Meek on Monday

Date:                                                       Monday, February 7th, 2011
Word of the Day:                                    desideratum (did\sid\uh\RAY\tum);  something desired or considered necessary
      
Weight:                                                   two hundred and six (206) pounds
Goal:                                                       lose one hundred (100) pounds in one year duration
Pounds to lose:                                        seventy-four (74)
Waist Size:                                              forty-one (41) inches
Days until Royal Wedding:                     eighty-two (82)
Rowing Duration:                                    thirty-nine (39) minutes, fourteen (14) seconds

Well I had a great improvement in my rowing, I hope this means I'm finally getting back to a normal state, whatever that normal may be!

Thank you to all of those who sent me messages to get well yesterday, your concern and thoughtfulness means alot to me.

So the Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl, I wonder if that means everyone on that team will get a hefty raise, I'm told that the commercials during the show were really quite something, (as you may have guessed or surmised, I never watched the show,) especially the little boy that did the takeoff of Dark Vader and the commercial for flowers that had Faith Hill in it; I love Faith Hill!

Poor Zac has to go to the dentist today; I feel badly for anyone that has to go to the dentist, I don't like going to the dentist, let me amend that, I hate going to the dentist!, ever since I saw the movie "Marathon Man!" gosh that was so scary, even today, I still shudder when I remember that movie.


There sure is alot of snow where I am and it is making me long for Florida.  Zac and I are questioning whether or not we will be able to go back to Florida in March, we had planned to go but with these kidney stones inside me that could set off at any time, well, we wouldn't want that to happen while we were in Florida,  as if I had to go to the hospital, which is what I would need to do if the kidney stones decided to dislodge, and they will dislodge, when that is though, is anybody's guess, so going to the hospital will ensure our insurance rates to go extremely high. 

Zac and I already pay a huge amount of money for health insurance while we travel because of not only my previous hospitalizations for asthma,  but also because Zac has had cancer.   Having travel health insurance is kind of funny, it is there if you absolutely need it, but if you use it, you really get penalized for it, really quite bizarre when you think about it.

Did you know that today would have been the birthday of Eva Braun?  Braun, a saleswoman in the shop of Adolf Hitler's photographer became Hitler's mistress in the 1930s.  Although she lived in various homes provided by Hitler's throughout their courtship, first in a house in Munich, and later in his Berchtesgaden chalet, Hitler never allowed Eva Braun to be seen in public with him.

In 1945 with the allies drawing ever closer, Eva Braun joined Hitler in Berlin against his orders.  In recognition of her loyalty, Hitler married Eva Braun in a civil ceremony in their bunker.  And that ladies, in case you are wondering, is just one of the ways you can get a man to marry you, hehe, other ways include blackmail, pregnancy and money, but, I do recommend the one true way, and that is having the man fall in love with you, men need love also ladies, please remember that.

I think people that on the note of love, because love is always a good transition to anything, and everything, but today, love will be the way I end today's post, you all take care now.


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Cover of Faith Hill

Super Bowl Sunday

Date:                                                    Sunday, February 6th, 2011
Word of the Day:                                 abscond (ab\SKOND); to depart secretly; to steal away and hide oneself, used especially of persons who withdraw to avoid arrest or prosecution

Weight:                                                two hundred and six (206) pounds
Goal:                                                    lose one hundred (100) pounds
Pounds to lose:                                    seventy-four (74)
Waist Size:                                           forty-one (41) inches
Days until Royal Wedding:                  eighty-three (83)
Rowing Duration:                                 sick

I woke up with an upset stomach this morning and am feeling just horrible.  Sorry, I can't write today because of this maladie.

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Single on Saturday

Date:                                                       Saturday, February 5th, 2011
Word of the Day:                                     effluvium (ih\FLOO\vee\uhm); a slight or invisible exhalation or vapour, especially (esp.) one that is disagreeable

Weight:                                                   two hundred and six (206) pounds
Goal:                                                      lose one hundred (100) pounds in one (1) year duration
Pounds to lose:                                       eighty-four (84)
Waist Size:                                             forty-one (41) inches
Days until Royal Wedding:                    eighty-four (84) I wonder if Kate's dress has been made yet
Rowing Duration:                                   twenty-five (25) minutes, four (4) seconds

Image via Wikipedia

I had a lot of difficulty on Cruella this morning, my feet have swollen up, yet again, for some bizarre reason,  and I could not wear shoes on the rowing machine, because of this, my heels constantly rubbed against the back of the foot stirrup, which is some kind of plastic and this irritated both of the heels so much that I had to stop rowing, much earlier than I would have preferred.

