Welcomes! Introductions! Party Tricks!

[Ken, Moderator]

This is a short story by Ambrose Bierce, no?

[Ellie]

Jonmontanavega wrote: "Welcome Ellie. I've been making a spate of silly errors, such 'an' for 'and', recently and lots of typos. I have not yet found a brickbat thrower in the group's members, but she or he must be out t..."

Oh, I will comment:)

[Mariya]

Hello from Norway! :-)

[[deleted user]]

Yes, Owl Creek is a short story, with Bierce trademark darkness.

[Ken, Moderator]

Hello, Masha, our first Norwegian (I think, though Ruth is an honorary Norwegian for being married to a Norseman). Welcome to the group. Care to play a little piano for us?

[Ruth]

Masha wrote: "Hello from Norway! :-)"

Hi, Masha. My husband is from Oslo. He used to live on Kirkeveien.

[Anastasia]

Hey, you people here, or your acquaintances, are welcome to join my Quenya Learners group. The only requirement for members is to actually study the language. You may tell others about the group if you know someone who might be interested. Thank you!

Anastasia aka Taurendil (Tar-Cuilewendë)

[Hallie]

Hello! I'm Hallie. I'm a school student, and I really love English. I wish to take English Literature and Creative Writing in the future, so I joined in hopes to gain some knowledge from here.

[Ken, Moderator]

Hello, Hallie, and welcome to our humble L&G group. I do a lot of creative writing. Especially in my yearly review file.

[Hallie]

That's nice! I'm sort of overwhelmed here, though.

[Ken, Moderator]

Aren't we all.

[Ean]

Knock Knock. Hello. I joined for the cute owl. He's a hoot.

[Sharon]

Howdy Ian! Welcome! We're all cute here. Jump right in to anything that interests you.

[Ken, Moderator]

Hey, Ian. Forgot about the owl. First member he's attracted!

[Faith]

Hi, I just joined the group and am excited to get to know you guys.
I'm just a person who enjoys learning new words, and discomfiting my husband!

[Ken, Moderator]

Hi, Faith. Nothing like a discomfited husband, I always say!

[Sharon]

Welcome Faith!

[Ken, Moderator]

Have Faith! (our new motto)

[Faith]

I have heard that one before.

[Ken, Moderator]

(Sorry. I will work on my originality.)

[Faith]

Ken wrote: "(Sorry. I will work on my originality.)"

Didn't really bother me. Originality is sometimes overrated.

[Ken, Moderator]

When it's dull, which it often is...

[Sonali]

Just finished reading Jon MacGregor 's Reservoir 13. Very lyrical book. To me it was extremely interesting because it describes the life of a community, away from the city, with its village concerns, familiar yet quietly changing way of life, the change of the seasons, the animals birds trees river- how they change & yet remain the same. Its a picture, which is same in the countryside of every nation but with their local differences & peculiarities.

[Sally]

Sonali wrote: "how they change & yet remain the same. Its a picture, which is same in the countryside of every nation but with their local differences & peculiarities..."

It just goes to show that we are far more alike than we are different. We keep disagreeing with each other - culturally, politically, etc. - because we think that's the only way to show that we are individuals. And then we turn around and do exactly what our neighbor is doing - keeping up with the Joneses - because we want to be like everyone else, setting aside our individuality. We are most peculiar creatures, aren't we?

[Sharon]

And I think we all yearn to be part of a village where people know us.

[Ken, Moderator]

Really? I'd like to be the unknown. There goes What's-His-Name. That sort of thing.

[Sonali]

I am somewhere in the middle. I am known in my crowded locality as Teacher & shown a good deal of respect. I recognise and am on nodding terms with a few. But generally I keep to myself, I cherish my privacy. My maid, who has been with me for 22 years, keeps giving me gossip about a whole lot of people & I nod without actually knowing who they are. During festivals I pay the subscription & make a perfunctory visit to the temple or wherever whatever is taking place. And that's it. People have accepted me as I am. I think that is the story for most people anywhere in the world?

