Sunday, February 21

Infuriation!

Warning! This is a Rant, so feel free to ignore it, if you wish.

It seems the older I get, the more I am prone to rant!

Now I know language is a living thing, and is apt to change over the years with usage, and altered meanings for certain words. (GAY not being the least of them!)

Whatever happened to TWICE???  Or even THRICE??  Both perfectly good words, meaning respectively two times, and three times.

Now it seems to be all "two times" which irritates the crap hell out of me! In this age of abbreviated all sorts for texting and other uses, why say two times, when twice would serve as well.
I realise young people have probably never heard of 'thrice' and would be hard pressed to understand what it means. But when, oh when, did TWICE go out of vogue??

Another rant concerns the seemingly brain-dead persons who leave idiot comments on lots of my posts, which are either advertisements or 'Asian language' of some description, which I cannot understand. Nor do I wish to understand.
I wonder if anyone has any advice for getting rid of these serial pests for ever? I have tried 'deleting sender', but still they keep coming. One post in particular keeps getting these stupid comments, which I delete every time. I wonder is it the Title of the post, which has attracted the moronic commenting. I wont repeat the title here, in case that causes a flurry of further moron's comments!

I have never wanted to use Word Verification, but it seems I might have to resort to that, if these pests keep dogging my posts!!GRRRRR.

************************

Further news about Gom is not good. He has been feeling well under par, and after initially responding well to treatment, is now not doing so well.
He is to see a Specialist as soon as possible now, as our GP admits he is stumped as to the reason for falling blood counts.
We realise there is no cure for his condition, but our GP felt with managed treatment, Gom could still live to a decent old age.

So, I am ignoring the totally bald patch on the front creeper on our front wall, where some overzealous Gom went seemingly mad. It will grow back- eventually.
I am ignoring the snide comments about my driving and parking abilities.
I am remembering all the fun times we have had.
I am remembering him in his role as Happy Young Publican Husband.
I am remembering all the really brilliant things he did, as a Publican, and Husband, and Friend, and Father.
We can still laugh together on good days.
I try to bite down the bad bits, and realise none of them are life threatening... though the sanity may be tried & the sense of humour may temporarily vanish.

Simon & Garfunkel, Bridge Over Troubled Water.

25 comments:

By Hoki Quilts said...

Meggie, I totally agree with you about our language. As a retired English teacher I must admit to cringing from time to time. However I think what is worse is the poor enunciation etc that leads one to wonder sometimes, just what is being said.

By Hoki Quilts said...

Oh, and re people leaving comments that you do not wish to receive. Is there not 'something' on blogger that lets you bar certain people from commenting?

Catalyst said...

The language problem is negligible. What concerns me is GOM's health and your concern over him. Maybe Buddhism is the best answer, Meggie, and I mean that truthfully. Try and stay calm, though that is not the seeming way in these tough times. But The Way can help.

fifi said...

Oh Meggie.


If it makes you feel any better, all the youngsters I know still say "twice".


Sorry about Gom. I am trying to be joyful about all my gifts in life. especially when I read this.

xx

Jerry said...

You rant is well placed. I am not only disgruntled at the language of kids but at their rudeness.

I pray that a solution is found for GOM's difficulty. My sister is on all kinds of medication because of her blood cell count. I think it is manageable now...hope the same happens with GOM.

As an addendum to Catalyst's comment. I've been told over and over that meditation can work wonders. I need to learn more of it for myself.

ancient one said...

I don't know how to block the unwanted comments... they hit me from time to time... I have deleted those comments twice or thrice... LOL

You are on the right track.. remembering the good times as you endure the trying times..

I hope they get GOM on the right treatments soon.

Rant all you want...we all understand!

Jennifer said...

Let's hope the specialist has an answer for Gom, it is as bad for you as it is for him. We feel helpless when we have to stand by and watch the ones we love suffer while being unable to help.

persiflage said...

I hope there is some help from the specialist. and that you manage to do all the things you must do, in this difficult time.
I had one Asian comment which I deleted, and after noticing a comment on another blog, I wondered whether they are automatically generated in response to certain words. I seemed to be the case when I got the comment.
I quite agree with twice and thrice. Two times and three times sound like the childish repetition that helps children to learn their tables - although I am wondering whether such rote learning is taught now.

Selina Kingston said...

I'm sorry to hear about GOM. You do right though to think of all the wonderful times you have had together. It doesn't make the now any easier though.
Sending you a big hug x

Marigold Jam said...

Sometimes a good rant is just what is needed and I'm with you on the use of language rant!

