You must like words or you wouldn't be reading blogposts and writing your own blogposts, so as a service to word-lovers everywhere who are either considering self-quarantine during the coronovirus scare or have already taken the plunge, here is a reading plan to keep your mind busy and even distracted:
Day 1 -
"21 Rhetorical Devices Explained"
Day 2 -
"43 Embarrassing Grammar Mistakes Even Smart People Make"
Day 3 -
"The Four Desires Driving All Human Behavior"
Day 4 -
"How Non-English Speakers Are Taught This Crazy English Grammar Rule You Know But Have Never Heard Of"
Days 5 through 14 - One story a day from this collection of 10 short stories by Flannery O'Connor (see Note)
You're welcome.
At the end of the 14 days, one of two things may happen. Either your mind will have been so expanded that your own family will no longer recognize you, or you will never again be tempted to consider putting yourself through a 14-day self-quarantine period. In rare instances, both will happen
Whatever happens, I cannot be held responsible.
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Note. The 10 stories by Flannery O’Connor are all in one long scrollable file. To make things a bit easier for those of you who actually want to read them, here are their locations within the file. You should know that not all of the stories begin at the top of a page:
A Good Man Is Hard To Find - p.5
The River - p.33
The Life You Save May Be Your Own - p.64
A Stroke Of Good Fortune - p.84
A Temple Of The Holy Ghost - p.106
The Artificial Nigger - p.129
A Circle In The Fire - p.166
A Late Encounter With The Enemy - p.199
Good Country People - p.217
The Displaced Person - p.253
That second one positively effect my prose.
ReplyDeleteTasker, happy to be of service, we aim to please, and other expressions of good public relations.
DeleteI have come across that word order rule before. It always tickles my fancy.
ReplyDeleteNo responsibility? Sigh. I think that phrase is one of the diseases of our time (and more dangerous than the current virus).
Sue, there needs to be a phrase that helps people remember the sequence OSASCOMP, not that native speakers really need it, apparently.
DeleteThere is, of course, another possibility: that you won't survive the quarantine.
ReplyDeleteHowever, on the basis that I'm quarantined and short of things to do I shall be very grateful, I'm sure, for remembering your post.
Graham, your other possibility is not one I want to think about.
DeleteThanks for the list. Looks like we all may be spending more time at home.
ReplyDeleteThe college my son attends just went to online classes. Guessing public schools will be next.
Hope you and Mrs. RWP stay healthy and happy.
Kathy, it would be difficult for me to spend more time at home. I have gone out only once in the past two weeks. Put another way, this self-quarantining thing should be easy.
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