Today’s 20 Questions Tuesday is about the varied and interesting topic of “Letters.” Now, there are many kinds of letters that people refer to all the time. There are the letters that make up the alphabet, there are letters that are pen and paper missives from long lost friends and family, there are the letters that are found at the end of people’s names that signify educational and professional standing. Basically, the topic of letters is a very open ended one. That is how I like my topics to be.
Thanks this week go to the ever present Lord Pithy, the succinct Kim, the un-flappable Dr B-Dawg, the phasers set to deep fry Belsum, the word-mistress Bomber, and the typically just under the wire JW.
On to the Questions.
1. What was the foulest message you ever received from your Alpha-Bits cereal or alphabet soup?
Cereal: You need to pray more you heathen
Do you think God was trying to say something? The randomness is stunning really. I mean what is the possibility of all those words being spelled correctly and having the appropriate spaces and all?
Soup: Do not listen to the cereal – Beelzebub
And to think both these sentences came up in the same day. What a co-inky-dink
2. What's your opinion on the new Forever Stamp?
I love it. I feel like I would like to buy them in bulk, but alas and alack, I am too poor.
3. After "YMCA," what is the best song that is spelled?
S-S-S-S-A-A-A-A-F-F-F-F-T-T-T-T-Y-Y-Y-Y D-D-D-D-A-A-A-A-N-N-N-N-C-C-C-C-E-E-E-E. Sure it is not consistently spelled through out the song, but I like it none-the-less. Better than M-E-T-H-O-D-O-F-L-O-V-E in the Hall and Oats classic Method of Modern Love. Although now that I think about it, I want to change my answer to R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Aretha Franklin kicks major ass.
4. When was the last time someone spelled something around you so you wouldn't know what was being said? What was being said?
Are you kidding me? Wifey still spells things around me.
5. Did you "letter" in any high school sports?
Soccer.
6. Is English the only language that prides itself on having no two letter members as part of its elite 26?
The English language is curiously devoid of double letter symbols such as “æ.” I think in general English has a thing against diphthongs.
7. How long can you handwrite a letter before your hand fatigues and you can no longer write? I used to be able to write pages endlessly - now - 5 sentences.
I can actually make it about a page before the hand starts to protest, and three if I push through the “pain.” Is it legible? That is a different question.
8. If 1 is the loneliest number - is Q the most obsessive and clingy letter around in that it needs to have U around all the time or are Q and U a happy couple?
Q is most definitely codependent, and I think U is at fault for enabling. I thought it was a great that Q struck it out on its own when it helped make Iraq. Too bad about the outcome there…
9. Native speakers of other languages always boast that their language has words/phrases that couldn't possibly be translated and have the same meaning because they are so complicated or convey a feeling that English can't express..... - is this just sour grapes because they haven't been able to add a new word to their lexicon in the last 50years that didn't sound English or is there really something to it?
The French are still smarting about the whole “Samedi et Dimanche” being shortened to “le weekend,” and I found it interesting that at the bilingual wedding this weekend when the Japanese was interspersed with words like “communication.” There is no idiom in Japanese for “communication?” Really? I go with sour grapes.
10. Is cursive about dead? It is faster than printing and definitely the style for marathon writing for its ease but, again, who handwrites anything of length anymore. It seems to be joining the ranks of calligraphy in being pretty but utterly useless.
Cursive is definitely dying. So is block printing. It looks like grade schools are starting to teach a script writing style. It is kind of a hybrid between full on cursive and block letters.
11. If you could obtain another degree, frivolous or practical, what would you choose?
Black Belt
12. Do you still write letters or do you only send e-mail?
Pretty much all electronic these days. I have though about writing something out and scanning it in as a .pdf, you know, as a personal touch.
13. Best letter you've ever received?
The first summer that Wifey and I dated was a long distance relationship. We actually sent each other letters. It was very sweet.
14. "C is for cookie, that's good enough for me." How about you?
Abso-frikkin-lutely
15. X is for...?
I don’t know what it is for, but it most definitely marks the spot.
16. In keeping with your alphabet theme, what is your favorite letter of ANY Alphabet?
I like the Hebrew “aleph,” א It is the cardinality of the rational numbers.
17. What was the subject of the WORST letter you've received?
Hmmm... the subject? It was a grade for a class I needed to graduate
18. What were Letterman's super powers? His weaknesses?
As I recall, he really didn’t have a weakness, but his whole shtick, and therefore his strength was to add a letter to a word and to make it into something else.
19. Quick! Name three songs that have something to do with writing someone a letter.
The Police – Message in a Bottle
There’s that Eminem song about the obsessed fan that goes mental, called Stan. (I had to look that one up)
And I am drawing a blank for a third, a little help?
20. Do they still make Alpha-bits cereal?
Yup
To recap:
Had Little Man’s parent/teacher conference today
Little Man is doing well
I guess if I want more comments, I should post more contraversial topics
Thanks this week go to the ever present Lord Pithy, the succinct Kim, the un-flappable Dr B-Dawg, the phasers set to deep fry Belsum, the word-mistress Bomber, and the typically just under the wire JW.
On to the Questions.
