It was very exciting.
Today was a super busy, really long, quite strenuous day at work and the flying bits of flaming artichoke didn't help much either. (How's that burn, Cassie? My hand finally stopped smelling.)
Even though I was really tired when I finally got home, I knew that I had to utilize this possible last day of sunshine. I took the MAX downtown because I am NOT one to drive if I can get away with it. Add up the cost of gas, the road rage, and the fact that I always, inevitably, get lost, it's best if I take public transportation.
I started off at Waterfront Park, walked down to the Steel Bridge, over to the (Vera Katz) Eastbank Esplanade, down to the Hawthorne bridge and back to 2nd and Morrison to take the MAX home. It was quite uneventful except it seemed that EVERY SINGLE runner felt the impulse to spit just as he was running by me. It got old fast. Blech.
So the mini-day trip was all well and good. It was the MAX ride home (as usual) that compelled me to write.
The girl sitting behind me was having the most amazing conversation with her boyfriend and because I didn't want to forget a word of it, I spent the whole time transcribing into the notepad on my cell phone. Looks like that 2nd job as a transcriptionist and my 80wpm typing speed have finally paid off. That's right. 80wpm. If I set my sights high enough, I could be a receptionist.
"He asked me if I speak Spanish and I said, "No, I'm not Mexican!"
Classic. But it gets better. Much better.
"I know he's from Guadalajara, but if he's your friend, why is he always trying to get on me?"
I don't even know what that means, but I loved hearing it!
"Can I beat your girlfriend up?... Are you starting to care about her?... Because first you said I could beat her up and now you say I can't... That's messed up, you're always telling me you love me. So are we together or not?"
This is when my logical side started thinking this is not a MAX conversation she needs to be doing this in private and my gossipy side was begging that the conversation would go on forever. Guess which side won another round? Here comes the best part.
"Okay, because if I get pregnant, then what are you going to do?... then forget about that girl... WHAT?!... then forget about both of them."
If I hadn't been sitting RIGHT in front of her, I would have burst out laughing, but alas had to settle with a stifled snort or two.
It was then that we went through the Washington Park tunnel and her phone cut out. She did call him right when we got out, but unfortunately it was my stop. I fully and completely would have stayed on the MAX with her but I really had to pee.
The most horrifying part? When I got up to leave and got a good look at her, she was no more than 16 or 17. I wanted to smack her and tell her to get her shit together but instead I just sighed apathetically and got off the train.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Grammar 101
Today while listening to my classmates give their speeches I noticed a few... slips of essential grammar rules. Just thought I'd give a little refresher course on the basics.
We'll get the easy ones out of the way first and work our way down (or up? depending on your views on grammar) to the tougher ones.
Reoccuring and irregardless are not words. Don't use them. It's recurring and regardless.
Please avoid filler words such as actually, typically, basically, ultimately, and literally. These are all used way too much and it drives me nuts.
Feel free to use the word 'myriad' (even though it's totally a buzz word) but please use it correctly. Its literal meaning is 10,000 of something and since it is an adjective, when you say "there are a myriad of stars" it is not correct. Say "there are myriad stars out tonight." and everyone (read:me) will think you're super clever.
Although I'm not a fan of it, subconscious and unconscious are interchangeable when talking about brain stuff. I prefer subconscious but can no longer judge people when they say unconscious. The dictionary says so.
Use the word 'fewer' when referring to a specific number of something. As in, "I've had fewer beers tonight than usual." Use the word 'less' when referring to volume. As in, "I usually drink less wine, but it's a Thursday, so what the hell." Fewer dirty clothes, less laundry. You get the point.
'Further' is used when discussing time. 'Farther' is used when discussing distance.
'Good' is an adjective and used to modify nouns. "This pizza is good." 'Well' is an adverb and used to modify verbs. "Class is going well."
Here's where it starts to get fun.
The difference between colons and semicolons is surprisingly easy to understand. Use a semicolon when separating one sentence into different, but still related clauses. Use a colon before a list, but make sure it's after a complete sentence. "NJ has two favorite food groups: beer and bacon."
Adverbs are your friends, please use them well and wisely. Tell your friend to "drive safely," not to "drive safe."
The easiest way to decide whether 'whom' or 'who' is appropriate is to answer your own question. If the answer is him, her, or them then whom is the correct pronoun. If the answer is he, she, or they then who is the correct pronoun. I could talk about the difference between the subject and the object of a clause, but I don't want to.
And now the universal favorite!
When do we use affect and when do we use effect? First, it's good to know that affect is a verb and means something along the lines of 'to influence.' As in, "the wind affects my hair and makes it all frizzy." Effect is a noun and is closer in meaning to 'a result.' As in, "the de-frizz conditioner I use seems to have no effect on my hair."
In some cases affect becomes a noun, when discussing psychology in the form of an expressed emotion. And effect becomes a verb when used to express accomplishment.
But we won't get into that.
We'll get the easy ones out of the way first and work our way down (or up? depending on your views on grammar) to the tougher ones.
Reoccuring and irregardless are not words. Don't use them. It's recurring and regardless.
Please avoid filler words such as actually, typically, basically, ultimately, and literally. These are all used way too much and it drives me nuts.
Feel free to use the word 'myriad' (even though it's totally a buzz word) but please use it correctly. Its literal meaning is 10,000 of something and since it is an adjective, when you say "there are a myriad of stars" it is not correct. Say "there are myriad stars out tonight." and everyone (read:me) will think you're super clever.
Although I'm not a fan of it, subconscious and unconscious are interchangeable when talking about brain stuff. I prefer subconscious but can no longer judge people when they say unconscious. The dictionary says so.
Use the word 'fewer' when referring to a specific number of something. As in, "I've had fewer beers tonight than usual." Use the word 'less' when referring to volume. As in, "I usually drink less wine, but it's a Thursday, so what the hell." Fewer dirty clothes, less laundry. You get the point.
'Further' is used when discussing time. 'Farther' is used when discussing distance.
'Good' is an adjective and used to modify nouns. "This pizza is good." 'Well' is an adverb and used to modify verbs. "Class is going well."
Here's where it starts to get fun.
The difference between colons and semicolons is surprisingly easy to understand. Use a semicolon when separating one sentence into different, but still related clauses. Use a colon before a list, but make sure it's after a complete sentence. "NJ has two favorite food groups: beer and bacon."
Adverbs are your friends, please use them well and wisely. Tell your friend to "drive safely," not to "drive safe."
The easiest way to decide whether 'whom' or 'who' is appropriate is to answer your own question. If the answer is him, her, or them then whom is the correct pronoun. If the answer is he, she, or they then who is the correct pronoun. I could talk about the difference between the subject and the object of a clause, but I don't want to.
And now the universal favorite!
When do we use affect and when do we use effect? First, it's good to know that affect is a verb and means something along the lines of 'to influence.' As in, "the wind affects my hair and makes it all frizzy." Effect is a noun and is closer in meaning to 'a result.' As in, "the de-frizz conditioner I use seems to have no effect on my hair."
In some cases affect becomes a noun, when discussing psychology in the form of an expressed emotion. And effect becomes a verb when used to express accomplishment.
But we won't get into that.
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