Time for a Return to Common Sense

Where has our civility toward one another gone? I’m not talking “old fashioned” vs. modern, trendy behavior. I’m talking plain old courtesy and respect for others. World news is full of recent stories of one person’s disrespectful acts toward another. In Hollywood. In politics. In sports.
For those of you who caught the Academy Awards on Feb. 27, when did it become okay to drop the “F-bomb” during an acceptance speech broadcast worldwide? When did it become okay for a top-paid TV actor, Charlie Sheen, to launch a public, vulgar and anti-Semitic rant against his show’s creator?
In politics it’s no better – only the stakes are even higher, too often resulting in bodily harm and assaults. Our political divides have given way to almost criminal disregard for our universal rights to respect and personal safety.
Think Lara Logan, attacked while reporting events in Egypt for CBS. Or Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, shot in the head while shaking hands with her constituents.
There is a line between “refreshing honesty,” and vulgarity and boorish behavior. If that line’s become blurry, perhaps it’s time we draw a new one.
— Fran

Poem — Goodbye to 2010

The yard is mottled with lumpy patches,
Some brown, some yellow, some green.
It’s as if the ground is braced for change
Inevitable, helpless, exciting change,

Large acorn trees tower above.
They’re teasing.
Maybe we’ll drop more nuts on your struggling green landscape;
maybe we won’t.
Or perhaps we’ll let Mother Nature decide,
as she sends wind and rain storms that speak of impending winter.

Time to nestle indoors, and let thoughts turn to home heating bills, football games, and Christmas ads that start way too early.
Time also to reckon with the relatives.
Some will blend in great around the Thanksgiving table.
Others… not so much.

Megamind Musings

The movie theater was dark. Only the lighted walkway on the floor guided the audience as they walked along, balancing buckets of overstuffed popcorn drenched in butter and large gulp size sodas as they tiptoed along.

We found our way to section of the theater that wasn’t crowded. We didn’t want to get stuck behind some guy with a large head, or some woman with an oversized hat who thought she was making a fashion statement.

For a change, this was not a 3D movie. That was okay with me; those bulky black 3D glasses always left a mark on the bridge of my nose, and I’d constantly play with them during the movies – on, off. On, off. Not helping the viewing experience!

The previews ended, and the lights dimmed. The movie began. It was a show I’d been wanting to see for awhile now — Megamind. It was wholesome, fun for kids, and had a good message to tell – that bad guys are often just misunderstood good guys. And that sometimes the people we look up to as heroes aren’t always all they’re cracked up to be.

A couple boys to the left of us began kicking the seats in front of them. The boys couldn’t have been more than 6 or 7 years old. Still, it was annoying. Along with sticky floors and chewed gum under the seats, I didn’t need the constant kicking vibration of little boy sneakers.

But then again, that’s part of the whole movie experience, isn’t it? The wide screen, the candy rustling in nervous fingers, the larger than life previews? Time to sink into our seats and enjoy the ride.

Cutting and Pasting vs. Writing

Facebook — the Great Communicator?

It happened. I got sucked into the Facebook mania. It started small. A fellow college professor suggested I create a profile to boost my 40-something “cool” factor with my 18-22 year old students. So I did. And I had a handful of “friends” – one being the professor who brought me in.

And it stayed that way, innocently enough, for a year or two. Until it grew. And it’s still hazy HOW it grew. An old friend from high school was on there. Then so was a former colleague. Then I learned how to “friend my friend’s friends.” And the Facebook phenomenon (FB) grew tentacles, and wound its way into the everyday fabric of my life.

I used to log on only when I had an e-mail notification that someone had written on my wall. I’d log on, write back, and log off. I knew it was a problem when I started logging on just to log on – to surf through my friend’s daily musings. “It’s a hot one today”, “Go New England Patriots!” and “Let’s throw Sarah Palin and her tea party into the Boston Harbor!”

And my own random musings began to appear – about my tennis game, my kids in the pool, and headlines I imported from the news.

So I’ve begun a weaning program that begins today. I’m willing myself to log on only when contacted first. To not get sucked in the world of chats and pokes at the expense of live, beating hearts in the rooms around me.

I’ve been trying, so far in vain, to find online the episode of South Park where Stew gets sucked into the Facebook world, and can’t get out. I’m told it’s a riot. If you find out how to view it… give me a poke.

Ex-politicians on the speaking trail?

Disgraced Conn. Governor John Rowland delivers motivational speeches around the country, telling his story that spirituality and religion have made him both “aware” and contrite. And former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin makes the rounds as well, often to the tune of $100,000 per speaking engagement! She is buoyed by the Tea Party Movement and other politically disenfranchised…  So… do former politicians make great communicators? No longer campaigning for our vote at the polls, do they have messages that enlighten? What’s the draw?

10 Most Literate Cities; Where’s CT?

USA’S 10 MOST LITERATE CITIES

1. Seattle 2. Washington 3. Minneapolis 4. Pittsburgh 5. Atlanta 6. Portland, Ore. 7. St. Paul 8. Boston 9. Cincinnati 10. DenverSource: Central Connecticut State University

$3 Billion Lost a Year!

That’s the estimated cost to U.S. companies annually, to correct and overcome damages from poorly worded, sloppy or grammatically incorrect memos, reports and other business documents. In this time of unprecedented recession, it might be time to reverse the short-term mind-sets that still exist. A small investment in writing training upfront can save huge dollars spread over the calendar year.

Use of the English language

Welcome to my blog! I created this blog to talk about topics related to our use of English in everyday writing and speaking. There are lots of things we can discuss. Are we losing the art of correct English grammar and punctuation? And if so, what should be done to correct it?