I must have gotten enough sleep last night because I woke up giddy. I was singing Christmas carols while I made breakfast. I was singing Luck Be a Lady to LMJ as I changed her diaper. Thank God for the Chairman of the Board. He sang in a register I can approach. I have about a one and a half step range. Francis – I call him Francis – would let you know he had vocal chops whenever he was in the mood, but normally the point was to show how pimpin’ he was. That’s why we connect on a musical level. I digress. At some point this morning I started singing There’s No Business Like Show Business. LMJ loved it but it started to get old for MJ after the third go round. I only know
There's no business like show business
Like no business I know
Everything about it is appealing
Everything the traffic will allow
Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
When you aren’t stealing that extra bow.
Then I start over. MJ is a patient woman. She didn’t pick up a knife or a blunt object. She just asked what was wrong with me and suggested I learn the rest of the lyrics. I learned this show tune watching Drama Queen, aka EJG’s and JSG’s gravy train, sing it last year as the star of Annie Get Your Gun. She sings it a lot better than I do. For my money sixth grade musical theater is the only musical theater. Then I started thinking about how hopelessly uncool she must think we all are with our silly blogging gang name and political opinions. Sinatra, aren’t they a Brazilian heavy metal band? It doesn’t bother me because I know I’m cooler than Freddy Jackson drinking a milkshake in a snowstorm – long live Outcast – and in twenty-five years she’ll feel the way I do now.
I had a pleasant conversation about how cold it is here at 8 o’clock this morning with a guy in the elevator. I think when I have a moment’s peace around this time of year the cheer really affects me (effects? Cora can you help me?) in a positive way. Happy birthday Jesus.
10 comments:
As to the affect effect - here's the mnemonic. Think of the postal abbreviations for Virginia and Nebraska. NE, VA. N - noun means use the E- word Effect. V - Verb means use the A- Word Affect. Don't be confused and try to use the N word.
The cheerful tone of your post was a pleasant surprise, though I must tell you that IMG will never see you or anyone of your age as cool, regardless of Andre 3000 and company's marvelous metaphor.
Check the email for an early holiday gift (for MJ, mostly).
Okay, I understand that AFFECT is a verb and EFFECT is a noun. I figured JSG was reading my post in an airport with a billion other things on her mind so she missed the connection to Cora Spondence's earlier post, but my wife also assumed I didn't know the difference and was actually asking for help. I'm very good at grammar, very bad at spelling and typing.
JSG- thanks for the gift. It's perfect
your bright side makes me nervous, lj.
I thought that I could correct a potential embarrassment, "just between us girls" i.e. on your World Wide Web blog. Actually, I was so proud of the little mnemonic I just learned on one of my favorite podcasts, A Way With Words."
Yes, I was reading it in the airport, The Crown Room , actually. I also read yours before I read Cora's...
Ah grasshopper....for every yin there is a yang, with darkness there will be light, and for every psychotic ragestream burbling up ready to weed out the weak and the feeble-minded, there is the sunshine happiness of bluebirds dressing you before you skip to work whistling a happy Sinatra tune.
Today was a good day to croon. Quapla!
The eastside scribes were getting a litle dark for death's secretary, so she requested a happy post.
Thanks for the joy.
Not to confuse things with jsg's cool mnemonic, but you can actually effect change (cause to come into being or to bring about, often by surmounting obstacles), although people rarely do! (Just had to show off my stellar editing knowledge, even though I mostly fail the grammar quizzes on the Guide to Grammar and Writing CCCF). But now I will have to check out this podcast thing JSG talks about. I could listen at work, since it applies to my job, right? I've never actually listened to a podcast. Anyway, glad to see you post happy!
LJ - how do you feel about us using your blog for a grammar discussion?
Yep. On "A Way With Words" they said that AFFECT can be a noun (over the top, affect psycho term). EFFECT can be a verb too (to bring about a change). But Martha and Grant said those uses are rare. Another great podcast for "wordies" is the Grammar Girl They're quick and clever.
Sorry, LJ. You started it!
I'm fine with affect and effect, and accept and except. The only one I don't really understand is lay and lie. I would love a mnemonic for that.
Does anyone have a copy of the Phantom Tollbooth?
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