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jemck at 11:25am on 07/10/2007
jemck at 11:25am on 07/10/2007For the first time in the UK, I have been asked by a waitress if I wanted 'a side' with an order. A side? Of beef? Or a cricket eleven? Oh, you mean a side dish.
I have concluded this irritates me even more than the increasing usage of 'passed'. As in, Mr Bloggs has passed. An exam? By the window? A kidney stone? Oh, you mean passed away. If you must be mealy-mouthed and cannot say 'died'.
Language evolves. We know that. But can we not at least have evolution towards clarity rather than away from it?
In other news, my sister who reads things like Vogue and thus is in a position to know, tells me I'm at the cutting edge of fashion in one respect at least. This comes as no small surprise.
Turns out after a decade or so when women have been encouraged to dye their hair without shame, the new sought-after look for women of 40 and above is the natural grey. Or in fashion-speak 'silver fox'.
Because it's damn near impossible to do artificially in the hair salon. Peroxide and its more modern alternatives turns hair blonde, all the way up to platinum - which is not the same as natural white/silver.
And the kind of look I have now, which used to be called pepper-and-salt but is apparently now 'silver highlights' is the most desirable.
Which is nice. To the very limited extent that I care about such things.
Writing targets? Um, ish. Kinda. Mostly. The next three weeks are going to be... well, I'm at that stage in the book where I really, really just want to get my head down and write straight through to the end of the draft, ignoring all distractions. Before taking a deep breath and going back to the start to tackle all the necessary revisions that are coming more and more sharply into focus as I approach the end.
So this would be a really good month to have a completely clear diary. Only I'm duty parent next week as husband has a foreign business trip, then I'm off to Ireland for Octocon next weekend and thereafter, on 19th Oct I'm in Guildford at the lit fest doing a workshop and then a panel. All of which will be enjoyable and useful and all that kindathing. It's just that the timing kinda sucks.
Happily the diary for November is entirely clear and I'm keeping it that way.
I have concluded this irritates me even more than the increasing usage of 'passed'. As in, Mr Bloggs has passed. An exam? By the window? A kidney stone? Oh, you mean passed away. If you must be mealy-mouthed and cannot say 'died'.
Language evolves. We know that. But can we not at least have evolution towards clarity rather than away from it?
In other news, my sister who reads things like Vogue and thus is in a position to know, tells me I'm at the cutting edge of fashion in one respect at least. This comes as no small surprise.
Turns out after a decade or so when women have been encouraged to dye their hair without shame, the new sought-after look for women of 40 and above is the natural grey. Or in fashion-speak 'silver fox'.
Because it's damn near impossible to do artificially in the hair salon. Peroxide and its more modern alternatives turns hair blonde, all the way up to platinum - which is not the same as natural white/silver.
And the kind of look I have now, which used to be called pepper-and-salt but is apparently now 'silver highlights' is the most desirable.
Which is nice. To the very limited extent that I care about such things.
Writing targets? Um, ish. Kinda. Mostly. The next three weeks are going to be... well, I'm at that stage in the book where I really, really just want to get my head down and write straight through to the end of the draft, ignoring all distractions. Before taking a deep breath and going back to the start to tackle all the necessary revisions that are coming more and more sharply into focus as I approach the end.
So this would be a really good month to have a completely clear diary. Only I'm duty parent next week as husband has a foreign business trip, then I'm off to Ireland for Octocon next weekend and thereafter, on 19th Oct I'm in Guildford at the lit fest doing a workshop and then a panel. All of which will be enjoyable and useful and all that kindathing. It's just that the timing kinda sucks.
Happily the diary for November is entirely clear and I'm keeping it that way.
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