"The decibels of this disenchanting discourse"*

Seeing as I'm a nerdy writer-type, I find discussions about grammar and language fascinating. The really cool thing about these discussions are that they are so often humorous. I know, you're thinking, Grammar and language, humorous. No way! But really, just go with me on this (I have amusing examples to back me up).

Take this video about English:



If you didn't laugh at this, well, I suspect you may lack a pulse. It reminded me of a particular discussion I once had with my brother and hubby about superlatives, in particular the word "dumber." (And, for the record, my brother and hubby are not dumber than I (or is it me?) because I am not dumb at all!)

Another hilarious blog post about the Alot is over at Hyperbole and a Half. And check out agent Kristin Nelson sharing funny church-bulletin bloopers at Pub Rants.

My personal stance on the English language errs on the side of tradition (except on this blog because I prefer a more conversational tone here, like it's just you and me, sitting on the hammock on a warm summer day, chatting it up about...well, as my blog description says...whatever), but I'm always open to new interpretations of words, grammar, and style.

That's why language is so exciting: It's always evolving, morphing, and adapting to suit current needs. And that means there's always room for more debate!

*Live

"The Little Things Give You Away"*

Sometimes it's nice just to think about the little things in life that bring you joy. Here are some of mine:

My favorite tea has a kick-ass name: Black Dragon Pearl (I always want to add "Coming to theaters this summer" after I say it and then do a perfect round-house kick). Plus the tea leaves come packed as balls, which only adds to my amusement.

Thunderstorms never stop being scary/exciting.

When it comes to my indoor co-ed soccer team, the "that's what she said" joke never gets old...ever!

The spin-cycle on my Scandinavian dryer (maybe we're somehow related!) sounds like a plane taking off. This one's a double-edged sword because it can also be annoying...like when I'm trying to watch TV or listen to music, or you know, have a conversation or something...but it's still pretty cool to have it sound like an airplane is taking off in your laundry room.

When my little niece and nephew say the word "rude," it sounds like they're saying "wooed." And they're still young enough to always be happy to see me.

My older nephew still likes hanging out with me!

I buy Land O' Lakes American cheese from the deli and the package is labeled LOL cheese. How could you not smile about that?

I'm always wonderfully surprised at how tasty food is when you grow/pick it yourself.

And this is only a sampling of the little things in my life. It's interesting how many of them are about food...maybe I'm just hungry. Oh, and in case you were curious, my soccer team won again yesterday (we crushed Danbury 6-1), so we're in the finals next Saturday.

*Linkin Park

"The cup of life, ale, ale, ale"*

As I sit here watching the second game of the 2010 World Cup (Uruguay vs. France), I can't help but get caught up in all the excitement. I'm a soccer player myself and a sports fan in general (you may remember some of my posts about Yankees baseball).

(That's me with the ball! Picture taken by Sir Anonymous...the Great Photographer!)

Let's face it, despite the U.S.'s reluctance to jump on the bandwagon, soccer is truly a world sport. Sure there's events like the World Series and the Super Bowl that are highly anticipated in some countries, and there's the Olympics that celebrates sports on a world stage, but there's no single sport that captivates the world as the World Cup does.

Earlier today, I think a particular clip from the first game of the Cup (host country South Africa vs. Mexico, which ended in a 1-1 tie) sums up what I'm talking about. When South Africa scored in the 55th minute of the game, Desmond Tutu did a little dance to celebrate with the over 84,000 fans in Soccer City. This is a Nobel Prize winner who has spent his life fighting apartheid, and to see him display his pure joy over a goal was a reminder of how sports allow us all, for a minute, to set aside our differences and just revel in the simpleness of a game.

(Here's Archbishop Tutu busting a move at the FIFA 2010 World Cup Celebration.)

Tomorrow I'll be participating in my own quest for a championship when my New Haven team takes on Westport in the quarterfinals of the Southern Connecticut Women's Soccer League. Then I'll be watching at the U.S. team takes on England.

*Ricky Martin