So tomorrow is The Super Bowl, which I believe is some kind of football game and that the commercials during this game are always sensational, I shall not be watching, but if you do, please let me know how the commercials were, and if you are having a Super Bowl Party, I am not, I hope all of you have a great time.


What a great word of the day, I'm not so keen on it's definition, but I do like the word, and it's pronunciation, maybe I can find a way to introduce a new definition, no, I better not do that or I will definitely be in the running to be called Mrs. Malaprop.  What do you mean you don't know who or what is Mrs. Malaprop.

The terms malapropism and the earlier variant Malaprop come from Richard Brinsley Sheridan's 1775 play "The Rivals,"  and in particular the character "Mrs. Malaprop."   Sheridan presumably named his character Mrs. Malaprop, who frequently misspoke (to great comic effect),  in joking reference to the word malapropos.   Here are some examples of malapropism's taken from Sheridan's play, "The Rivals.":

"...promise to forget this fellow - to illiterate him, I say, quite from your memory." (i.e. obliterate; Act I Scene II Line 178)

"...she might reprehend the true meaning of what she is saying." (i.e. comprehend; Act I Scene II Line 258)

"...she's as headstrong as an allegory on the banks of Nile." (i.e. alligator; Act III Scene III Line 195)

"Sure, if I reprehend any thing in this world it is the use of my oracular tongue, and a nice derangement of epitaphs!" (i.e. apprehend, vernacular, arrangement, epithets)

Aren't they classic?, I think those malapropisms are so very funny, I just love them, hope you do too!  The following is a clearer, and definitive explanation on what exactly is a malapropis.


A malapropism (also called a Dogberryism or acyrologia) is the substitution of a word for a word with a similar sound, in which the resulting phrase makes no sense but often creates a comic effect.   It is not the same as an eggcorn, which is a similar substitution in which the new phrase makes sense on some level.  Occasionally a phrase, rather than a single word, replaces the original word, for example Stan Laurel said "What a terrible cat's after me!" (i.e., catastrophe) in Any Old Port!

The word malapropos is an adjective or adverb meaning "inappropriate" or "inappropriately", derived from the French phrase mal à propos (literally "ill-suited".)  The earliest English usage of the word cited in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is from 1630.   Malaprop used in the linguistic sense was first used by Lord Byron in 1814 according to the OED.

The alternative term "Dogberryism" comes from the 1598 Shakespearean play "Much Ado About Nothing," in which the character "Dogberry" produces many malapropisms with humorous effect.

An instance of mis-speech is called a malapropism when:

1.  The word or phrase that is used means something different from the word the speaker or writer intended to use.


2.  The word or phrase that is used sounds similar to the word that was apparently meant or intended. Using obtuse (wide or dull) instead of acute (narrow or sharp) is not a malapropism; using obtuse (stupid or slow-witted) when one means abstruse (esoteric or difficult to understand) would be.


3.  The word or phrase that is used has a recognized meaning in the speaker's or writer's language.


4.  The resulting utterance is nonsense.


These characteristics set malapropisms apart from other speaking or writing mistakes, such as an eggcorns or spoonerisms.

Simply making up a word, or adding a redundant or ungrammatical prefix suffix (subliminal instead of subliminal) to an existing word, does not qualify as a malapropism, pay attention Lily!!!!!

It's always something and today researchers are now saying that children of working mothers gain more weight.  The researchers go on to say that there is an association between the length of a mother's employment and her child's body mass index (BMI.) 

Researchers found that the more years woman spent at work, after her child's birth, the more the child's BMI rose.  It is possible that children of working mothers eat more fast food and restaurant meals, since their mothers are more pressed for time and this may be contributing to the obesity factor.

The researchers are quick to point out that the finding does not indicate that being a working mother causes obesity in children and that mothers leaving the workforce will not eliminate the problem of childhood obesity.

I guess it is inferred that these children are not supervised in the least, which then lends the conclusion that the children must be old enough to be on their own, I believe the age of children on their own is twelve (12) years of age, anyway, if children on their own are over-eating, perhaps they should not be on their own,  and that the parents should take steps to rectify, or at least help the problem and that is how I feel.

It is time now for me to eat a nice wholesome breakfast, I am now eating oatmeal for my daily breakfast, and have been doing so for a week, regardless, I hope you all have a great day and weekend.

One more little note on the subject of Super Bowl Parties, drink responsibly and don't drive, for goodness sake, can't you have a good time without the aid of liquor?  I mean, isn't being with your friends and watching a sporting event together a good enough time!


Take care now.


