Thought That Came Unbidden

I’d originally planned to do a whole rant about the inability of people to properly use language. Said rant was inspired by a couple of things: 1) the following deathless bit of cellphone conversation overheard one day on my walk to the subway:

I feel like I should take her to task for being so…jerky.

(My first thought was: why would you reprimand someone for having a seizure?)
and 2) the apparent inability of people to perceive the meanings of the words stop (it means cease people not roll slowly through the intersection while you look to see if there is a cop around) and don’t walk (I’m sorry but could it be more self-explanatory?).

I was going to do a rant about languages being organic and the ridculous lengths to which just plain lazy speakers have pushed that organic nature. Then, I read an article about text messaging on the BBC News web site. One photo used to illustrate this article was a shot of a cellphone screen with a text message on it. The photo caption read: Will text become a common language? The message on the screen: RUOK? CUL8R ATB

I weep for the future of human communications.

Just when I’m convinced humanity is irredeemable in its self-importance, lack of consideration for others, and general rudeness something small and unexpected happens that makes me think that just maybe all is not lost.

I’m standing the paper goods aisle at the grocery trying to figure out which size of the brand of toilet paper I buy is on sale when some grandmother-looking lady says to me “Are you thinking of buying [brand X]?”

“Yes,” I reply cautiously. “I have a coupon,” she says, and proceeds to hand it to me.

Falling back on good manners I thanked her for the unexpected kindness.

Now, I just need to remember this the next time it’s 40 and rainy and some asshole in a yup-truck tries to run me down in the cross-walk when I have the right of way.

While browsing my cable system today the thought occurred to me: how cool would it be to have the job writing the little descriptions that come up in the online program guide?

So, from my favorite satirical news source, The Onion, here is a more accurate look at the current primetime line-up.

Happy April Fool’s Day!

Depression is an interesting animal. For me it’s in direct conflict with the objective circumstances of my life (ie: I have a nice job, I’m healthy, I’ve people in my life who care for me) and the manner in which I’ve been raised (ie: do what is necessary, take care of yourself, soldier on). Given these two factors, a funny thing happens: I feel guilty about feeling sad.

There’s a woman I see on one of the buses I ride regularly. She has, quite clearly, something going on with her health; cancer, perhaps, given that one of the obvious things going on is that her hair is falling out in patches. There’s a guy who rides another of the buses I take regularly. In order to get around this guy has to walk using those arm-cuff sticks. Both of these folks have good reasons to be angry, unhappy, or sad. Am I saying they are? No. Am I saying that they’re happy? No. What I am saying is that when I look at the objective circumstance of my life I have no good reason to feel the way I do.
[Read more…] about The logic trap

…between a friend and someone you’ve known for a long time that you don’t dislike?

I guess the real question is: what makes a friend? Is it what someone does for you? Is it the affection you hold for that person? The affection they hold for you?

Or is it an alchemic combination of all of these things and something that can’t be enumerated?