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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Stradivarius in flight



Decided to exercise my feeble brain, I taught myself... zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcba, the alphabet backwards.  I still don’t get it perfect every time but often enough I’m able to hiccup through like a ten year old playing hop scotch. It is cool knowing something other people might like to know but don’t want to take the time to know it.

Like, I think it would be neat to learn all the state’s capitals. I know they are already in my brain, I had to learn them in fifth grade, but knowing them enough to ace a Jeopardy category would be awesome.

I should know important writery stuff like, what the hell is a participle and why do they dangle?
Per Wikipedia, “A participle is a form of a verb which is used in a sentence to modify a noun or noun phrase, and thus plays a role similar or identical to that of an adjective, or sometimes an adverb. It is one of the types of non-finite verb forms.” What the flying fiddle does that mean?

According to Grammar Girl, “A dangling participle modifies an unintended noun”.  Am I supposed to know what an unintended noun is? I’m thinking it’s like a virgin prom queen, exist they do not.  

That I think knowing the alphabet backward is cool, it was the subject of one of my columns, illustrates just how uncool I am. I’ll post the column if it makes the paper.

So, what do you know, that other people might want to know, but don’t want to take the time to know it?

7 comments:

  1. That "To Walk Among Strangers" is a really great novel and someone should take the time to know it.

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  2. Not much really. I haven't taught grammar for about four years, so my knowledge of outdated grammar rules is rusty.

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  3. Just a little update on my new learning curve.
    Went to dinner last night with another couple, very close friends, like family actually. Between our drinks and the meals I sprang my whole zyx's on them. No mistakes, I was perfect, not that they would have known if I screwed up anyway. They looked at me like I had just been released from an extended stay at a mental health unit.
    My husband just shook his head. I could tell by the blank looks on their faces they were jealous, yup, that's what they were jealous of my amazing ability to learn, remember and recite.

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  4. LMAO... I used to be able to recite the alphabet backwards too! I haven't done it in so long, I'd have to practice up on it again.

    (Sidebar, I love the title of your book...)

    To your question...I know a lot of little mundane things that I'm not sure anyone would want to know like, how to make Seven Minute Frosting, and how to make a Smith Island cake. I know how to train for a marathon. I know how to train a dog. I know how to shag. Oh, and for those of you not from the South..., "shag" doesn't mean what it means in the UK. (hello)


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  5. I am impressed because after you bake, frost and eat the cake you can run 26 miles while your perfectly trained dog accompanies you. You're a hell of a dancer too.

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