Friday, September 13, 2002 :::
 

Warren Zevon

For those of you who haven't heard, Warren Zevon's publicist announced that he has terminal lung cancer. He's only 55.

I am seriously bummed.

Warren Zevon is a singer/songwriter who gave us "Excitable Boy", "Werewolves of London", "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead", and "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner", among other songs. My band covers Roland with some enthusiasm. It's a great anti-war statement; clever, funny and twisted, as his style tends to be. I guess we'll have to put it on the next album.

Apparently he's going to spend time with his family and do a little more recording before he goes. He will be missed greatly, and not just by me.

::: posted by Evie at 11:17 AM

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Thursday, September 12, 2002 :::
 

Penis Envy

The New Scientist says that one can be grown for me. Well, that is if I have one to begin with.

I have had such mixed reactions to this article.

Amusement that someone felt it was necessary to grow a penis in vitro. Who's the target audience? Mutilated men and babies born with "ambiguous genetilia". I shouldn't laugh, I know, because someone is suffering real pain in those situations, but it so... absurd.

Outrage, that money is being spent on this kind of research when more significant research languishes for lack of funding. More significant means larger target audience, greater benefit.

And what about those poor mutilated rabbits anyway? That's just criminal.

::: posted by Evie at 8:06 PM

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Monday, September 09, 2002 :::
 

Pet Peeve of the Day

Over-use of the word "almost".

"Almost" modifies a verb to mean "very nearly but not exactly or entirely" (Websters).

"Amost" modifies a noun to mean "very near but not quite " (Websters).

"It almost fell from the table, but he caught it in time."
"The train was almost to the station when the porter arrived, asking for their tickets."

It can also refer to a quantity of something.
"The cup was almost full."

Writers should be careful about using it when they're not certain about an action:

"He almost felt afraid." Oh come on! Either he did, or he didn't. Commit, already!

"She was wearing a far-off, almost glazed expression." Was it or wasn't it? You decide.

I think I almost hate indecisiveness.

::: posted by Evie at 9:02 AM

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