As the year 2009 comes to a close, the English language is forced to digress. Character limitations of text messaging and social applications such as Twitter have forced us to condense what we have to say in to the shortest “words” possible. Some of these “words”, you can even find listed in the dictionary. William Shakespeare, John Donne, William Wordsworth… They must be having epileptic fits in their graves.

Coming from the past, you would require a translator to decode the hip lingo of our society. “Excuse me, but I must get going,” has been reduced to “G2G”. A courtesy good-bye… TTYL, TTFN. What kinds of relationships shall we keep with the deterioration of the English language on the rise? Only your text messaging inbox will tell.

It used to be that good rhetoric and eloquence was a signature of high class. Writers and speakers that held these gifts went down in history, and became notable quoted. Now, even those we admire with celebrity status have begun to use diluted versions of commonly used words.

Twitter, the easiest place to find watered down words, has even been named as a quotable source. Businesses may use the un-informative term BI to describe their business’ intelligence and be quoted on their happenings and goals. Or, someone may share memories of their DP… And similarly be quoted.

Words no longer flourish in our society. They have become underappreciated, hidden by a layer of dust and swept under the espresso leather sectional. Maybe one day a child will take them out to play and we will come to realization that we should have never let our true words go.

Or, be a BBMFIC and write in the manner the English language must be represented and be the eloquent human being that you always should have been.

“It was a busy morning, about 8:30 , when an elderly gentleman in his 80’s arrived at the hospital to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound. While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor’s appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry.

The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer’s Disease. As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late.

He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.

I was surprised, and asked him, ‘And you still go every morning, even though she doesn’t know who you are?’

He smiled, as he patted my hand and said, ‘She doesn’t know me, But I still know who she is.’

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, ‘That is the kind of love I want in my life.’

True love is neither Physical, nor Romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.

With all the jokes and fun that are on the net and elsewhere, sometimes there is one that comes along that has an important message. This one needed to be  shared. The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything. They just make the best Of everything they have. ‘Life isn’t about how to survive the storm. Its about dancing in the rain’.

Clarity cuts like a knife sometimes, and I find myself standing over the beast, my eye gleaming cleanly in its reflection on the bloody knife.

In the humble quietness and wonder that fills me afterward, I walk away, wash my hands clean and raise them to the skies, giving thanks for this gift of written eloquence, this weapon against injustice, this vehicle for truth and widespread understanding.

incompatible
it don’t matter though
cause someone is bound to hear my cry
speak out if you do, because you’re not easy to find
is it possible, mr loveable, is already in my life?
right in front of me, or maybe you’re in disguise

natasha bedingfield – soulmate :’)

Bounds, E M (Edward McKendree)

We have raised the clamor for talent instead of grace, eloquence instead of piety, rhetoric instead of revelation, reputation…instead of holiness. – Preacher and Prayer (Chicago: Christian Witness, n.d.), 74.

(15 August 1835, Shelby Co. Missouri – 24 August 1913,Washington, Georgia)

Converted to Christ 1857

Married Emma Elizabeth Barnett, 19 September 1876 (she died) 

Married Harriet Elizabeth Barnett, 1887

Author: Guan Ming

[PureInsight.org] In the past, I was acquainted with some people who were eloquent and glib in their arguments. At that time, I thought it was their skill. I didn’t think carefully about the relationship between eloquence and good and evil. Later, I met some cultivators who endured disgrace but didn’t argue or fight. Then I could tell the big difference between the two groups of people. One day, when I read the end of Lao Zi’s Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching), which said, “Sages do things but not fight for things,” I was suddenly enlightened. Clever talk and an ingratiating manner are not talents. Enduring disgrace but not arguing is the highest realm of life.

“Kind people don’t argue; people who argue are not kind” is from Chapter 81 in Dao De Jing. Chapter 81 says: “Honest words may not be pleasant to listen to; pleasant words may not be honest. Kind people don’t argue; people who argue are not kind. Smart people may not have a wide range of studies; those who are experienced and knowledgeable may not be smart.” Striving for virtue places value upon actions, not words. It is not necessary to debate the truth every day. An endless debate all day long wouldn’t necessarily argue the truth out. Every truth and righteous principle can only be comprehended through genuine and solid cultivation.

Confucius said in “Lunyu – Liren”: “Gentlemen are slow of speech but quick in action.” In “Lunyu – Xuer” he said: “Gentlemen eat but not eat their fill; they live but seek not an easy life; they are resourceful but cautious about their words.” It looks like people should talk less but do more. Both Confucius and Laozi agreed on this. So whatever we do, whether it is cultivation or social activity, we should do solid work without bluster and ostentation.