[Ken, Moderator]

Sometimes, though, people accept you for someone you aren't because they don't "get" you.

[Sally]

Any people who won't accept me for what I am, when I'm not messing with them, that's their problem. Got to be true to yourself.

[Sally]

Oscar Wilde is attributed with the quote, "Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken." Whether or not he actually said it is immaterial. The message is pure and true.

[Ken, Moderator]

I'm quite taken with it.

[Allison]

Hi everyone! I'm Allie.
Two truths and a lie-
I have never lived anywhere longer than three years.
I am a morning person.
I have danced ballet for about thirteen years.

[Carol]

Hi Allie. I am guessing number two is a lie. Welcome.

[Ken, Moderator]

Both Language and Grammar say hello, Allie. #2 gets my vote, too. Mostly old people like me are the morning persons. You look young.

[Allison]

Allie wrote: "Hi everyone! I'm Allie.
Two truths and a lie-
I have never lived anywhere longer than three years.
I am a morning person.
I have danced ballet for about thirteen years."
You were right, two was the lie.

[Sharon]

Welcome, Allie!

[Cynda]

Hi All. Long ago I taught English at a private Catholic high school and a little less long ago I taught rhetoric and comp at a public university.

I occassionally write short stories. Sometimes for publication. Sometimes for someone I love.

I assign myself personal reading challenges. For 2023, I have assigned myself to read at least 20 books about language, some fun, some serious.

I am glad to have found this group here. Big breathe of contentment.

[Michele]

Hi everyone!

I just discovered this group and decided that I had to join!. I do have a BA in English and love languages.

[Ken, Moderator]

Hello and welcome, Cynda and Michele. Things are a tad quiet here these days, but if you think of a great discussion idea, post away and we'll be there!

[Cynda]

Hello Ken. I am looking for the thread where we can ask questions. And I am looking for the Personal Challenges thread. Are there such threads here?

[Ken, Moderator]

You can ask questions here, no problem.

Not sure what a "Personal Challenge" thread might be. Explain?

[Cynda]

Thanks for asking. Beyond group reads, group members might to read books on a topic.
* an exploration of a rhetor's texts. (i.e. MLK wrote powerful speeches and letters.)
* an exploration of the rhetorical canon.
* a survey of grammar books or dictionaries.
* a survey of linguistic books at a local library.
* a read down of a ridiculous tbr covering all things language-- rhetoric, linguistics, advertising/marketing and more.

Next year I plan to read at least 20 books on that last topic listed--all things language.

Several of the groups I have read with have personal challenge threads--usually the more general groups, such as general classics group, a general nonfiction group.

This way group members come back to list, discuss, and encourage each other in reading about language and grammar. . . . If it suits the moderators.

[Ken, Moderator]

That would be a challenge, getting someone to read an entire BOOK on rhetoric, grammar, etc., but you're certainly welcome to create a new thread to give it a go.

Have you created a thread before? It might best go in the GRAMMAR CENTRAL category or the LITERARY SHOP TALK one.

[Cynda]

Yes, I have. Thank you.

[Angela]

Hi to everyone in L&G 😊.

I have just stumbled upon your Group just now and joined - so hello!

I think I have found my 'people'.

[Ken, Moderator]

Angela wrote: "Hi to everyone in L&G 😊.

I have just stumbled upon your Group just now and joined - so hello!

I think I have found my 'people'."

Hi, Angela. I love it when people find their people. And hey, one of our moderators (Debbie) is just an island or so over! ;-)

[Cynda]

Hello Mods. May Cosmic and I have a buddy read thread for all of April.2023? We want to read Masters of the Word: How Media Shaped History from the Alphabet to the Internet. It is a very accessible book. Anyone/Everyone is welcome ti join us. The more, the merrier.