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Fun and Flirting on Friday

Date:                                                        Friday, February 4th, 2011
Word of the Day:                                     eclat (ey\KLAH); brilliance of success; reputation, etc; showy or elaborate display

Weight:                                                    two hundred and six (206) pounds
Goal:                                                        lose one hundred (100) pounds in one year duration
Pounds to lose:                                        seventy-four (74)

Image via Wikipedia

Waist Size:                                               forty-one (41)
Days until Royal Wedding:                      eighty-five (85)
Rowing Duration:                                     thirty-one (31) minutes, ten (10) seconds

It is Friday yet again, and you made it to another weekend, I hope you all have a good one.  My weekend is expected to be quiet,  so in all likelihood, I shall be busy,  because in my life whenever I am expecting something, the exact opposite always happens, or most of the time, which qualifies me to make that statement.

I finished reading the novel, "The Apothecary's Daughter,"  written by Julie Klassen, last night, it was a good read, albeit disappointing ending, for me at least.  However, I may now read Ms. Klassen's first novel, "Lady of Milkwood Manor," if any of you have read this novel, please let me know what you thought of it.

I am late with today's post because I went this morning to do the blood work, I prefer to go early and not have to wait in line for others also doing blood work, it was a good thing too,  as quite a large crowd gathered at the clinic shortly after I arrived there, whew, just in the nick of time!

Since I do not have alot on my mind this morning, I thought I would provide you with seven (7) examples of passive voice, and how to fix them.  

The sentence construction “(noun) (verb phrase) by (noun)” is known as passive voice or passive construction, because the true subject is relegated to the end of the sentence and is thus acted on, rather than acting, which often weakens the statement.


The solution is simple:   Give the focal point of the sentence its due,  “(noun) (verb) (noun),” and demote the false subject to the back of the line.   Note that not every passive construction is evil, sometimes what seems to be the false subject is worthy of prominence, but a preponderance of passive constructions leads to a wearying read.

1. “There is a considerable range of expertise demonstrated by the spam senders.”  The actors in this little drama are the spam spenders,  or, to be more active, the spam senders are the actors in this little drama.   Direct them center stage, and send the weak “there is” opening packing to the provinces: “The spam senders demonstrate a considerable range of expertise.”


2. “It was determined by the committee that the report was inconclusive.”    Again, the subject is weak and indeterminate.   Two actors, the committee and the report, are vying for the lead role here, but committee is the bearer of the news about the report, and to place the report the head of the sentence would be to replace one passive sentence with another.   Attend to the actors: “The committee determined that the report was inconclusive.” 

3. “We were invited by our neighbors to attend their party.”   We is stronger than it as a sentence opener, but “our neighbors” is stronger still:  “Our neighbors invited us to attend their party.”

4. “Groups help participants realize that most of their problems and secrets are shared by others in the group.”   This sentence starts off actively but then turns and bellies up in the middle; emphasizing “others in the group” over “most of their problems and secrets” makes the sentence more active: “Groups help participants realize that others in the group share most of their problems and secrets.”

5. “The proposed initiative will be bitterly opposed by abortion rights groups.”  The content may be about the proposed initiative, but that doesn’t preclude given a sentence about it a more dynamic structure:  “Abortion rights groups will bitterly oppose the proposed initiative.”


6. “Minor keys, model movement, and arpeggios are shared by both musical traditions.”   The writer is detailing key information at the head of this sentence, but starting off with the context is stronger: “Both musical traditions share minor keys, model movement, and arpeggios.”


7. “In this way, the old religion was able to survive the onslaught of new ideas until the old Gods were finally displaced by Christianity.”   Remember when I wrote that not every passive voice should be targeted for reconstruction?   This sentence is more active, but no more correct: “In this way, the old religion was able to survive the onslaught of new ideas until Christianity finally displaced the old gods.”   Perhaps the newcomer, Christianity, should also come later in the sentence.


Again, don’t indiscriminately exterminate passive construction at the expense of the writer’s voice or intent,  but do exercise judicial revision to rejuvenate pallid prose.

I know that learning new ideas may be difficult, but if you apply the above, you will see a great improvement in your daily writing, and more important, others will see the improvement!


Have a great weekend and take care out there, they say it is going to get milder, they also say "The Easter Bunny" had a sex change operation.


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Tinkering and Tickling on Thursday

Date:                                           Thursday, February 3rd, 2011
Word of the Day:                        elide (ih\LAHYD); to suppress; omit; ignore; pass over
Weight:                                        two hundred and six (206) pounds
Goal:                                            lose one hundred (100) pounds in one year duration
Pounds to lose:                            seventy-four (74)

Image via Wikipedia

Waist Size:                                   forty-one (41) inches
Days until Royal Wedding:         eighty-six (86)
Rowing Duration:                        thirty-three (33) minutes, nineteen (19) seconds

I did a little better on Cruella this morning, maybe it was because I got up late and my body was more re-energized because of the extra sleep, who knows, I can't explain me or my body, can you?  You hush Lily, and Tiffany, no wise cracks from you as well!

