1. I; often; use; too; many; semicolons; and; often; in; the; wrong; places!2. I am having a long-running love affair (with narrative, parenthetical commentary [but don't tell anyone {it's a bit of an embarassment.}])3. There is a tendency to use long run-on sentences which often lose their point in obscurity just by the finite sheer unnecessary details and adjectives that they contain as well as the lack of proper punctuation which causes the sentence to read like it was written by a fourth grader with ADHD who is exceedingly high on energy drinks and hasn't taken his ADHD meds for several days and is very excited about a new discovery or point that he has to make and he is rattling on and on and on and on looking for attention that is not forthcoming from his audience who is presently disinterested and making small-talk above the din of his blatherings but he doesn't realize this so he just won't shut up!!!4. I like lists and the colons preceding them: a. categories a1. and organizing them* *so that they can be broken down. b. descriptives c. clarifications* *with excessive footnotes d. general absract nitpicking and clarification of minor details* *which don't have any real bearing on the main points within the writing, often detracting from it.5. Sesquipedalian: "given to or characterized by the use of long words." Anyone using this word in their writing or everyday speech may also be accurately portraying it's definition. id est: I have a definitively herculean predilection toward the utilization of prodigious proliferations of a plethora of thesaurically exhaustive, erudite (and occasionally alliterative) written discourse.6. I like to take liberties (I sometimes am arrogant enough to call it poetic license) by making up words which sound like they should be in the English dictionary, but aren't (notice the word "thesaurically" in the above sentence.)7. My English teacher in high school was wonderful and I aced two years of college-level English. So I hate to admit that I've forgotten a good portion of what she has taught me. I wouldn't be able to diagram a simple sentence these days.8. Even though they're considered improper English in many circles, I can't bring myself to stop using contractions in writin' n' every day speech.
9. I often edit proofread my compositions writings many multiple times before publishing posting or sending them in the form of a letter, e-mail transmission or essay. I went back and modified edited this post 2 three four five times before I was satisfied with it.
I apologize to the few people who actually follow this compendium of personal randomness known as my blog. I've been much busier than usual lately. Between household stuff, real estate shopping, hiking, occasional insomnia, blackberry picking, reading, writing, etc... I've been very lax in putting down any of my thoughts here. My head is spinning from all the activities and opportunities on my plate right now.Good books I've been reading:To Try The Bloody Law by Robert S. Burgess - The story of the life and martyrdom of the Quaker woman Mary Dyer.
The Renewable Energy Handbook by William H. Kemp - A Guide To Rural Energy Independence, Off-Grid and Sustainable Living - An excellent technical guide for people like me who are researching forms of living which have a much lower environmental impact. The author really puts everything into language which is easy to understand and includes lots of simple, helpful, technical diagrams for do-it-yourselfers like me.
Dark Night Journey: Inward Re-patterning Toward A Life Centered In God by Sandra Cronk - "The dark night aptly describes the situation of those who have had a growing sense of God's presence, direction, and consolation and are suddenly bereft of that experience. Aridity, meaninglessness, loss, and pain are hardly the milestones expected on a journey toward God. The author brings a unique perspective to her interpretation of this powerful pathway, and offers sensitive guidance to dark night travelers and those who seek to understand and nurture them.Random things I have been doing:It looks like it is going to be another banner year for harvesting wild blackberries. Tomorrow I am hoping to go out and pick at least a couple gallons' worth with the intention of making jam with them. At the end of next week I am headed up to Elmore, VT again for vacation with my family. I've purchased a used boxed set of The Chronicles of Narnia which I intend to start reading again during my down-time.I am working on a narrative essay detailing how the 'Ex-Gay Movement' has affected my life and my relationship with my parents & family. It describes by struggle due to the fact that my parents espouse ex-gay philosophies and I am a gay man with no desire to submit myself to the 'reparative therapy' which is promoted by the organizations in this movement. I am running into a lot of snags in writing the essay and trying to really examine myself and my life deeply so that the essay can be truthful and concise while touching on the subject of my family and parents with a sympathetic, understanding view of them. I don't believe I have ever put as much of myself into a piece of writing and it is emotionally exhausting. It is currently under review by several close loved ones and friends and I've just submitted it for consideration (and hopefully refinement) by some of the Friends who I attend meeting with. It will eventually be posted when I feel that it is ready.
