year that it was. Many people that evening and the following day were liberal in their offering me a Happy New Year and for that I thank them. The end of one year and the beginning of a next is a wonderful time to reflect and to start afresh, keeping in mind that that can be done whenever such a thing is needed. Perhaps one goal for some at this time could be that of grammar. Now correct me if I am wrong but, some might wish a Happy New Years upon some one. Please refrain from doing this. Instead these individuals might be obliged to wish a Happy New Year to associates. Countless others may have the opportunity this year to attend a New Year's Eve party at which they may offer a New Year's toast or wish someone a blessed New Year's Day or complement the host on a wonderful New Year's Eve party. These people may be met with funny faces if at the stroke of midnight or the drop of a ball they scream out Happy New Year's! That could be an embarrassing experience so to prevent such an occurrence it may do these people well to touch up on their grammar this year. I know that I will be. One grammar tip that I may offer is that in an interjection or subject change it is proper to say anyway, not anyways; that will get you every time if you are not careful.

Happy New Year everybody.