In case any of you were wondering,  I believe The Camden Plus is now working the way it is supposed to be working; as you know, I was encountering many, many problems so Dell recommended that I delete and remove all of the programs, which I did, then re-install the programs back to The Camden Plus, which I am in the process of doing.  I had alot of programs on and to re-install them will take me a few days as I am checking things out carefully so I do not put something back on The Camden Plus that may have a virus on it, what is it they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, I believe that's the adage!

I gave you some wrong information yesterday regarding the start-up time of the movie "The Lion in Winter," I said that this movie will start on the Turner Classic Movie (TCM) channel at two (2) o'clock pm., but the movie does not start until two forty-five (2:45) pm., I apologize for this error.

Since we are on the subject of TCM, I want to suggest that all of you turn on TCM at two forty-five (2:45) Friday afternoon and just leave it on through Saturday morning at six (6) o'clock am.  I won't mention all of the movies that they are playing, but each and every one of them is worth your time, they are all excellent!

While were on the subject of errors, (remember I gave the wrong starting time for "The Lion in Winter,) I also goofed regarding my blood work yesterday, it seems when they tell you that you are supposed to fast before a blood test, this includes not taking your medication, which naturally I did, so they would not do the blood testing and told me to come back tomorrow, which is today of course.  And of course, I not only slept in this morning, but I also took my medication, had some toast, so the blood work is going to have to wait until tomorrow (Friday) morning, maybe I'll get it right, we'll see!

I've got news, I guess it's gossip, for all of you who watched television in the eighties (80's) and nineties (90's), one of the biggest television shows of all times is coming back to television and that show is, drum roll please, DALLAS!, yes, unbelievable!

DALLAS is coming back as a series, not as a movie, as it was once rumoured, and so far, stars Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray have signed on to do it.   I hope they are successful at wooing Miss Victoria Principal back, as "Pam," next to "Miss Ellie" was my favourite character.   Speaking of "Miss Ellie" since Barbara Bell Geddes has passed away, I wonder if they will recast this role or if they will kill off the "Miss Ellie" character, I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

I told you I had news and I'm not quite finished.  This next newsworthy item is really going to catch your attention, you may have already heard it, and if you had heard it, why didn't you tell me?, but for those of you who know nothing about the world in which you live, (take a Valium Peggy, I was just joking, I only heard the news this morning)  researchers, critics, (not only of art,) historians,  and art experts, now believe that the woman posing for Leonardo Da Vinci's masterpiece, The Mona Lisa, (which hangs in the Louvre in Paris, France, naturally I have seen this painting at least four (4) times,) is really a man.  Yes, that is correct, you did not read incorrectly, it is believed that The Mona Lisa is/was a man. 

It is unclear, at this time, if the man was Leonardo Da  Vinci's lover, or if he was just a model, in drag , experts are still investigating the nature of the relationship, regardless, isn't that fantastic news?, and I did not borrow it from "The National Enquirer!"   My news source has to remain private, but how about that people, can I deliver the news or what?  Don't thank me, just keep reading my blog, every day,  and tell your friends and family to read my blog, don't you think I deserve a larger audience?

Okay people, Efrem is now worried, we have just lost power to our house.   "The Camden Plus" is now operating on it's battery, but beside the point that it may take awhile to get today's post published, I may miss watching the movie(s) "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," and "Johnny Belinda," which are running on TCM today, drat, sometimes I have the worst luck!

I hope I don't lose everything I have written today, I am currently unable to save this post, obviously if you get it, things changed and I was able to save my post, but right at this very time, I cannot save my post, I shall try to publish it without saving it, but I really don't think this will work.

Okay, so now I'm going to let you go, I want to try and get things restored to normal in this house, my computer, the television, and my sanity, although I've never been really able to get a grip on my sanity, that's a joke, albeit lame, nonetheless, a joke!


Take care and have a good day, the weekend is getting closer, you can do it.


