Saturday, April 16, 2011

unplugged and loopy

He told me to write something tonight.

So here it is.

I only write blog posts and tweets these days. Oh, and sometimes lyrics about bones and leather and matchbooks and Carl Sagan and cosmic waves. Hey, I just now, this very second, realized my lyrics are actually pretty cool. #prettycool

My vocabulary is lacking. I read quite a bit. I am a college grad (WITH A DEGREE IN ENGLISH). I am overall a smart cookie. But I have neglected words. I have forgotten how crisp and delicious language can be. I bought a book yesterday titled Rhyme Your Way to a Powerful Vocabulary. I don't even know what that means. I also bought some architecture books that I will undoubtedly end up giving as gifts to my many, uh, architect friends. (Note to Self: Find some architect friends.)

I performed in a show last night. And today. And by "performed" I mean "talked my way through some songs." I know I am the weakest link in the Glowing Heads. There used to be a show where that British woman with short red hair would say, "You are the weakest link. Goodbye." What the Boyd K. Fudgepacker was that called? Was it called Weakest Link? Who the Boyd K. Fudgeypantspacker even cares? Apparently I do. But not anymore.

I am currently abstaining from Facebook and Twitter. For the most part. It is difficult, but not TOO difficult. For the most part. I feel very out of the loop and I have hardly been gone for 24 hours. We live in a very plugged in world, people. I am so ready to go Gary Snyder on all y'all's asses.

Oh, language.

4 comments:

deadcityrebel said...

i bet you are so stoked my phone is shut off!

errin julkunen-pedersen said...

i have the same problem w/ my vocabulary--i know i am smart, i know i am a good/decent writer, but my vocabulary is garbage. i know as an english/philosophy major i shouldn't have been very afraid of the vocab/language component of the gre but that's what kept me from ever taking it.

here's the thing about a big vocabulary: it's bullshit. i believe that language and writing are about connection, and i think that, usually, making a point to use big words keeps people from being able to do just that. big words do not equal big ideas.

i'm not saying that people w/ big vocabs are bad writers, or bad connectors, or bad people, i'm just saying that ultimately, it doesn't matter. you can spend your time learning big words or playing penuckle, or baking brownies, or tap-dancing, or whatever. it's a hobby. nbd.

ariana said...

giiirl after reading your recent blog posts, i am sure our brains are experiencing such synchronicity right now. brain high five. or a low five. because some of the shared feelings are low feelings. GO US!

meg said...

Errin, I agree with you - writing is about connection. Thank you for reminding me. When I read writing that uses far too many "big words," I just feel as if the writer is being a bit of a pretentious dickweed and I tune out.

Ariana, brain high/low five for sure. I wish we could somehow find ourselves in the same place at the same time.