Jamie Patterson's Blog, page 35
June 8, 2011
eBook Library?
A librarian I know just emptied her house of books after ensuring her collection was safely in hand as an eBook library.
I seriously don't know how I feel about this.
The largest wall in my home is a floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall bookshelf and it's packed full of books I've read and a few I had every intention of reading (someday!). I love that I can go to the shelf, pull any book, and just by looking at the cover and flipping through a few pages, I can be brought back to the world in the book.
I'm one of those old-fashioned types who can't imagine not holding a book in my hands...but if a librarian can be converted....
I seriously don't know how I feel about this.
The largest wall in my home is a floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall bookshelf and it's packed full of books I've read and a few I had every intention of reading (someday!). I love that I can go to the shelf, pull any book, and just by looking at the cover and flipping through a few pages, I can be brought back to the world in the book.
I'm one of those old-fashioned types who can't imagine not holding a book in my hands...but if a librarian can be converted....
June 6, 2011
In Paris a few Hours ago
Check out this video a friend in Paris just sent of a man playing in le metro.
Made my night.
Colloquial Expressions
I spend so much time immersed in academic writing I really notice colloquialisms (saying something that isn't even close to literal, like kick the bucket).
I got a real kick out of talking to my uncle last night. Here's part of our conversation, just try and guess what we were talking about:
Uncle: "Well, we aired it out for a bit there."
Me: "Sounds like a lot of fun."
Uncle: "It was, it was, but now we're going to hold it close."
Any guesses?
We were talking about how he and my aunt and been traveling a lot lately ("aired it out") and that now they were going to stay home for awhile ("hold it close").
Academic writing, of course, would prefer we jettison the colloquialisms and just say things plainly. Not as much fun, right? When in doubt ask yourself whether what you've written could be translated literally into another language and still hold its intended meaning. If not, rewrite. See APA p. 69 for the full rule.
I got a real kick out of talking to my uncle last night. Here's part of our conversation, just try and guess what we were talking about:
Uncle: "Well, we aired it out for a bit there."
Me: "Sounds like a lot of fun."
Uncle: "It was, it was, but now we're going to hold it close."
Any guesses?
We were talking about how he and my aunt and been traveling a lot lately ("aired it out") and that now they were going to stay home for awhile ("hold it close").
Academic writing, of course, would prefer we jettison the colloquialisms and just say things plainly. Not as much fun, right? When in doubt ask yourself whether what you've written could be translated literally into another language and still hold its intended meaning. If not, rewrite. See APA p. 69 for the full rule.
So Long, Walker!
The good ol' back is doing much better. Had my first day walker-free yesterday and I kept the streak alive today. Thanks for the well-wishes!
June 4, 2011
Find the Airplane
Sick Time=Writing Time
Seventeen weeks till Twin Cities Marathon! Hoping I'll hit close to a 4 hour marathon and have a completed first draft of the follow-up to Lost Edens by then, too. Slow goings. Slow goings all around.
June 2, 2011
Making Wrong Signs Right
I apologize (sort of) for the cheesiness but here's how to make a wrong sign right.
Jamies no apostrophe and singular is just plain wrong (but Jamie's would be singular possessive and right). So how to make this sign right?
Add a Jamie!
Way too much time on my hands these days, I know. Bed rest will do that to ya'. Admit it, though, you kind of love this post. And you'll definitely think twice before using an apostrophe when really all you want to do is make a word plural. Right?
Jamies no apostrophe and singular is just plain wrong (but Jamie's would be singular possessive and right). So how to make this sign right?
Add a Jamie!
Way too much time on my hands these days, I know. Bed rest will do that to ya'. Admit it, though, you kind of love this post. And you'll definitely think twice before using an apostrophe when really all you want to do is make a word plural. Right?
June 1, 2011
The Best Writing Advice I Ever Received
So last week my email password was stolen and emails were sent from my account that I would have rather not be sent. Not sure what to do, I sent an email to every. single. contact. apologizing and letting them know the spam wasn't a virus.
Who knows if the second email was necessary (courtesy or annoying?) but as a result I have heard from many wonderful people I had lost touch with.
One of these people was my first "real" boss out of college at the American Red Cross. My job was as the media associate so there was a lot of writing involved. My boss was the editor for everything I produced and she gave me the best advice I ever got: if it doesn't feel right, it isn't right.
I think this was in response to something I had written that was grammatically correct, sure, but somehow missed the mark. Now, when I'm writing I ask myself if it feels right. If the answer is no, I start over.
It was so lovely to hear from her and be reminded of where this advice came from. So maybe I'm a bit grateful for my password being stolen? (Jamie: 1 Hackers: 0)
Who knows if the second email was necessary (courtesy or annoying?) but as a result I have heard from many wonderful people I had lost touch with.
One of these people was my first "real" boss out of college at the American Red Cross. My job was as the media associate so there was a lot of writing involved. My boss was the editor for everything I produced and she gave me the best advice I ever got: if it doesn't feel right, it isn't right.
I think this was in response to something I had written that was grammatically correct, sure, but somehow missed the mark. Now, when I'm writing I ask myself if it feels right. If the answer is no, I start over.
It was so lovely to hear from her and be reminded of where this advice came from. So maybe I'm a bit grateful for my password being stolen? (Jamie: 1 Hackers: 0)
Very Cool Takeoff (A380)
I love airplanes and if my first flying lesson had gone any better ("ease up on the death grip there," the instructor said) I would have loved to fly myself. I don't mind watching other people fly, though. After watching this really super cool takeoff, here's a fun video from BBC on board the A380. I have to plan a trip so I can experience this firsthand!
Scientific Minds Required on the Moon
I cannot reveal my source but here's a quick snippet from a graduate student's paper that might make you chuckle (nice comma use, though, eh?):
Question: What do you think is meant when a NASA administrator says that the pilots are the best in the world, but they don't have scientific minds?
Answer: They are pilots are anxious to get to the moon but need scientific minds to know what the moon is ...
Question: What do you think is meant when a NASA administrator says that the pilots are the best in the world, but they don't have scientific minds?
Answer: They are pilots are anxious to get to the moon but need scientific minds to know what the moon is ...
