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Gay people want to destroy the world

May 14, 2010 by Beth

I may need to stop reading the paper. It’s not good for my blood pressure.

This time it is not because of a Savannah Morning News error, but rather an article that is printed on page 12A. It was a small piece, but it had a large effect on me.

Warning: If you are Catholic, or a pope supporter in general, you might want to stop reading now. I’m about to write some not-so-nice things about the pontiff.

According to the SMN article (The New York Times has a larger, better overview), Pope Benedict XVI told Catholic social workers, health providers and some others assembled for a Mass in Fatima, Portugal, that abortion and same-sex marriage were two of the most “insidious and dangerous” threats facing the world today.

Really? Happy gay people are a threat to the world?

Not child abuse? Really?

Ben, let’s talk. I know you are in a world of hurt trying to pretend that you don’t need to deal with your big, fat scandal, but you cannot throw us off the scent.

I know you don’t have kids, so you might not get it, but children are sponges. They soak up all the good and bad that they see, hear and feel. So if a bishop is letting his little bishop run free all over 10-year-old hide, there is a problem. And that is going to affect that child forever.

If you believe that killing children (even still as a fetus) is wrong, then how could you not see abuse as one of the biggest threats to the world? There are thousands and thousands of children who have been abused by priests and others in the Catholic Church and likely will suffer psychological, emotional and physical effects. According to the American Psychological Association, children who have been abused have an increased risk for:

  • Depression
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder
  • Dissociative and anxiety disorders
  • Eating disorders
  • Poor self-esteem
  • Somatization (the expression of distress in physical symptoms)
  • Chronic pain
  • Behavioral problems including sexualized behavior, school/learning problems, substance abuse, destructive behavior, sexual dysfunction in adulthood, criminality in adulthood
  • Suicide

Barbara E. Bogorad, Psy.D., founder and former director of the Sexual Abuse Recovery Program Unit of South Oaks Hospital in New York wrote:

Abused children are 53% more likely to be arrested as juveniles, and 38% more likely to be arrested for a violent crime. During preschool years, abused children are more likely to get angry, refuse direction from teachers, and lack enthusiasm. By the time they reach grade school, they are more prone to being easily distracted, lacking in self-control, and not well-liked by peers.

But it is same-sex marriage you choose to target as the problem?

Yes, there is a problem. And he is wearing a pointy hat.

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Making a difference

May 14, 2010 by Beth

“Grizzly” turned me into quite the bear this morning. In fact, I felt compelled to write to the “compiler.”

Here is the story now:

I’d like to think someone changed it because of me.* But my buddy Arek did not reply, so I don’t know for sure.

It doesn’t matter, really. I’ll keep on defending the English language’s honor, one heterograph at a time.

*Note for Rachael and Deanne: No one fixed the hyphen or modifier issues, though.

Posted in Grammar, etc. | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment »

Come ON!

May 13, 2010 by Beth

Yes, I know I just posted an entry last night, but I had to post again. Please feast your eyes upon this:

Grizzly? Seriously? They think a bear attacked the man?

No. They meant “grisly.” Come ON!

The good folks at the Savannah Morning News should be ashamed. It appears Arek Sarkissian II compiled the information for the article. I seem to recall he also enjoys putting in an ampersand in the college’s name.

Posted in Grammar, etc. | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments »

Stop and sniff

May 12, 2010 by Beth

I need a vacation. I’m perpetually wearing a pinched look and I never have time to do what’s on my “to do” list. The hamster on the wheel in my mind wants a potty break.

Two more weeks until the end of the quarter. Dozens of papers and projects to grade. Thesis projects to evaluate. And so much more. Then I can breathe again, and enjoy a day of reading some trashy novel on the beach.

Until that time, I will remember that this too shall pass. Today, I made myself stop and savor the smell of the jasmine growing across the street from Arnold Hall, and thought how sad it was that I had to force myself to take note of the natural world. It took 30 seconds, but I felt better for hours.

I will take a cue from Dominic, who notices everything. “Mama,” he said.”The chickens are starting to have tails.” I hadn’t noticed.

