Hurray! Hurray! The Thirtieth Day!
By Michael The Libertarian
Well, here we are, 15 NOV 2017.
I have written more than thirty pieces in thirty days for you, dear
readers. I missed one day, but there's been a few days when you got
some double posts, so in spirit, I have kept up my end of my oath to
you.
I mentioned all of this was on the horizon, a little while ago. I
also mentioned there were going to be some changes and there are.
However, there's been some changes to the changes so, I'd like to go
into that.
I have learned a lot by doing this. It's true. All of the nagging
things some of my instructors placed in my brain are starting to
become a part of my style. One that sticks out to me is I used to use
the word “that” extraneously. I no longer do that and it is no
longer a function of editing. It's how I write, now. My punctuation
still leaves a lot to be desired, but there's a legitimate reason for
it.
I'm a linguist. I have been for over 40 years. I love reading.
I love learning
languages. Part of learning languages is studying the etymology of
words and idiomatic expressions. I have been having an on-going feud.
The way I punctuate quotes, especially at the end of sentences, is
very much the way the British do it (he tells me). I do it because,
as a lover of languages and someone who “cares” about their
mechanics, I believe my way to be the logical way.
I guess, as long as it's “British”
and I'm not out there on my own, I don't see a reason to stop, but I
promise him and you, dear readers that I will, at least, educate
myself on the “why” of American vs
British punctuation.
I have even toned down the way I refer to those with whom I don't
agree and I intend to keep working on that behavior. It won't
completely disappear because I feel some behaviors exhibited by
people are unpatriotic
or disrespectful or criminal. I refuse to not tell the truth, but
there are times when I could take my foot off the gas.
In that regard, I won't to explain
something. I have had a favorite term for people who “spout the
party line”. That term is: Pablum©-Puker. I use it because there's
a portion of people entering the political fray (and God bless the
interwebz for it) that don't dig into issues. They get their daily
email of talking points and hit the comments sections of online
publications and take to their social media accounts ready to do
battle with words and phrases they don't understand.
Now the explanation for those who
may be a bit younger. Pablum© was a name brand baby food, back in
the day. If you've ever fed a baby, you know you keep spooning the
baby formula in until they start “chewing” it back out of their
mouth. They're “puking” the pablum back out.
Well, a friend of mine saw that
phrase in my writing and asked if I was a fan of Morton Downey Jr..
Dear Mort. I was, indeed, a fan and as the question was asked, I
suddenly realized I had “borrowed” that phrase from him. Strike
that. Much like comedians, mediocre writers “borrow”. Great
writers steal, out-right.
All kidding aside, I'm going to keep
using it until Downey's family asks me to stop. That's not a defiant
stance. I'm not issuing a challenge. I was a fan of Downey and my
continuing to use the phrase is by way of homage, now.
Some of my more colorful rhetoric is
also an attempt at humor. I will be re-examining how I engage in that
with a more scrupulous eye. I will not stop being (what I believe to
be) funny, but I will make sure that my sense of humor, as displayed
here, falls more in line with a more “mainstream” sense of humor.
Now for some of the important
changes:
I mentioned, in a previous column,
that from this point forward, I wouldn't be writing every day, but I
would be writing five days a week. That is exactly where my head is
at.
The difference now, is I am going to
start writing and putting some pieces “in the can” and I will
trot those out on days when life happens or when I just can't seem to
write.
Also, I mentioned that I was going
to “branch out” a bit, when it comes to which topics I attack.
Politics certainly are not my only interest. There's also the old
admonition: “write about what you know”. Well, I know a few
things about a few things so …
All in all I am rededicating myself,
when I don't have to. I am going to continue to write almost
every day and I will
continue to try to raise the quality level of the discourse.
I am hoping that some of my friends
will come along with me, comment or re-post as they see fit and, in
general support my effort, here.
- Michael
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