just a subtle reminder that
olive the cat not the martini garnish/editor at large/bon vivant
is always watching
ready to offer ‘worldly suggestions’ to improve my writing.
—
“you can observe a lot just by watching.”
-yogi berra
Jan3
Author Archives: beth
Jan2
banished.
When was the last time you called someone a GOAT? Or declared an “inflection point,” or answered a yes-or-no question with “absolutely”?
Probably too recently, say the faculty of Lake Superior State University, the Michigan college that releases an annual list of words that they say deserve to be “banished” from our vocabularies over “misuse, overuse and uselessness.”
“Our nominators insisted, and our Arts and Letters faculty judges concurred, that to decree the Banished Words List 2023 as the GOAT is tantamount to gaslighting. Does that make sense?” said Rodney S. Hanley, the university’s president. “Irregardless, moving forward, it is what it is: an absolutely amazing inflection point of purposeless and ineptitude that overtakes so many mouths and fingers,” Hanley added.
Here’s the full list of the school’s banished words for this year:
- GOAT
- Inflection point
- Quiet quitting
- Gaslighting
- Moving forward
- Amazing
- Does that make sense?
- Irregardless
- Absolutely
- It is what it is
Out of over 1,500 nominations — from people across the U.S. and as far afield as New Zealand and Namibia — judges declared that this year’s top offender was “GOAT,” the acronym for “greatest of all time.”
Nominators and faculty alike found the term objectionable due both to its impossibility – how can anyone declare a single best of all time when another may come along in the future – and the liberal way the title is dispensed these days.
“The singularity of ‘greatest of all time’ cannot happen, no way, no how. And instead of being selectively administered, it’s readily conferred,” said Peter Szatmary, a spokesperson for Lake State.
Lake State’s faculty judges would likely argue that was too many people (and non-people) described as “the greatest of all time.” “Words and terms matter. Or at least they should,” Szatmary said.
Joining “GOAT” in banishment are nine other words and phrases that nominators and judges complained were used so often that they had become disconnected from their literal meanings – like “amazing,” which nominators fretted no longer meant “dazzling” or “awe-inspiring.”
“Not everything is amazing; and when you think about it, very little is,” one nominator noted.
Sponsor Message
Frequently targeted are of-the-moment phrases like “in these uncertain times” (as so many COVID-related messages began in 2020), “information superhighway” (banished in 1995) and “filmed before a live studio audience” (such a vice it was banished twice, first in 1987 then again in 1990).
—
“the flowery style is not unsuitable to public speeches or addresses, which amount only to compliment.
the lighter beauties are in their place when there is nothing more solid to say;
but the flowery style ought to be banished from a pleading, a sermon, or a didactic work.
-voltaire
—
credits: npr, becky sullivan, image, christopher furlong, getty images
Jan1
on the new year.
welcome to 2023
—
“just a reminder that you don’t have to make resolutions, or huge decisions, or big proclamations.
you can just set some sweet intentions and take each day as it comes.”
-victoria erickson
—
vintage illustration: moon and stars tree
Dec31
too much i-scream?
“the present is the ever-moving shadow that divides yesterday from tomorrow. in that lies hope.”
-frank lloyd wright
–
wishing you a happy new year, when midnight arrives in your part of the world
—
art credit: dan reynolds
Dec30
in the dark of december.
“i heard a bird sing in the dark of december.
a magical thing.
and sweet to remember.
we are nearer to spring than we were in september.
i heard a bird sing in the dark of december.”
-oliver herford
—
art credit: “Winter Moon”, photograph by Ginette Brosseau
This dark winter landscape photo was taken not far from her home
along the shores of the St. Lawrence river in Quebec.
Dec29
just stop.
for those who may be unsure
i’m going to just go ahead and say it:
a stop sign in not meant to be a suggestion.
(good thing there’s a backup here for a second chance to get it right)
—
‘if you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.”
-orson welles
Dec28
the jetsons.
while filling up my car with gas
a man walked over to me saying
how it would have been great
if one of the inventions from ‘the jetsons’ show had come to be –
a warm air pad that you walked on, so you were never cold
i reminded him of their version of the microwave
where you pushed a button and your food was cooked in seconds
from there it continued on, back and forth
with inventions remembered from the show
until we both of our cars were filled up
going on our merry way
what an interesting conversation to have with a random stranger at the gas pump
perhaps he recognized a fellow jetsons fan
not your usual small talk, but rather refreshing
triggering memories of my favorite childhood cartoon.
—
the jetsons premiered when i was 5 years old on abc tv (their first color show!) on sunday nights. i loved it instantly; the characters, the banter, the clothes, and all the cool space-age stuff. unfortunately it only ran for one season and then quickly disappeared from the airwaves, except in reruns and later movies.
here’s smithsonian’s take on the show:
It was 50 years ago that the Jetson family first jet-packed their way into American homes. The show lasted just one season (24 episodes) after its debut in 1962, offering television viewers a rather sunny and optimistic view of the future. Flying cars, moving sidewalks, and flat-screen TVs were the norm. Even the Jetson family’s sky home was considered envious. ABC set The Jetsons in 2062, exactly 100 years from the year that the show premiered. Based on the Jetson family’s phone number, one could argue that they didn’t live on Earth or just above it. The family’s phone number was VENUS-1234, meaning they were most likely residents on Venus.
Regardless of its short-running timeframe, the show remains a point of pop culture reference all these years later. Some of the inventions that existed on The Jetsons are available today, and they did predict current technologies. Some examples include; interactive newspapers, robotic help, holograms, and drones. The most widespread Jetson-inspired invention is the Apple Watch. It closely resembles the device George wore on his wrist to call work, make appointments, handle doctor visits, and much more.
Tesla is teasing us with self-autonomous vehicles, but people are still waiting for the highly-accessible flying cars used by the Jetsons. We may not have to wait another 50 years as a Slovakian company is currently working on a flying car prototype. Smithsonian Magazine said, “The Jetsons stands as the single most important piece of 20th-century futurism.” They claim the show “has had a profound impact on the way that Americans think and talk about the future.”
—
image credit: hanna-barbera productions, abc tv, warner brothers archives,smithsonian magazine
Dec27
house of cards.
learned a new card game
while hanging with family at christmas
when someone reads the rules
it does nothing for me
i learn best by trial and error
lots of trials
lots of errors
but i did somehow win my first game
with a combo
of good luck and a happy accident
nothing to do with strategy
i’m fine with that
then got slaughtered in the next five games
by the kids
my hot streak might be over.
—
“You’ve got to know when to hold ’emKnow when to fold ’emKnow when to walk awayAnd know when to runYou never count your moneyWhen you’re sittin’ at the tableThere’ll be time enough for countin’When the dealin’s done.”
-kenny rogers, the gambler
—
photo credits: universal studios, facebook
Dec26
delivering.
when you invite a man in a red suit and a pack of flying reindeer into your midnight kitchen
it’s not all that surprising, on the morning after, that is doesn’t look exactly how you left it
while you did put the coffee pod out as a option as needed
you don’t remember putting the bailey’s out for a shot
but i am pretty sure they had a good time on their stop
and were happy for a little pick me up
before heading out to finish their deliveries
on their busiest night of the year.
—
“a fellow doesn’t last long on what he has done. he has to keep on delivering.”
-carl hubbell
Dec25
love in action.
and this year
santa and his crew will even have plate decorations
and a keuring cup
in case they’re cold and in need of a cup of coffee.
—
“christmas, my child, is love in action.”
-dale evans (american cowgirl star)
I didn't have my glasses on.... 