Now I will.

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The day of the mom

May 9, 2010 by Beth

I feel about Mother’s Day the way I feel about Valentine’s Day: It is kind of a silly holiday. People should appreciate moms every day of the year, not just one magical day. But I’m not going to turn down a little extra love.

It is kind of cool when you have little kids, because you get the special craft projects. Dominic drew a card that featured two of his favorite things: Jupiter and a Euoplocephalus.

And how could I not love this plaque from Gideon?

Maybe Mother’s Day isn’t so silly after all.

(And her heart grew three sizes that day.)

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Loathing, unadulterated loathing

May 7, 2010 by Beth

The chickens hate me. Or they are completely terrified of me. Or both.

It makes me sad, because Trish loved me. And I’ve done all the same things with them that I did with her, like talking and petting.

There’s nothing worse than ungrateful poultry. It’s foul fowl behavior.

But I guess I should expect it. Shelly and Jeanne are in that ugly teenager phase. All gangly with feathers sticking up all over. They probably have acne. And don’t all teenagers hate their parents at that age?

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A T. Rex tale

May 6, 2010 by Beth

I love Thursdays because on Thursdays I get folders from my children’s teachers that have work from the past week. It is the day I read Dominic’s stories. And I laugh and laugh. I hope you will too.

“The Dinosaur Story” by Dominic

Once upon a time there was a T. Rex. Me and Gideon and my daddy and Mona were hunting for dinosaurs.* We saw a T. Rex. We ran because it was hungry to eat humans. Then we saw a Euoplocephalus. We petted it. We rode on the Euoplocephalus and its tail hit the T. Rex’s leg and it fell down. We said, “Are you going to be good, T. Rex?” He said, “Raa Raa!” We rode back home on the T. Rex and gave it meat.

Mona, the T. Rex and a tree that needs water

Yes, he used the word “Euoplocephalus,” and he knows what one looks like (although he did not draw it). It is clear he is my son, and fellow lover of words.

*Note: He informed me that this is just pretend because humans never lived with dinosaurs.

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More words I love

May 5, 2010 by Beth

I love so many disease names. I’m very interested in medical things in general. “Trauma: Life in the ER” is a great show. Definitions courtesy of Merriam-Webster.

Scurvy: a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C and characterized by spongy gums, loosening of the teeth, and a bleeding into the skin and mucous membranes
It makes me feel like a pirate when I get a chance to say it.
Example: It looks like Austin has a bad case of scurvy.

Narcolepsy: a condition characterized by brief attacks of deep sleep often occurring with cataplexy and hypnagogic hallucinations
I also like “narcoleptic.”
Example: The professor worried that Daniel had narcolepsy.

Scabies: contagious itch or mange especially with exudative crusts that is caused by parasitic mites (especially Sarcoptes scabiei)
You don’t really hear about cases of scabies very much. That’s too bad. I really like the word.
Example: Charlotte woke up the next day with a hangover, scabies, and a guy named Nate.

Rabies: an acute virus of the nervous system of mammals that is caused by a rhabdovirus (species Rabies virus of the genus Lyssavirus) usually transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal and that is characterized typically by increased salivation, abnormal behavior, and eventual paralysis and death when untreated
Similar to scabies in that I really like the sound of the word. I also like “rabid.”
Example: “Now I’ll get rabies!” Jenny screamed after she was attacked by a rabid weasel.

Chickenpox: an acute contagious disease, especially of children, marked by low-grade fever and formation of vesicles and caused by a herpesvirus
It has nothing to do with chickens. The virus hangs out and can later cause shingles.
Example: Becca was convinced her daughter had chickenpox.

Leprosy: a chronic infectious disease caused by a mycobacterium affecting especially the skin and peripheral nerves and characterized by the formation of nodules or macules that enlarge and spread accompanied by loss of sensation with eventual paralysis, wasting of muscle, and production of deformities
You just don’t hear much about leprosy anymore. I also love the word “leper.”
Example: Kristine felt like a leper as she endured the bachelorette party at Deja Groove.

