A Random Post for a Random Day

A house with all four sides facing north, a bear walks by -- What color is the bear?

What's the answer?

:)

Do You Know What Your Shirt is Saying?

T-shirts -- the epitome of casualness, no fuss nor muss of clothing.  It says 'Today is one of comfort and ease.'  I have my share of t-shirts, ranging from the solid colour tee to ones sporting sayings (I especially love my 'Hello Sweetie' shirt - River Song is awesome!)  It is my ultimate stay-at-home wear!  I have developed the need to spruce up my appearance whenever I have to go out into public, even for errands.  This does not mean I put on a dress when I need to run out and get bread.  I usually put on a blouse over my t-shirt or put on a polo shirt, then go out.

I know not everyone shares this same fashion sensibility as I do and as long as people are modestly and respectfully dressed I really don't mind what you have on.  Which brings me to the question stated above: Do you know what your shirt is saying?

With my weekend job I see a lot of t-shirts and I entertain myself by looking for very clever designs.  I am not ashamed to say I am partial to geeky shirts concerning Doctor Who, Star Wars, etc.  I get giddy when I see a shirt bearing an joke or phrase that only fans would understand and it brightens my day when the customer geeks out with me! :)  (Say it with me people: Don't Blink!)

Then there are those designs that make me scratch my head and wonder 'How did that get past good taste?'  This category includes crude phrases to suggestive images.  Most of these tend to be focus on sexual conquest and objectifying woman (many times both).  I have often run out of brain bleach with the frequency in which I see these shirts.  I am also very surprise when women are wearing t-shirts that demean their personhood into an object of sex to be use and then thrown away.  Can someone explain why woman do that do themselves?  What really gets my goat is when I see a suggestive comment on a child's, (yes you read that correctly, a child's) shirt.  (I want my goat back!)  I have often wanted to ask the wearer of these shirts 'Do you know what your shirt is saying?' but due to my position of customer service and mostly it is not my place to remark to a stranger, I say nothing.  

I guess in a way this relates back to my post on swearing, both being very similar.  I hope that someday people will remember that being funny doesn't have to be crude and that a lot of these t-shirts are very insulting and hurtful. 

So I ask again: Do you know what your shirt is saying?

I end this post with a toast to good humor and taste!

Prost!

The Power of Words

I think it's been just over a month since my last post.  Life got in the way and there was nothing I could do about it.

Anyway...... On to the next post!

"Words, words - they're all we have to go on."



This quote is from a play I recently did working as an assistant director from 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead' by Tom Stoppard.  It is an absurdist, existentialist tragicomedy, one I would recommend seeing it about two or three times to understand all the subtle humour that is in it.

The above quote was the one of the few that stuck with me when I first read the script because it is so true.  The English language in particular has so many words in it that many people who take up English as a second language consider it one of, it not the most expressive language on the planet.  This makes sense when one thinks about the many influences other languages have had on it.

When one knows the English language well, one is able to create anything from expressive poetry to thinly or heavily veiled threats.  It's all in the words!

With that said it sadden me when I have talk with people who have been raised in an English speaking nation and the words coming out of their mouths sound nothing like the language.  For one of the many jobs that I hold I have to deal with a lot of young people, who, for some reason or another, speak, what I understand people call, Ebonics.

I have tried my best to understand it, but to me it sounds as though the person is too lazy to pronounce the  word and thus makes his speech sound like he is talking through mush.  At this point I would like to point out that I have little to no problem when is comes to accents or slang (i.e. That's so wicked! Dude! or even Yo!).  Accents and slang reflect a local area's culture; England has the Cockney accent, New York City has the Brooklyn accent, Texas has the Cowboy-like accent (I have no idea what the official name of it is).  Within these accents and slangs there is still some sense of grammar, none of which I can find in Ebonics no matter how hard I try.

Which brings me to the point that got this whole post started: 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead'.  This show has so much word play and subtle humour that is unfortunately went over the heads of many people in the audience.  When I work purely backstage for a show I enjoy listening to the audience's reaction.  For this show I was at least hoping for good heartfelt chuckles, but instead I should have brought a recording of crickets for most of the performances.  We did, thank goodness, have two good audiences (I cannot tell you how draining it is when you are on stage and you get no reaction from the audience).

The playwright, Tom Stoppard, said that this show had to been seen rather than read, I agree.  Reading a play and seeing a play are two completely different experiences.  But I have to say that when I first read the script I was laughing hysterically over the seemingly nonsensical syllogisms and explanations of actions.  It's all there in the words! 

Words are a powerfully thing that is no longer utilized by the common people.  We have been reduced down to cursing for anything ranging from a stubbed toe to getting frustrated at people.  Even using curses and swears to describe good things (that I can't wrap my head around).  I say it is time to reclaim the English language and use it the fullest potential!!

Find a word, use it, add it to your arsenal of words!!

Keep English alive!

Let us not be reduced down to '1984' simple speech!