Feel like just using the language instead of talking about it? Here in the kitchen, you can bring up anything:

your day,
your mood,
your bad jokes,
your mother-in-law (or maybe not),
your beliefs,
your disbeliefs,
your opinions on current events,
your opinions on ancient events,
your opinions on the Reformation in 16th-century Germany,
your brilliant takes on popular culture,
your brilliant takes on unpopular culture,
your problems (limit: 3 a day),
your dumb questions (unlimited by fiat),
your incredibly-insightful philosophy on life,
your hints on cleaning stains with vinegar,
your pets,
your love life (within reason),
your travels (except for basketball),
your meals (ah, the language of recipes),
your "when I was a kid" stories (walking to school through 8-feet of snow, etc.),
and so on,
and so forth.

We'll even allow religion and politics -- as long as everyone's nice about it.

Sooo.....I should have talked about my phobias in here!!!! Bugger!

You still can. Anyway the word for a fear of wind is anemophobia. No doubt that's more accurate than aerophobia, which is the fear of air. I suppose this makes you afraid of politicians, too (hot air joke). Here we have some good ones, like this lady who walks around in 2nd place for states won, 2nd place for delegates won, and 2nd place for votes, yet is offering the 1st place candidate a place on her ticket as VP.

Guess I should run over to the "word of the day" thread and add gall.

I've heard of writer's block, but I wonder if there's such a thing as "reader's block." I've got nine books out from the library and can't seem to get started on any of them. I'm also stuck halfway through One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, which I'm trying to read online. Hmm, I figured out how to get spell check to work in Opera, and now it's complaining about "online." I don't think it should be hyphenated despite the suggestion.

hi richard
i can't even start ivan even tho i've listed it as one i've begun
and i think the dictionary hasn't caught up with standard usage for online
how did you get your red line to work?
i have internet explorer and when i followed ne's directions i was good until the browser heading on my options list
there wasn't an online spelling option

In Opera you have to right-click inside the text area after you've typed your post and choose "check spelling." I'm not actually sure if it's a built in feature or not because I'd downloaded a third party tool and installed it before reading that the new version of Opera comes with one.

I think the red line underscore is something that only works with the Firefox browser. Internet explorer doesn't seem to have any built in spell checker (at least not that I can find). I checked around on the web and found an add-in for IE that's supposed to work like the one for Opera. It doesn't do the red line thing, but you can right-click in the text box and tell it to check.

http://www.iespell.com/index.htm

I haven't tried it, but it has received positive reviews from a number of reputable sites like PC Magazine.

Richard, I'd abandon Ivan if I were you. When I hit reader's block, I do one of two things: reach for an old book I love rereading, or reach for an easy pleasure (usually a high-interest YA book that I can then recommend to the kiddies).

I know countless (except for Dracula) people who feel they have to finish any book they start. Madness! Junk it and find another. There's only about a billion waiting in the wings...

P.S. Why don't you guys bite the bullet and download Firefox? I like it mucho. And it has the fabled red line thingy.

I have Firefox but prefer Opera for a number of reasons. It has this cool wand thingy for logging into sites, and its market share is so small that hackers don't even bother trying to target it. It took a bit of getting used to, but now I can't imagine using anything else.

I have put Ivan on hold. I even pushed the stack of books aside and turned on the television set for the first time in ages. There was an advertisement on for Campbell's Soup with everyone practically dancing while they were eating it. I wish soup made me that happy. I had soup for lunch, but it was a rather unremarkable event.

I turned to the financial channel and was struck by how much the show (don't know what it was called) resembled those NFL pregame shows during football season: the same jocularity, fake laughter and forced enthusiasm. I tuned in late, so I guess I missed the part where they talked about the economy going into the toilet.

I decided I'm going to reread one of the Agatha Christie Hercule Poirot mysteries.

Fair enough. I put TV in the background when I correct papers sometimes. I watch very little, but like to watch the Sox on NESN and March Madness every March (duh). I can pay only occasional attention if it's hoops, unless my alma mater is on -- then I must watch every dribble.

Agatha Christie? Eh. I went through a phase reading her "gimmicky" mysteries, but she started to wear thin after a while. Too much "dame" to her writing (or something).

As for Opera, pass. It all sounds like shrieking to me...

My TV is usually pretty much dark between the end of the Pats and the start of the Sox these days. I don't do spring training, but I am looking forward to the start of the regular season.

