w&w 2011 - Small Beginnings

First steps. Turn on Nook. Go to "shop" and type Wodehouse in the search area. Download the complete works of P.G. Wodehouse for $3.99 all from the comfort of my bed. Yay.

Open book. Glance at the bottom of the page.
Pages? 4744
At this point I sit bolt upright, nock my cup of decaf over and think, "what on earth have I embarked upon?"

This might be more of an endeavor than I intended for...
I decide to work chronologically. Apparently this means I begin with The Pothunters. I open to chapter one- Patient Perseverence Produces Pugilistic Progidies. Pugilistic? I have to pull out a dictionary before I read the first sentence? Not a good sign. Thank goodness I have a Nook.

Pugilistic - boxing.
Okay, check. I guess now I can move onto the first sentence.

Of Wit and Wisdom

I am embarking on a new adventure. No, not the one previously mentioned on moving to Salt Lake, but I am attemping throughout the next year to tackle a previously unknown author to me- P.G. Wodehouse. I must admit I know rather nothing of him. In recently reading The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, and discussing it in my fabulous book group, it was mentioned that his wit, command of language, and light hearted writing was quite similar to Wodehouse.

I figure three things. 1. I need more light hearted humor in my life. 2. I need to challenge my grey matter so that it doesn't wither away from lack of use. and 3. I will never do it unless I provide some accountability by making it public.

So for those of you who love reading, check back to see my progess, notes, and impressions. For those of you who don't- skip anything with w&w 2011 in the title. Cheers!

Lesson #4 in semantics - The fire alarm

Every year (at least so far) we attend the Faithwalkers Conference as a family. This year during one of the much needed afternoon naps the hotel decided it was a prime opportunity to do a fire drill. Alarms went off. Babies woke up. All except my son who slept through it.

The alarm became the buzz on the town... at least for the kids. One such conversation went like this:
Anibel: Is the fire alarm going to go on during the night?
Me: No Bells. It won't go off. I think they are done.
(Anibel starts to cry)
Chris: Why are you crying?
Anibel: I don't want the alarm to go on. It scares me!
Chris: We just said we don't think the alarm is going to go off. You don't have to worry!
Anibel : But if it doesn't go off then it will be on all night!

It took us a few moments to grasp her point.
Me: Oh Punkin, your confused. When we say the alarm won't go off we mean it won't go on. See when someone one says, "the alarm went off" it really means it went on...

Once again I am amazed at the language ironies I've never even noticed before.

word of the day - excrescence

1. a projection or outgrowth esp. when abnormal
2. a disfiguring, extraneous, or unwanted mark or part