1. What was the foulest message you ever received from your Alpha-Bits cereal or alphabet soup?
Cereal: You need to pray more you heathen
Do you think God was trying to say something? The randomness is stunning really. I mean what is the possibility of all those words being spelled correctly and having the appropriate spaces and all?
Soup: Do not listen to the cereal – Beelzebub
And to think both these sentences came up in the same day. What a co-inky-dink
2. What's your opinion on the new Forever Stamp?
I love it. I feel like I would like to buy them in bulk, but alas and alack, I am too poor.
3. After "YMCA," what is the best song that is spelled?
S-S-S-S-A-A-A-A-F-F-F-F-T-T-T-T-Y-Y-Y-Y D-D-D-D-A-A-A-A-N-N-N-N-C-C-C-C-E-E-E-E. Sure it is not consistently spelled through out the song, but I like it none-the-less. Better than M-E-T-H-O-D-O-F-L-O-V-E in the Hall and Oats classic Method of Modern Love. Although now that I think about it, I want to change my answer to R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Aretha Franklin kicks major ass.
4. When was the last time someone spelled something around you so you wouldn't know what was being said? What was being said?
Are you kidding me? Wifey still spells things around me.
5. Did you "letter" in any high school sports?
Soccer.
6. Is English the only language that prides itself on having no two letter members as part of its elite 26?
The English language is curiously devoid of double letter symbols such as “æ.” I think in general English has a thing against diphthongs.
7. How long can you handwrite a letter before your hand fatigues and you can no longer write? I used to be able to write pages endlessly - now - 5 sentences.
I can actually make it about a page before the hand starts to protest, and three if I push through the “pain.” Is it legible? That is a different question.
8. If 1 is the loneliest number - is Q the most obsessive and clingy letter around in that it needs to have U around all the time or are Q and U a happy couple?
Q is most definitely codependent, and I think U is at fault for enabling. I thought it was a great that Q struck it out on its own when it helped make Iraq. Too bad about the outcome there…
9. Native speakers of other languages always boast that their language has words/phrases that couldn't possibly be translated and have the same meaning because they are so complicated or convey a feeling that English can't express..... - is this just sour grapes because they haven't been able to add a new word to their lexicon in the last 50years that didn't sound English or is there really something to it?
The French are still smarting about the whole “Samedi et Dimanche” being shortened to “le weekend,” and I found it interesting that at the bilingual wedding this weekend when the Japanese was interspersed with words like “communication.” There is no idiom in Japanese for “communication?” Really? I go with sour grapes.
10. Is cursive about dead? It is faster than printing and definitely the style for marathon writing for its ease but, again, who handwrites anything of length anymore. It seems to be joining the ranks of calligraphy in being pretty but utterly useless.
Cursive is definitely dying. So is block printing. It looks like grade schools are starting to teach a script writing style. It is kind of a hybrid between full on cursive and block letters.
11. If you could obtain another degree, frivolous or practical, what would you choose?
Black Belt
12. Do you still write letters or do you only send e-mail?
Pretty much all electronic these days. I have though about writing something out and scanning it in as a .pdf, you know, as a personal touch.
13. Best letter you've ever received?
The first summer that Wifey and I dated was a long distance relationship. We actually sent each other letters. It was very sweet.
14. "C is for cookie, that's good enough for me." How about you?
Abso-frikkin-lutely
15. X is for...?
I don’t know what it is for, but it most definitely marks the spot.
16. In keeping with your alphabet theme, what is your favorite letter of ANY Alphabet?
I like the Hebrew “aleph,” א It is the cardinality of the rational numbers.
17. What was the subject of the WORST letter you've received?
Hmmm... the subject? It was a grade for a class I needed to graduate
18. What were Letterman's super powers? His weaknesses?
Faster than a rolling 'O'
Stronger than silent 'E'
Able to leap capital 'T' in a single bound!
It's a word, it’s a plan...it's Letterman!
As I recall, he really didn’t have a weakness, but his whole shtick, and therefore his strength was to add a letter to a word and to make it into something else.
19. Quick! Name three songs that have something to do with writing someone a letter.
The Police – Message in a Bottle
There’s that Eminem song about the obsessed fan that goes mental, called Stan. (I had to look that one up)
And I am drawing a blank for a third, a little help?
20. Do they still make Alpha-bits cereal?
Yup
To recap:
Had Little Man’s parent/teacher conference today
Little Man is doing well
I guess if I want more comments, I should post more contraversial topics
I haven't had 11 comments for a long time
I am getting close to needing another haircut
Hear that, JW? You will be getting an email soon
Saw that Little Man did a family portrait at preschool
Little Man is a stick figure
Wifey is a stick figure
I am a round shape with sticks for arms and legs
This pushing myself at the gym is killing me
By “killing me” I mean making my weak little muscles sore
But it looks like Little Man thinks I am Fatty McFatterson
So I guess I need to work out more
I am “in the barrel,” so to speak
There are worse places to be
Hear that, JW? You will be getting an email soon
Saw that Little Man did a family portrait at preschool
Little Man is a stick figure
Wifey is a stick figure
I am a round shape with sticks for arms and legs
This pushing myself at the gym is killing me
By “killing me” I mean making my weak little muscles sore
But it looks like Little Man thinks I am Fatty McFatterson
So I guess I need to work out more
I am “in the barrel,” so to speak
There are worse places to be