Random thoughts

[Jabrosky]

And on a completely different note...

One time I had this "comic strip" play out in my imagination about a hungry zombie who was shambling about for fresh brains. He passed by this young woman whom he thought looked kinda familiar, and noticed she was tearfully thumbing through photos of her late husband on her smartphone. Recognizing himself in those photos, he sat down beside her with arm over her shoulder, and said her name (Brianna) out loud. And I think he was handing her a flower like the ones in their wedding bouquet.

I wonder if any of the recent zombie shows and movies have ever considered whether stuff like that might happen in a real zombie apocalypse?

 

[Gryphos]

You know what I hate? Snobs who don't understand that language is a fluid and ever-changing thing. It's like, the way I see it, there's no such thing as 'proper' grammar or 'proper' use of words. To me, all that matters is if the other person understands what you're saying. That's the point of language, is it not?

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

I found a mouse in the toilet today. He was floating, but his little mouse poop sunk. Since he was dead when I found him, how to get rid of him was simple and guilt free.

 

[Reaver]

You know what I hate? Snobs who don't understand that language is a fluid and ever-changing thing. It's like, the way I see it, there's no such thing as 'proper' grammar or 'proper' use of words. To me, all that matters is if the other person understands what you're saying. That's the point of language, is it not?

We all have our opinions. I guess I'm a grammar snob because I hate textspeke and people that speak improperly. It hurts my brain when people say irregardless instead of regardless, I couldn't care less when they really mean I could care less, probly or prolly instead of probably, liberry instead of library.... I could rant for hours on this but I won't.

If I offend people by speaking and writing properly so be it. I refuse to dumb down my diction and grammar for the uneducated and lazy.

 

[Reaver]

I found a mouse in the toilet today. He was floating, but his little mouse poop sunk. Since he was dead when I found him, how to get rid of him was simple and guilt free.

Well thanks a lot Sidekick! I was going to attempt to toilet train my pet mouse until I saw this post. Dammit...now I have to buy the mouse genie.

 

[Jabrosky]

This may rub some posters here the wrong way (even though it was actually something offsite that prompted this thought today), but I believe that in some cases the people calling for "civility" in certain discussions are just playing Chamberlain. Civility and mutual respect are best if everyone in the discussion abides by them, but when you're up against a raging Triceratops in full charge, the traditional squirt-gun just isn't going to work.

 

[Gryphos]

We all have our opinions. I guess I'm a grammar snob because I hate textspeke and people that speak improperly. It hurts my brain when people say irregardless instead of regardless, I couldn't care less when they really mean I could care less, probly or prolly instead of probably, liberry instead of library.... I could rant for hours on this but I won't.

If I offend people by speaking and writing properly so be it. I refuse to dumb down my diction and grammar for the uneducated and lazy.

Oh no, don't get me wrong, some things are stupid, mainly those which physically mean the opposite of how they're being used. 'Irregardless' implies a lack of 'irregard', basically a lack of lack of regard ... so, a regard. Similarly, 'could care less' implies that a person does care at least a little bit, whereas 'couldn't care less' is fairly clear, implying that a person cares so little that they are physically incapable of caring less than they already do.

Also, in defence of textspeak, I dare you to try to find a 'proper' alternative to the word 'lol', a word which can be used casually in written form to convey 'I understand that you have made a joke, and do find it quite amusing'. There is none. It's actually rather remarkable. I mean, there probably is some really obscure word, but if a person said it either no one would understand, or they'd sound like an absolute knob-end (probably both).

 

[Reaver]

Also, in defence of textspeak, I dare you to try to find a 'proper' alternative to the word 'lol', a word which can be used casually in written form to convey 'I understand that you have made a joke, and do find it quite amusing'. There is none. It's actually rather remarkable. I mean, there probably is some really obscure word, but if a person said it either no one would understand, or they'd sound like an absolute knob-end (probably both).

Got me there. I usually type haha. In retrospect it either makes me appear to be disingenuous or sarcastic to the person with whom I'm texting. Either way I end up looking like an absolute knob-end (man do I love British slang ).

And just to clarify, I intentionally spell textspeke that way as a sort of homage to George Orwell.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

After making a post which sort of included a semi-rant about Legolas being in the Hobbit trilogy, I came up with a suggestion for Peter Jackson's next film:

Have Legolas drive by and flip his middle finger out a car window. Y'know, just to get him in the movie.

 

[Tom]

This may rub some posters here the wrong way (even though it was actually something offsite that prompted this thought today), but I believe that in some cases the people calling for "civility" in certain discussions are just playing Chamberlain. Civility and mutual respect are best if everyone in the discussion abides by them, but when you're up against a raging Triceratops in full charge, the traditional squirt-gun just isn't going to work.

I don't agree. Civility and respect is always important in any discussion, if we want our opinions to be considered valid. I mean, if someone is flinging accusations at me and using offensive, inflammatory language, I shouldn't respond in kind. Fighting fire with fire is just gonna get you burned.

Instead, I think it's important to maintain civility, even if the other person doesn't, especially in a discussion that occurs in public, or on a forum, or anywhere that other people will see it. If I and the other person are both being vile and accusatory, all people are going to remember our discussion as is "just two jerks butting heads."

However, if the other person is accusatory and disrespectful and I am not, people are going to be more likely to hold my opinion as the more rational one, because it's obvious that I can maintain a calm, civil attitude even when another person is throwing their own opinions in my face. Fighting fire with water will put the fire out.

 

[Jabrosky]

After making a post which sort of included a semi-rant about Legolas being in the Hobbit trilogy, I came up with a suggestion for Peter Jackson's next film:

Have Legolas drive by and flip his middle finger out a car window. Y'know, just to get him in the movie.

...so Furious 8 is gonna be be a crossover with the LotR universe?

Actually I always did want to see a crossover between PJ's takes on Middle Earth and Skull Island. Maybe the latter could have been once part of the "Dark Land" seen east of Harad here?

 

[Garren Jacobsen]

May the Fourth be with you...always.

 

[Ireth]

May the Fourth be with you...always.

And also with you!

 

[Tom]

Aw, you beat me to it, Ireth.

 

[Incanus]

Hello scribe friends, wish I had something upbeat to say today. Been pretty sick. No food or sleep for 4 full days, working on 5 now. I've got a doctor appt later today and hope I can start turning this around soon. I've never experienced anything like this before. There's been a comedy of errors involved--the prescriptions I've gotten haven't worked and have in fact only made things worse. Stopped all those on Sat., but still haven't gotten much better. Tried a few bites of food yesterday, but most came back up eventually. Maybe I'll do better today...

I'm sure I'll be back to making my usual useless observations here in a few more days. Sort of feeling I might want to make a lifestyle change or two after this, though I think this wasn't brought about by anything I did, or didn't do, necessarily.

Hope everyone else is doing well though.

 

[Tom]

Hope you feel better soon! We all miss you and your useful observations.

 

[Incanus]

I'd just like it to be on the record: I loathe insomnia. Just loathe it. I officially declare it my arch-enemy.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Hang in there, Incanus. It's good that you're seeing a doctor about this.

 

[Ireth]

Argh. I'm at a point in my newest short story where the plot could go either of two ways, and I honestly can't decide which direction to take it in. Tempted to just flip a coin over it.

 

[Reaver]

Argh. I'm at a point in my newest short story where the plot could go either of two ways, and I honestly can't decide which direction to take it in. Tempted to just flip a coin over it.

Will it be a loonie or a toonie? Just wondering. Miss chatting with you by the way.