The Theory of a Few Things—the pen is mightier than I

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A place to write, a stack of scratch paper, and a cupful of pens (and a dog–Polly in this case)

So, I have a theory.

A few theories.

Abstract

This past year is probably the most difficult I’ve gone through since I was diagnosed with depression.

Summary: Twenty years ago, I tried meds. They helped for a few months, then turned on me (which is not the same as Timothy Leary’s recommendation to be turned on by drugs; depressive episodes often result in my dropping out of just about everything though, so maybe they’re related after all). After the drugs went south, I got some alternative and effective help. For many years I lived a life almost free of the disease. But like cancer—does it really go away? In the past decade I gradually became accustomed to summer SAD, then autumn SAD, holiday SAD, Spring SAD. This year it was finally difficult to find a significant number of SAD-free hours almost every day.

Theory 1

It’s important to keep busy. Read More →

Adventures in Pin Loom Book Writing—the love of friends

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Do you consider yourself a neat and tidy person?

I grew up watching The Odd Couple on TV, with Felix the uptight neatnik and Oscar the grouchy slob. I like this photo because they’re both smiling. Sometimes they got along.

Jack Klugman and Tony Randall, 1970s television’s Odd Couple

Like most people, I suppose, I identified somewhere in the middle—not too neat, not too messy; just right. I think the show’s writers wanted us to like Oscar the best though. I certainly did. I grew up always liking Jack Klugman and not liking Tony Randall, didn’t matter what other productions they were in. And I seem to have become more Oscarish in my habits. Read More →

Adventures in English Usage — Purposely vs. Purposefully

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It might not be a big deal to most people, but you ain’t most people, ai’ you?

Lina Lamont: "People"? I ain't "people." I am a - "a shimmering, glowing star in the cinema firmament."

Lina Lamont: “People”? I ain’t “people.” I am a – “a shimmering, glowing star in the cinema firmament.” (photo and quote courtesy of IMDB)

When I’m reading a scholarly piece of writing, and run across the word purposefully, I pause. It’s probably inadvertent because if the writer had used the correct word, I’d have breezed on by.

Immediately on the heels of the pause, I usually cringe because the author used the wrong word. Purposefully and purposely are purposely two different words with two different meanings. Because of ignorance, we’ve allowed purposefully to piggyback on purposely‘s meaning—which throws our language out of balance. The result is weak, muddy writing that casts aspersions on the authority of the author. If they don’t even know the difference between purposely and purposefully, how can I believe everything else they say? Read More →