The only Agatha Christie books I've ever been able to read are the Poirot ones. I've tried to read some of her other stuff but never made any headway. Poirot just tickles my fancy I guess, like Nero Wolfe, Stephanie Plum and the older Spenser (well, the younger Spenser really -- before he "evolved").

thanks richard
i may try the ms download but my laptop is a little tempermental so i hesitate
my back up to ivan is chekhov or victor hugo
ok i do have walking the trail about the trail of tears
well...

maria callas and the famous petite french lady aren't as shrieky and are quite lovely if turned to background level while writing or reading

Anyone know of a good used book store where you can buy out of print books on line and they ship overseas? Not Marketplace, Alibris, Abe, Half or eBay please. Ones that actually reply to emails would be nice :)

i don't east but just thought i'd say hi
which titles are you looking for?
perhaps an east book buy and ship could be arranged

Hey Maureen

That's nice of you to offer :) There's only one used book store here, most of the books are in French and very expensive for poor quality. I'm looking for the books below in very good or better condition (ie no rips, writing inside, major scuffing to the cover, cover creases, stains or loose binding---basically I don't want a crappy/gungey looking book ;)

BARRETT'S HILL Anne Stuart
AT THE EDGE OF THE SUN Anne Stuart
SEEN AND NOT HEARD Anne Stuart
SISTERS AND SECRETS (anthology with Anne Stuart)

THE SPANISH GROOM(Harlequin Presents, 2037)Lynne Graham
THE SECRET WIFE(Harlequin Presents, No 1961)Lynne Graham

FOREVER Judy Blume(August 1976. ISBN 0-671-69530-04. Picture of a girl in a locket on the cover)

BOW MAKING MADE EASY by Better Homes and Gardens
THE SECRETS OF MAKING BOWS by Kirsten Nelsen

So if anybody sees anything please let me know and I'd be happy to work something out with you :)

ieSpell is not bad, but Google's toolbar's included spellcheck is far superior.

I actually use it in combination with FF's built-in one.

hi east
i checked my local bookstore but he was closed (he has very erratic hours-deals mostly with buying and selling used books-almost more private than public type of place)
he is a good source however so i will keep trying to catch him in and check for the titles mentioned

Hi Maureen
Thanks for looking :) Fingers crossed :)

And I should have talked about the Malaysian political scene here, shouldn't I?!

Let's see... nothing to say about my ex-mother-in-law (do just husbands become ex or the entire in-law outfit?). Nothing to shout about (within reason or without) in my love life either. Politics - I discussed in the wrong thread. I have a question though, why are dumb questions limited to 4.5 a day?

i'm with you prabha
at 4.5 per day
i'd have to keep quiet after 11:00 in the morning
enjoyed your political and biotech posts

Hi Maureen. Enjoying your posts too. Gosh what time is it for you now? It's 2:15 a.m. here in Malaysia. I'm in a voting mood, and I vote that the quota for dumb questions on this thread be abolished :) What say you, NE???

Hi again Prabha

It's 12:09 in the just barely afternoon here in sunny San Diego.
Yes abolish the quota! :)
While I am protesting I thought I would tell you folks that I started a Weekly Peace Rally group here on goodreads. If interested please go to the groups list and join us.
Right now it's set for live chat at 6:00 pm pacific time every Thursday evening, comments welcome anytime. We could change the time date if a concenus needs it. Hope to hear you there now I'm off to pick up my grandchildren, they have an early day today.

If anyone's interested, a snapshot of the current political scene in Malaysia:

http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cf...

For me, it was the most exciting elections ever. The build up to polling day, the ominous silence from the media at 7.30 p.m. March 8th, when we realised that this time around, the outcome is going to be different, and then the mounting excitement with every result trickling in. Two television sets were switched on, set to different channels for better coverage! Computers set to various news sites for the hottest takes on who's trailing who and where. And cell-phones beeping every five minutes with text message reports! At my Dad's place, we had two 'camps': my Dad and his cronies, who looked pretty stunned at what was happening, and worried about the implications; my cousins and I, who were all pleasantly surprised, very pleased, yet skeptical. At 10:30 p.m., when someone wanted to run down to the convenience store for munchies, Dad announced that he's locking the front door and that no one was to leave the house! Of course, it was all very peaceful, and it has been since, but Dad was not taking any chances!

It dawned on me then that my Dad's generation have lived through so much in this country, hence it's so difficult for them to accept any monumental shake-ups in the political scene. As for me, I was born after Malaysia gained independence, and have no memory of the politically induced racial riots of 1969 (I confess I was just a year old then), and with me is a whole generation of people who are eagerly looking forward to change, and think that it can only be for the better.

thanks for the info prabha
it's wonderful to get your first person account of these events

Good luck to Malaysia as it tries to turn the tide of history, so to speak. So many "elections" are fixed these days. Or, if the ruling party doesn't like the results, so many "elections" are ignored these days.

Not that the United States has any right to act holier than thou. A lot of election results here are "fixed" too (we used to call them the "Chicago rules," but now we like the "Florida rules"). And, as a matter of course, we often accept as our leaders "men" who lost the popular vote.

