I’m struggling at the moment. Struggling with life, the weather and not being able to get out and do my daily walks or even use taking photos as an excuse to get outside. And when I’m not getting out for my walk, I get grumpy. I get very grumpy. I don’t do well closed in for days at a time or, in this case, because the damn weather is so damn cold, weeks at a time.

It’s really getting to me and we’re only coming up to the end of January. I’ve got the whole month of February to get through. And even with scheduled appointments I have to go to: the doctor, the nurse for blood tests, the dentist for my check up, and any runs out for groceries etc., it’s not the same. Not the same as wandering here and there, in my neighbourhood, taking photos of things that interest me. Or even going further afield in the city, and wandering around on of the many parks.

I want to be out. And I want to be out like, now!

Am I going stir crazy? You bet I am. But going out, in this weather, entails wearing at least 4 layers of clothing. Which, let me tell you, is not conducive to going for a walk feeling like the Stay Puff Man from Ghostbusters.

Throw in the fact any exposed skin at MINUS 27+ will get frostbite pretty quickly and that, dear reader, is no fun.

So what’s a girl to do?

Stare out the window a while longer and pray to Mother Nature to pull her finger out of her, well, you know where, and give us a break. Pretty please with cream on top.

Thanks,
Love Alex

LOL & OMG Toll the death-knell of the English Language.

English is one of those languages that begs, borrows and downright steals from other languages to the point of stalking them down dark alleys. Where, before hitting them over the head with a dangling participle, rifles through a language’s pockets in search of any word it thinks it can get away with. It doesn’t care whether it’s bright, shiny, and new, or if it is dog-eared and long since forgotten. The only criteria is, can I use it?

You have to remember, languages live by adapting or die by stagnation. English (and yes, we’ll include American, Canadian, and Australian English here too) knows this and isn’t above grand theft and petty larceny in the verbiage world at large.

So, to any and all of you out there bemoaning the death-knell of the English language when reading announcements that the OED (Oxford English Dictionary) is once again adding new and controversial words to its pages. Ask yourselves, do we speak the same language of Shakespeare, or even the Victorians? Could you imagine a dapper-dressed Victorian saying, “I better Google that, or check that fact on Bing.” Eh, of course not. Nor do we, in our time, go around asking, “doth thine eyes, of palest emerald, beseech the heavens above …” 

Hell, no!

We speak and write a vibrant, living, growing, transforming language that is constantly in flux and adapting to the changing needs of those using it. 

And to that, I say, hallelujah!