31 August 1998 
 
So now we are "transitioning" from summer into autumn months, though the 
summer is obviously not over.  I will limit my weather gripe to this: 
rain, dammit.  For the last week we get "chance of showers" reported on 
the radio every day and yet -- not one drop.   
 
The one day two weeks ago I forget an umbrella, it's like Valhalla had 
an overconsumption of mead, a.k.a. a pisser.  But how are the little 
beasties on my skin to grow if they aren't frequently watered?  Hmmm, I 
suppose showering should take care of that....  
 
I promise I had =scads= (scabs?) of ideas yesterday on this, that, and the 
other, but all I can remember now is a set of kiddie research assignments 
I was coming up with in my mind.  I should make a notebook of them. 
 
Kiddie assignment #1: Why is the alphabet in the order it is in?  And why 
do we have to have an order for it, anyway?  Some letters make the same 
sound -- why do we still have them in our alphabet? 
 
The first is more of a historical question (and the answer isn't that it 
rhymes well in the Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star tune.  Almost all letters 
rhyme.  I think the most interesting letter, pronunciation-wise, is h. 
Think about why.   
 
Anyway, don't take too much time thinking on this, I intended those 
questions for about 5th grade level.  For some reason I had been singing 
the alphabet song and these came to mind. 
 
So turn the tables on a child this week -- ask unanswerable questions. 
Serves them right.  Kids have been pummelling adults with thesis-type 
questions for years, and though they may provide impetus for research, 
most of the time they end up annoying adults who in turn squash any 
curiosity by saying the questions are ridiculous.  Pretty defeating, I 
think.   
 
Instead, let's keep the buggers busy trying to answer questions before 
they're allowed to ask more.   
 
 
Back to my initial paragraph.  I'm tired of people using synonyms more 
heavily endowed with syllables when they can use the original term.   
"Transition" is a noun, not a verb, dammit.  However, since dictionaries 
go by common usage, it's probably a verb in all the latest editions. 
 
Damn egalitarianism. 
 
And I mean every syllable. 
 
 
P.S. (though non scripto...) It has been recently noted that my writing is 
of an expository nature (as opposed to the other major style, narrative, 
or even the more popular literary style, incomprehensible.)  I like to 
think that I type in the same manner that I talk, but with fewer pauses. 
In any case, I hope that what I have pleased with what I have exposed.   
 
I could extend this to a metaphor of photography, skin damage, or 
flashing, but I just don't have the energy. 
 
good day. 
 
 
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