Misc. Writings
Remember what I wrote on the Covid Page about pieces that start out life as texts? Yeah, that’s true there, also.
Brian Gets Insanely Picky
Just got your letter. Thank you but I’m afraid I must get all weird on you.
JB,
Just got your letter. Thank you but I’m afraid I must get all weird on you.
To quote a favorite book of mine:
“Distinctions Worth Making
anxious and eager
Famous last stand of the language purists: You're not anxious to spend a languorous evening with your oldest married friends, you're eager to spend it. Unless, that is, you've been sleeping with one of them the past three months. Then you’re anxious.”
An Incomplete Education
by Jones/Wilson
Obviously, such distinctions are the results of deranged fixations. Rest assured all my other manias are less annoying.
Brian Hardy,
(Who is also weird about ‘dock’ and ‘pier’ But doesn’t have a clue what ‘languorous’ means.)
The Final Response (In HaiPu Form)
---Early March---
Dano’s Pump Truck Man,
Taking so much of our cash.
You don’t fix, just suck
---Early March---
Dano’s Pump Truck Man,
Taking so much of our cash.
You don’t fix, just suck
---Mid March---
Arness, thank you for
All the lovely holes you dug,
Useless costly holes…
---Beginning April---
Plumber Man shakes head,
The above two are morons
So Dumb and Dumber
---Last Week---
New team, new plan, smart!
Find and fix the collapsed pipe,
Wiser, poorer, me
---Now---
Oh, our new great joy,
To flush, to bathe, to launder!
All without concern
Grammar Throw Down
The time/place: The Friday afternoon Hardy Zoom call.
The Participants: G’Pa Larry, The Hardy Brothers, and Nieces Lia (in Denver) and Ursula (in London with her English fiancé Tom.)
The time/place: The Friday afternoon Hardy Zoom call.
The Participants: G’Pa Larry, The Hardy Brothers, and Nieces Lia (in Denver) and Ursula (in London with her English fiancé Tom.)
Ursula:
There were less people on the return flight from Seattle so that was nice.
Curmudgeonly (yet lovable) Uncle:
“Fewer” people. You’re in the Mother Country. Speak the Queen’s English. Ya makin’ us look bad!
Tom:
People who point this out generally have fewer friends.
This is Brian Hardy and I approve of this marriage!
A Painful Admission
Yesterday, while listening to the wonderful language podcast, “Lexicon Valley”, I learned the following shocking fact.
Yesterday, while listening to the wonderful language podcast, “Lexicon Valley”, I learned the following shocking fact.
“Vittles” is NOT a country-fied form of “Victuals”. It is the correct pronunciation for v-i-c-t-u-a-l-s.
There is no word pronounced VICK-shu-alls”.
My deepest apologies for not catching this sooner.
A 60 Second Tragedy
Father: Enters Family Room. Sees the couches are free. Sits down and reaches for his blanket. (It’s more a psychological comfort than a physical need. The thermostat doesn’t care if there is a foot of snow outside.) He then notices his son’s much nicer blanket sitting unattended. With an evil grin, he grabs that blanket and spends 10 seconds tucking himself in just right.
Father: Enters Family Room. Sees the couches are free. Sits down and reaches for his blanket. (It’s more a psychological comfort than a physical need. The thermostat doesn’t care if there is a foot of snow outside.) He then notices his son’s much nicer blanket sitting unattended. With an evil grin, he grabs that blanket and spends 10 seconds tucking himself in just right.
Mother: From the kitchen. Sweetie, can you help me with this?
Father: With a forlorn look, goes to help in the kitchen.
….
Another 10 seconds go by. Father looks back to the Family Room to see his son seated contently; wrapped up in the nice blanket.
Father: (sigh)
End Scene.