Tag Archives: language

Out-tut-tutting the Tut-tutters

Posted on November 1, 2018 by JMN

Doesn’t one write for oneself primordially? That alone will keep me powering out the posts ‘til kingdom come. If any one of them catches another eye, its ice cream on the frosting. I often bend double laughing at my own … Continue reading →

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Wordsong

Posted on November 1, 2018 by JMN

Kakistocracy. Kleptocratic kakistocracy. Kleptocratic kakistocracy of pettifoggers. Kleptocratic kakistocracy of pettifoggIng snollygosters. (c) 2018 JMN.

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Subjoins Mons Veneris? Nope

Posted on October 30, 2018 by JMN

This week, the European Space Agency released a picture taken by its Mars Express orbiter that showed what it described as “a curious cloud formation” stretching from east to west near Arsia Mons, the southernmost in a string of three … Continue reading →

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A little twirly birdie?

Posted on October 27, 2018 by JMN

I stream my music from Spotify and Pandora, resorting to radio only when I’m in the car. My local station is Jack Radio. Its jaunty slogan, We play what we want, belies the wretched predictability of its fare, a trait … Continue reading →

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Persuasion

Posted on October 27, 2018 by JMN

“The only way you persuade someone is to listen harder.” [While setting aside the guns?] (John Hickenlooper, quoted by Roger Cohen, “Can Colorado Save America?”, NYTimes, 10-26-18) (c) 2018 JMN.

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“Free Solo”

Posted on October 25, 2018 by JMN

[Reminds me of my mother — a historian, teacher, librarian, scribbler. (Ahem. I wonder who follows in her wake!) At her funeral I said of her grammarian and authorial chops: “For her, there was a good way and a better … Continue reading →

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How I Roll

Posted on October 25, 2018 by JMN

For a time I lunched once or twice a week with two other coltish scapegraces. One was a professional poet fellowshipping in the public schools under an arts grant. The other was the executive director of the local arts council … Continue reading →

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“Emphasis on the Right Syllable”

Posted on October 23, 2018 by JMN

[Neil Tennant is one half of The Pet Shop Boys, a long-running pop music duo (unknown to me) whose other half is Chris Lowe. At age 64, Tennant comes across In The Guardian interview as articulate, witty, and thoughtful in … Continue reading →

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Understanding Lyrics

Posted on October 23, 2018 by JMN

My sister told me I had to listen to “One Headlight” by Jakob Dylan and The Wallflowers. A friend had introduced her to the song. “Before you hear it,” she said, “I just want to say, you’re going to find … Continue reading →

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Hooray! An Adjective with All the Vowels!

Posted on October 21, 2018 by JMN

“… A darkened Rousseauian worldview.” (David Brooks, “The Rich White Civil War,” NYTimes, 10-16-18)

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