Sic semper democracy.

NE brought up an interesting subject over in Word of the Day.....reading in the loo - those who do and those who never would.
I confess.....I have a small bookshelf in my loo, just big enough for 4 or 5 books. In there at the moment is:
French for Cats
Eloise in Moscow
Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats
Curious Questions
The Listener (broadcasting magazine)
I just like to make sure that I will never get bored!!!

Poetry books are perfect for the loo.

R

I don't read much poetry....I am one of those "I don't know much about it, but I know what I like" Philistines!! Although I have to say that I explored a few of yours and the one about mother's handbag brought my long-dead grandmother to mind - a poignant memory.

Thanks, Debbie. My mother suffered from Alzheimer's. I put another one up yesterday. Don't know much about poetry? Try Billie Collins, Jane Kenyon, Ted Kooser. Lovely writing, straightforward, deep but not purposefully obscure.

R

Here you go, Philist... I mean, Debbie. An Introduction to Poetry just for you (from Billy, not me... my poetry is a hoot, for lack of a better word):

http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/001.html

I like that poem too,
New.

Ru

I love it!!! Maybe that is why I have always been slightly turned off poetry...the thought that you had to dissect it for deep and obscure meanings instead of just enjoying it. I always thought you had to be at least slightly pretentious to bother with it. Hell, what a discovery to make on the verge of 50!!!
Thanks for the website NE - it is now in my Favourites and I will read one every day before school begins.

Cute mini-poem, Ru (where's Kanga?).

Debbie, to riff on Ru's cue, you might check out a helpful (for teaching poetry) book by Ted Kooser called The Poetry Home Repair Manual. Ted doesn't take poetry too seriously (and I don't, either... not that I take much ANYthing too seriously), so it's perfect for those of us in Poetic Philistines Anonymous.

I like the Kooser book, too. And you might check out the Writer's Almanac, which you can get emailed to you every day. The poems it sends are mostly pretty available to the average reader.

http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/

R

cool ruth
they cover a plethora of delights
classical music
books
cds
writing

i signed up for a varied selection daily and weekly

Thanks Ruth. Signed up (if they can cope with the fact that I have no postcode)!

it comes email, Debbie.

R

Yes...I know! But when you sign up for it you have to give a physical address too, and if you live outside the States, these sites often can't cope with addresses that have no postcode and won't let you register! I have managed to get round it sometimes by typing 'none' and it seems happy enough that the void is filled, even if it is not with numbers!

I make up stuff, anyway (except for the e-mail, of which I have half a dozen like most everyone else). I mean, information farming is big industry these days. I guess that makes me an illegal immigrant.

Got my Almanac email this morning so it did work

Ditto. And they think my name is Knut Thornton, Esq.

May I toot my horn a little?

The Summer 2008 issue of Rattle poetry journal will feature Visual Poetry, in which images and writing are combined.

They've chosen three of my series of poems called Readings in which I've worked on pages of old books with watercolors and inks, carving out poems from the existing test.

Here's a an example. Different ones will be in Rattle.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v246/r...

Oooohhhh....what converstion??? How frustrating!!! I want to see more...how about the other two, or do we have to try and get the journal?
I love the idea of it....schoolkids could do that...with obsolete texts of course!

Knut....what do you think?

That's it, Debbie. Just a short poem to make you think.

I've done almost a hundred of these little pieces. They're all separate pieces, no linked story between them.

Can't show you the ones that will be in Rattle. That wouldn't be cricket. But here's another:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v246/r...

R

ruth we must meet-i want to see these in person!

and ko-you're not nu

nice to see you here :)

Congratulations Ruth!!!! That's fabulous!

Ruth, you're L&G's official poet laureate. The word "laureate," I assume, means "crowned with laurels for her outstanding abilities" (so much better than "for her outstanding warrants for arrest").

Hi, Ko. You iz a decent poet yourself.

Maureen -- Love the new pic. Much better than escargots juanes.

Debbie -- Knut? Who's Knut?

It was Knut Thornton Esq wasn't it? It is, at last, some kind of a name!! Or 'iz yu Nu too?'

Kidding. A joke, is all. Ka-nute.

That name always cracked me up. Knut Rockne, of course, the Notre Dame football legend. And Knut Hamsun, a damn good Norwegian writer (with, alas, Nazi sympathies). Everyone should have a Knut in his or her life. Now National Public Radio does...

Hey-zoos, I've got to walk the doggage and get myself handsome (epic task) for work! Ciao, all...

Kute-Nu!
Ah well NE....man of mystery......handsome is as handsome does....as my grandmother used to say. (Should have listened to her before I married the ex-Mr Debbie)!