Monthly Archives: May 2016

May 17, 2016 · 0:00

In Praise of Paragraphs

Is it just me?

Am I alone in this?

Am I the only one who knows how to use the return carriage?  The “enter” key?

Paragraphs.  I need paragraphs.

Reading a post, or a story, or anything at all where there is one long block of text makes e cray-cray.

Visually.

Conceptually.

Textually.

For those who don’t know what that means, here is the Miriam Webster definition:

Simple Definition of paragraph

  • : a part of a piece of writing that usually deals with one subject, that begins on a new line, and that is made up of one or more sentences

Perhaps it is my age.  Or the fact that I write for a living.  But every time I see a blog post that is one loooooooooooooooooooong paragraph, I look elsewhere for entertainment or enlightenment.

 

 

 

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Filed under ; Don't Make Me Feel Perky Tonigh, Humor, In praise of paragraphing, Return carriage, Things that make me nuts, Writing technique

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May 12, 2016 · 0:00

Food to Smile About

Tippy over at Chasing Unicorns has a practical way for us to help folks. Food donations collected by the US Postal Service.

Tippy Gnu's avatarChasing Unicorns

Leave canned or boxed food in your mailbox, Saturday, May 14th. Leave canned or other packaged, non-perishable foods in your mailbox, Saturday, May 14th.
It was my noblesse oblige that brought me to the grocery store, and duty is never fun. The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) is holding its annual Food Drive this Saturday, May 14th.

Sigh. So I went to the supermarket to find some canned goods to leave in my mailbox. That’s when the conservative side of me began to grumble. “These poor people,” my inner voice whined, “have often made bad choices. They’ve gotten mixed up with drugs and alcohol. They’ve committed crimes. They’ve made stupid career decisions. And now, I’m supposed to feed them?”

The liberal side of me began clearing its throat to say something guilt-inducing in response. But I shushed both of these voices. There was something deeper and more distant stirring within. My own childhood.

I grew up poor. And it was…

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May 11, 2016 · 0:00

Scientific studies

A good part of my job is to look at scientific studies and figure out if they represent good science.  You’d think they’d hire an actual scientist to do that, but, really it’s not necessary.  There are a handful of rules good science follows, and then there is a lot of common sense involved.  I can follow rules, and I am bogged down with common sense, so I am fairly good at analyzing a fair percentage of them.  If the studies look at science that is over my head, or if it involves statistics, I give it to somebody else.

It turns out, I’m not the only non-scientist who looks at scientific studies!  I’m not even the only funny non-scientist who does.

On Sunday, John Oliver took a look on Last Week Tonight.

For the entire version, which Word Press won’t let me post because it’s too long, click on this link.

And don’t believe everything you read.  Or hear.

 

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Filed under 'Merica, All The News You Need, Cancer, Drugs, Health, Health and Medicine, Huh?, Humor, Science

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May 9, 2016 · 0:00

When your life is going to the dogs

This morning I woke to a wonderful, life renewing news story.  Since that sort of story seems to be happening less frequently, I thought I’d share.

When I am at my lowest points in life, one of the things that has always gotten me through has been my dog.  From the time I was a kid and I brought my problems to Okie, to when I was so sick in the 80s and Goliath kept my mind off of me and on whatever crazy thing he was doing.  Or the time he literally saved my life.  Charlie, Cooper and now Duncan have all played a big part in helping me through rough times.

In turn, my dogs have always had great care and lots of love. That’s my part of the bargain.  Most people with pets feel more or less the same way.

So every time I read about a natural disaster, I worry about the pets.  They can’t be replaced.  And imagine if you lose a beloved pet because rescuers won’t let you bring him.

The story I read warmed my heart.

You’ve heard about the devastating fires in Canada.  Well two Canadian airlines West Jet and Canadian North have allowed folks to bring their pets along when they’re evacuated.

Canadian North

Two airlines with hearts — WestJet and Canadian North.  Image from Huffington Post

For more heartwarming pictures and ways to help the folks who have lost so much, here’s the link to the Huffington Post article.

Happy Monday.

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May 6, 2016 · 0:00

Let’s talk…

Sometimes paying attention to the world makes me want to scream. But then something really good happens out of the blue. Like the girls in this post.

Vickie Lester's avatarBEGUILING HOLLYWOOD

pillowtalkpremiere6 Rock Hudson, Gloria Swanson, and Tallulah Bankhead at the premiere of “Pillow Talk” (1959)

I often wonder about the lost art of conversation.

In a way social media binds us together, but I can’t help thinking the Internet might be leading to the automation of humanity. Walk down any street and see heads bent to devices, ignoring the world for a digital sampling. And while I get what chasms are bridged by a leap through cyberspace — yes — I get it. I correspond now with people across the world who I have never met, yet we are virtually close. That’s right just a byte away from close, because for us organic souls what clinches the deal in friendship and intimacy is contact. So while overtures can be made online, there’s nothing like face time, and by that I mean in close proximity with no electrical intermediary, IRL.

It concerns…

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