Saturday, January 28, 2012

Since we're talking about Grammar

Little known fact (or maybe not): the 8 am grammar class I took as an undergraduate in college was one of my very favorite.

I know, I am such a nerd.

That said, I actually can't remember too much about what we learned in that class. We did very little sentence diagramming--that is soooo old school--but I know we did a lot of labeling. Different types of verbs, clauses, phrases, sentence types: if it was typed on a paper we labelled it.

I do remember that for our big final group project my group choose to do the very important, landmark work of analyzing the grammatical patterns within the character dialogue in Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl. Wouldn't you know it those wily pirates use much more interesting and complex sentences types than those stodgy old British Naval Officers. They're so much more loveable. Aren't you glad I proved it for you, grammatically.

Even Jack Sparrow cares about grammar:

"I think we've all arrived at a very special place. Spiritually, ecumenically, grammatically . . . "

Friday, January 27, 2012

Grammar Rocks


With this latest project I've been thinking a lot about grammar. Yup. I'm pretty hip to the jive.

Anyway, that ol' Schoolhouse it doesn't lie. Grammar does rock. So in honor of it, and them, here's a li'l somethin' to brighten up your Friday.

What's your favorite part of speech/Grammar rocks song or video?

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Don't get me wrong


I love words. I love reading. I love writing. Why I'm even writing a whole story about . . . you guessed it, words. But this? This creeps me out.

May nothing like this ever happen to you.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Speaking of a hundred years of winter . . .

Did you miss me? Just as the spring finally did come to Narnia, so I have returned to my blog . . . or I've found my Mr. Tumnus or . . . you know, something all metaphoric and deep.

Once upon a time I used to update my blog. I even had grand visions of, gasp, writing regularly, developing a readership, maybe even finding a fan or two. Well you may or may not have noticed, but it's been a bit. I blame grad school, but then of course there was that summer vacation. Hmmmm, I'll have to think about that one.

Anyway, that's enough about that because now, I'm back! You want to know what's more? I've been writing. Really, I have.

I'll admit it. I stalled out on my last project. I decided to make some big structural changes within the novel, adding another point of view for a character I felt was getting seriously overlooked, but then I couldn't figure out the appropriate interpersonal dynamics between my other two my main characters. I thought and thought and thought about it. One afternoon I even swam laps for over an hour just mulling it over. Also, I tried to remember to breath, but that was secondary. I made several attempts to write out of my rut. I even flew all the way to England so I could go down to Oxford and pull up a bit o' grass on the bank of the Thames and write. But it turns out it is very difficult to write early twentieth century western frontier type dialogue when surrounded by the Britishness of poncy little undergraduates punting down the river, cornish pasties, and, you know, palaces. Fancy that.

Anyway, I finally decided that Cossette et all needed a break. Especially since I was launching into a semester studying Nonfiction and Victorian literature and gearing up for a second Mentorship writing a metafictive Middle Grade fantasy novel. A project where I can make everything up without feeling guilty that I haven't done sufficient research or I'm misconstruing various long-deceased family members? In a word: lovely. Though snerk is not entirely without his own problems. Just ask various friends, roommates, and family members who receive frantic phone calls, texts, and gchats saying, "Quick! What gender is Ain't!" and "But what are the gender politics if that word is feminine?" even "sorry [wasn't paying attention to your very important problem] I was busy drawing a map." I'm creating a whole world here. That's a lot of responsibility for someone who has never yet successfully kept a potted plant alive.

That said, dear readers, I am once again raising a very important question. Words if not worlds hang in the balance (drum roll):
If you had to marry either Mr. Elton, Mr. Eliot, or Mr. Collins which one would you choose?
Wait. Hang on, that wasn't the right question. Okay, for reals this time:
If there was a World of Words, which word would be their elected leader?
I've already picked my criminal mastermind, but I haven't settled on the Word herself. That's right. It's a woman. I'm just that edgy.

Now here's my parting promise to you, my readers. If you'll read and, gasp, comment, I'll keep-a-writin'.



Please note, the above mentioned question has and ought to have no bearing, connection, or commentary on any contemporary, political happenings. Different world, different cast of characters.