Gingivitis: inflammation of the gums
It’s just a fancy way of saying, “Yuck! You need to brush your teeth more often!”
Example: As soon as he opened his mouth and Elisa noticed his acute gingivitis, the blind date was over.

Halitosis: a condition of having fetid breath
If I like “gingivitis,” you know “halitosis” can’t be far behind. I also like “fetid.”
Example: Andrea could smell Elisa’s date’s halitosis before he even spoke.

Angina: a disease marked by spasmodic attacks of intense suffocative pain
It sounds a bit saucy, but it is not.
Example: Cameron claimed she had an angina attack to get out of the ad workshop.

Fasciitis: inflammation of a fascia (as from infection or injury)
It is just fun to say (though clearly not to have).
Example: Eddie had to wear a special boot to cure his plantar fasciitis.

As a side note, my favorite drug name is Boniva
(for osteoporosis).

Posted in Grammar, etc. | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments »

Words I love

May 3, 2010 by Beth

I’ve mentioned words I hate in a number of posts. Lest you think I am a negative person — a hater, if you will — I have compiled a list of words I love (definitions courtesy of dictionary.com). Here they are, in no particular order:

Moist (adjective): Moderately or slightly wet; damp
People either love this word or hate it. I love it because I think it really conveys that clammy quality.
Example: I shook his moist, limp hand, and instantly regretted it.

Egregious (adjective): extraordinary in some bad way; glaring; flagrant
The word just rolls off the tongue (or off the fingers, as the case may be).
Example: The professor wrote, “I will take off five points for each egregious error I find.”

Heinous (adjective): hateful; odious
Like egregious, it is just a good, all-purpose adjective to convey something unpleasant.
Example: Trish’s attitude swings from lovely to heinous — sometimes within minutes.

Beastly (adjective): nasty; unpleasant; disagreeable
See “egregious” and “heinous.”
Example: The humidity in Savannah is quite beastly in August.

Harass (verb): to disturb persistently; pester
Up until recently, this word was pronounced “HAIR-uhs” (and still is in many places). Here in America, we commonly say “huh-RASS,” which I like better because it is stronger (and I get to say “ass”).
Example: “Gideon, stop harassing the dog!” Eddie said.

Jackass (noun): a contemptibly foolish or stupid person
Speaking of ass, “jackass” is also a great word. It is strong, succinct, and also employs the word “ass.”
Example: People who leave anonymous comments on blogs are just jackasses.

Badger (verb): to harass
It is just such a great, descriptive verb.
Example: Dominic would not stop badgering his mother about his Batman suit.

Meh (interjection): expression of apathy or indifference
Nothing says indifference quite like “meh.” Just ask students in my classes.
Example: She asked, “Professor, how do you feel about my paper topic?” “Meh,” I replied.

Rascal (noun): a mischievous person or animal
I think I might have stolen this word from Eddie. I’m a rascal.
Example: Eddie looked at our wedding picture and said, “Who’s that handsome rascal?”


Hillbilly (noun): a person from a backwoods or other remote area
The word conjures up so many fantastic images.
Example: Effingham County is populated with hillbillies; Chatham County is populated with hillbillies who have money.

I see a theme here. I promise I also like words that convey positive things. But that is for another post.

Posted in Grammar, etc. | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Twitter: Language’s Wild Wild West

April 30, 2010 by Beth

Shane Marshall Brown, He Who Has Three Names, sent to me a link to a New York Times article about self-appointed Twitter scolds. I love it.

Even though I usually give people a pass for Facebook and Twitter, I’m happy to see others carrying the torch for proper grammar and punctuation.

I wonder if they noticed the Deen Brothers’ tweet with the incorrect apostrophe:

Meanwhile, I’m still busy with loathsome words such as “partner.” Here it is, offending me from behind a glass enclosure at Memorial Health University Medical Center.

Why can’t they just join Memorial? Or be listed as co-sponsors? Or just have the logos without text? Sigh.

Posted in Grammar, etc. | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

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