I'd like to thank my parents, Mother Teresa and the Pope (in defense of the Oxford comma) - NOVA this week

Observations from my weekly wanderings, usually in Northern Virginia (NOVA).

There are three kinds of people in this world: those who can count, and those who can’t.

No, wait…there are three kinds of people in this world: proponents of the Oxford comma, opponents of the Oxford comma, and those who don’t know or don’t care about the Oxford comma.

If you are in the last group, and I’ve piqued your interest, it’s easy enough to look up. If you are not interested, I won’t spoil your bliss.

Me? I’m definitely a fan. The best defense of the Oxford comma? My subject sentence:

I’d like to thank my parents, Mother Teresa and the Pope.

Makes me chuckle every time.

The Luminous weep...(Wednesday Quotation)

When you have learned to know, and to love, you will still suffer. The day is born in tears. The Luminous weep, if only over those in darkness. ~ Victor Hugo (Les Misérables)

(Remember, it’s a quotation, not a quote.)

Top Ten Books on my Spring TBR (Top Ten Tuesday, March 14, 2017)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

March 14: Top Ten Books on my Spring TBR - well that's easy enough.

I probably won't finish this before the first day of Spring. Excellent so far.

I loved my other experience with Dostoevsky (The Brothers Karamazov). Looking forward to this.

No idea what to expect. My first experience with Graham Greene.

And no idea what to expect with this either. (My favorite way to begin a book btw)

Vanity Fair, in case you can't read that. A reread, that I am looking forward to. Loved it the first time.

Ugh...more Henry James. Not excited.

However, I'm a bit more hopeful about this...from his earlier career/style.

I started and DNF years ago. Ready to give it a second chance. I remember it starts rather slow. Someone tell me it is fascinating later.

I enjoyed my one other experience with Evelyn Waugh (Brideshead Revisited), so I am looking forward to this. BTW - Evelyn Waugh is a dude.

And no expectations, first experience with RPW.

My Jaw-Dropping Post - NOVA this week (March 11, 2017)

Observations from my weekly wanderings, usually in Northern Virginia (NOVA).

After the misleading subject line, you are likely to be disappointed with this post – but if you hang around the internet at all, you should be used to it by now.

I typically avoid complaining online, because it is a pet peeve of mine: posts, tweets, comments, quips etc., where the author rants about some topic they are passionate about in attempt to persuade the world with their infallible logic, poignant anecdotes, and pithy quotations (remember they are quotations not quotes).

And when they are done, it changes exactly NOTHING.

I could rant more about my aversion to that practice, but it would change nothing, so I’ll leave it at that. It really isn’t my point. Just saying, I don’t usually do this.

But I’m fed up with a little something, and I’m gonna vent. It won’t change anything, but I’ll feel better.

I am really sick of the phrase “jaw-dropping”. You know, those insidious ads on the border of just about any website, that are designed to tempt you to follow the link, and subject yourself to yet more advertising.

That’s all fair, I don’t blame em a bit. I don’t especially like it, but it’s free enterprise and free speech, which is WAAAY better than the alternative.

I just object to the 7^th grade-level language (feeling generous). Now, I get it. It’s the internet; it isn’t The Economist. But would it kill em to add a little variety to the superlatives?

You’d never know there are so many good adjectives out there: stunning, intriguing, captivating, striking, evanescent, or plain ole beautiful.

But no….See the jaw-dropping cast of 70s sitcom today; 80s star Jane Doe is even more jaw-droppingly beautiful than ever, Wow, child star from My Wacky life will drop your jaw, and the writing turns my stomach.

If you haven’t noticed this – you’re gonna now. You can thank me later. Actually, since most who read this blog have an affinity for a finely crafted sentence, I’ll apologize later.

But – I do feel better.