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Wondering on Wednesday

( Date:                                       Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011
Word of the Day:                     thimblerig (THIM\buhl\rig); to cheat or swindle, as in the traditional game known as thimblerig

Weight:                                    two hundred and six (206) pounds
Goal:                                        lose one hundred (100) pounds in one year duration
Pounds to lose:                         seventy-four (74)

Waist Size:                                forty-one (41)
Days until Royal Wedding:       eighty-six (86)
Rowing Duration:                     twenty-two (22) minutes, three (3) seconds

I don't know if the kidney stone has passed, I never noticed it in my urine when I went to the bathroom.   I also did not go to the hospital, regardless, I am feeling better than I did yesterday, perhaps the medication is just working better.   I don't know, I'll be darned if I can explain what goes on in my body, but at least I am able to write today and that is something!

I know some of you may be thinking that I am not keeping track of my weight, and you will be half-right.  As you know, because I had to receive so many injections of depomedrol while I was in Florida, side effects from that drug caused me to put on much of the weight that I had lost prior to going on that trip.  Yes, I know, that really discouraged and depressed me.


Anyway, some of that weight gain was water build-up and Dr. Alladin has said that I will lose that weight that I gained, or at least I will lose some of it, it was not all water gain after all, I do like those milk shakes from the Steak N Shake!  Because of that, I am giving myself one month before I step on the scale again to weigh myself, this was Dr. Alladin's suggestion and I think it is a good one.  Now you know why the weight is staying at two hundred and six (206) pounds, there is still almost three (3) weeks to go before I get on that scale, please remember that.

You may have noticed that I managed to get back on Cruella this morning, alas, it was only for a short time, but I have not rowed in a long time and the twenty plus minutes was hard enough for me to conquer, I expect I'll do better tomorrow.

In honour of the upcoming Academy Award show that will be televised at the end of this month,  the Turner Classic Movie (TCM) channel has started to run movies that either won Academy Awards or were nominated for an Oscar.  There are some exceptional movies to look out for on TCM, and I want to mention a few.

This Thursday, February 3rd, (tomorrow!,) do not forget to set your recorders, just in case you have to go to work, to record "Witness for the Prosecution," it starts at six (6) o'clock am., and runs approximately two (2) hours, everyone in the cast is great, but I love Charles Laughton and Marlene Dietrich especially, don't tell anyone about the surprise/unexpected ending!!

On the same day, Thursday, February 3rd, TCM is running a movie that was quite controversial in it's day, and that film is "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner."  I am in love with this movie, not only because everyone in the cast is great, but it is the only film wherein Katharine Hepburn, who just happened to win the Oscar for this movie, appears with her niece, Katharine Houghton, (she plays her daughter,) and, it is Spencer Tracy's last movie.  Whenever I speak of this movie to my friends, I call it by the name that the character Suzanne Sugarbaker, from the "Designing Women" television series called it, and that is:  "There's some black people coming to Dinner," that cracks me up every time I hear it, I just love that line!

On Friday, February 4th, I am insisting that you either stay home from work, or that you set your recorders to tape an awesome double bill on TCM.  It all starts at two (2) o'clock pm. with Katharine Hepburn, yet again, teamed with Sir Peter O'Toole in the magnificent movie "The Lion in Winter!"
This is a fantastic movie, with very crispy and witty dialogue, be sure to watch out for a future James Bond, Timothy Dalton, and for Hannibal Lecter, himself, otherwise known as (aka) Sir Anthony Hopkins! 

After this great movie, do  not move or you will miss Barbra Streisand in not only her film debut, but an Oscar-winning performance to boot in "Funny Girl," the score is great, the acting does not get any better,  the photography is top notch, the direction by Mr. William Wyler is superb,  and then of course is that opening line of the movie which suits Barbra Streisand to a TEE (T!,) you didn't think I'll tell you, did you, watch the movie (s)!!!!!

Naturally, there are many more movies that you should watch, and that I could talk/write about, but I have to go give blood for some blood work that Dr. Alladin wanted done on me, and I have been fasting for this procedure since last night, so I'm going to go get it done now so that I can finally have my morning coffee.


Hope you all have a good day.


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Trusting on Tuesday

Date:                                                    Tuesday, February 1st, 2011
Word of the Day:                                  ambinsinister(am\bi\SIN\uh\ster); clumsy or unskillful with both hands

Weight:                                                 two hundred and six (206)
Goal:                                                     lose one hundred (100) pounds in one year duration
Pounds to lose:                                     seventy-four (74)
Waist Size:                                           forty-one (41)
Days until Royal Wedding:                   eighty-seven (87)
Rowing Duration:                                 sick

I am very sick today with my kidney stone, I am in extreme pain and therefore am not up to being creative to write today's post, I do apologize.

I did so much want today's post to be different as today is the first day of the month of February, alas I guess it just wasn't meant to be.  Hopefully, the stone will pass soon or I will undoubtedly end up going to the hospital because my pain is very intense.

Hope you all have a good day, and take care.

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