So sorry that GOM is not doing well and pray that the consultant will have some answers - it is not easy living with someone who is in that frame of mind I know. My GOM was diagnosed as having pernicious anaemia fairly recently and that was just as well and he was becomming so difficult to live with but luckily the regular injections of B12 seem to have given me back my husband just in the nick of time (before I either commited murder or left!!) I know this is not what GOM has but can understand why blood counts are so important. My thoughts are with you both.

Jess said...

Meggie - thinking of you and your GOM today - and hoping that the good times outweigh the bad. Also that you get some good news, and soon!

Blogger: Settings Tab, Comments, Comments Moderation, Select Only on Posts Older than 14 days. (It seems to winnow out most of the Asian porn spam.)

I love thrice. It seems so precise and clean.

Pauline said...

As a little kid, I thought thrice was the past tense of three. My mother explained that "done in a thrice" meant quickly, as in "3 shakes of a lamb's tail." Kids here still say twice, thankfully or I'd have to dispatch them in a thrice.

GOM is lucky to have you. Hope things begin to improve for both of you soon.

julieQ said...

I am praying for your GOM...I think that is what you are so troubled about. I agree, language is not what is used to be...two times!

Warty Mammal said...

Hell's bells, Meggie. I'm sorry.

Sheila said...

Meggie, sorry to hear that Gom isn't doing too good. I'm sending positive thoughts and hope the new Dr can shed some light on things.

Language is everchanging, but not always for the better. One thing that annoys me is the use of the word 'fun'. We used to say something was 'such fun'...didn't we?
So why is it that now kids say something is 'so fun'..?

Never sounds right to me.
xx

Ali Honey said...

Chin up Meggie. He probably knows he is being very difficult even if he won't admit it ...and he might not realise why. I hope the Drs get it sorted soon.

There are many annoying language use mistakes....the one that is currently making me shudder is the use of amount when they mean number.
It is surprising how many people in high places make language errors.

I wish I could share my tomatoes with you...they would be stopped at customs unfortunately.

lovelyprism said...

Meggie,
I'm just back online and catching up with everyone. I understand a lot of your recent frustrations. *hugs* My sens of humor abandons me frequently lately too.

Reluctant Blogger said...

I get cross about "twice" too although I have never really used "thrice". Perhaps I never manage to do anything thrice!!!

Fortnight is the one that gets me - people are definitely shifting to say "two weeks".

I hope GOM starts to feel better soon and that you begin to feel less stressed.

Thimbleanna said...

I agree with you about the language Meggie -- GAY still irritates the heck out of me! I read somewhere that you can set word verification for your posts that are older than 14 days -- apparently those are the posts that get spammed by those icky comments anyway. That way, your current commenters won't be affected by the word verification.

Like Bells Wringing said...

Meg,
I am right there with you on all counts of your rant.

I complain loudly about the abuse of the English/American language. Thankfully at least two of my children assist me in this endeavor, one of whom has become an English teacher himself. *smiles proudly*

On the GOM front, I have one too. My broken love and I have weathered much together during his illness/disability. Still we are together and a source of comfort as much as torture for each other.

Thank you for all the treats. You are a blessing! My heart is with you as Language Lover, and Love Caregiver!

The Sagittarian said...

My daughter had a platelet problem when she was about 5, it was a thing called ITP (big name but basically was a cross between haemiphilia and leukaemia)..they gave her steroids to bump up her count and eventually she grew out of it. I have heard of older people needing to have their spleen removed the sort the probelm, no idea if this applies to your GOM or not, hopefully the specialist will get onto this ASAP!

My dear friend Peggy (Dunstan) wrote a poem about a husband's irritating ways and how they paled when in the face of her having to be without him.
Big hugs Meggie, this too shall pass.

Lone Grey Squirrel said...

Wishing you and Gom all the best. I pray that the doctors will figure out the best way to treat Gom's condition. Love and hugs.

Mary Johnson said...

Meggie, I'm so far behind on my blog reading I didn't realize that GOM had been unwell. I hope the Dr's can figure out an effective treatment.

I must not be hip because I still say twice although rarely use Thrice and I with you on the nasty spammers too. I spend way too much time cleaning out my incoming comments thanks to them.

Christine Thresh said...

You do manage to keep your sense of humor despite these hard times. I hope GOM finds an answer to his health problems.
We are all sending our most positive thoughts your way.

Tanya said...

I have been having the same problems with comments. A lot of filth outh there and why they want to come to one certain back post I don't know but it is the same dang post day after day. I'm afraid I have put up passwords and moderation too which I'm not happy about... I have no other idea about how to get these people/computers to leave me alone.