If we think about it carefully, a kind person with great abilities doesn’t need to argue with others. He wouldn’t use only words to prove he is right. Even in front of slander or personal attack, he can prove his innocence and be unsullied by his actions. Those who can endure the insults but not argue are usually those who work silently without publicity. They must have a mind that stands aloof from worldly success. On the contrary, those who argue everyday don’t really have capabilities, although when they argue they may seem to have great abilities. Kind people don’t need flowery words and cunning statements to win others’ praise. All talk and no deeds will achieve nothing.

The first thing to pay attention to in the cultivation of speech is to avoid loud and empty talk. Don’t criticize others from head to toe. Be sincere and kind to others. Don’t argue in front of and humiliate others. These are the things that upright gentlemen do.

Translated from: http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2009/5/25/59737.html

Sometimes it’s hard to concentrate
Facing the world at its very best
Where does this end?
In a prison, In my mind
Can’t escape, trapped forever
All I have left is fake
Not who I want to be
It’s not me
I can’t fight against it,
It’s not what is supposed to happen
Left by myself
Submerged in thoughts
Of what’s right and what’s wrong
What is meant to be all along
Could there be anyone else like this?
No heart to condone,
Miserable, helpless and all alone
Broken shards of glass
And a light blinding the room
My sickening soul
And a fight to my doom
I want to be free

Save me.
Save me.

Let me sleep in your arms.

<3

.

.

.

Your heart speaks with thunder.
You can talk as loud as you like.
My lips are sealed.
-yurinfu

Chances are that your ideas, no matter how fresh or creative they may seem, are not as original as you might like to think. This is why invention is such a big deal. In an era where many of your predecessors and even some of your contemporaries have already outdone and outwitted you with their ideas, theories,and creations, how can you do anything new or innovative? How do you leave your mark? This is the post-modern dilemma…

Once you accept the fact that your ideas are often not original, you can move ahead. (And if you do come up with an original idea, you better patent it quick before somebody else beats you to it!) The focus now becomes: “How can I say it better?” We live in an era of recycled ideas and retweets, where the emphasis has shifted not to what you say, but how you say it. In order to hold the attention of the masses or even just your friends or coworkers, eloquence is key. This doesn’t mean that you  have to become a Shakespeare or even a Hemingway for that matter, but you  must be aware of and empowered by the impact of your words!

-Jessica Nielsen, Principal & Dir. of Marketing Communications

Creating beauty is never easy, so I’m always amazed by the way the best jazz musicians make it happen on the spot. 

Here’s a particularly moving example from the second informal set of the 2009 Jazz at Chautauqua, with Duke Heitger, trumpet; Dan Block, tenor sax; Bob Havens, trombone; Ehud Asherie, piano; Frank Tate, bass; Pete Siers, drums.  Their version of SEPTEMBER SONG equals any I’ve ever heard for slow, steady, sustained connection to the emotions – a series of embellished melody lines building and building on one another with no reaching for special effects — just quiet majesty, instant eloquence. 

Thank you, gentlemen!

Sorry I haven’t been around that much that past few days; I’ve been busy settling into my course at uni and everything that goes along with that.  I am pretty pleased (apart from the fact I was drunk on Thursday night before 7pm) with the content of the course, as it’s very inspiring and I feel that this might just be the right thing for me.  I can make a difference to young people in a realistic way – even though it’s been made clear that sometimes you can only do so much, I like to believe that even a little can be enough.  We’ll see – I have my first visit to a school on Thursday morning (Mike is giving me a lift) to help some Year 10s look through prospectuses… hopefully my optimism will hold through that! I’m sure it’ll be fine… just intro jitters.

So far, I seem to be getting along really well with everyone there! I think I have somewhat of a reputation for being talkative; I’m certainly not quiet to the point of being shy.  I don’t mind people thinking that I’m easy to talk to, and I’m 23 years old now so I am happy to voice my opinion as long as the situation is comfortable and demands it.  But I know that in the past, people have built preconceptions of me as talking too much, having a loud voice, not thinking before I speak.  Sometimes I don’t; I’m only human – but the way that I dress, the way that I act, my interests and hobbies and the way I carry myself and am able to have fun and be sociable does not equate to me not having a brain and not being able to engage it at the same time as my vocal cords.  Intelligence is not solely measured by IQ and the ability to memorise x amounts of books – I think that emotional intelligence, common sense, practical intelligence is all important too.

And I am so happy that my coursemates kinda reacted incredulously when I said “I know that I can talk a lot, but I also know how to shut up and listen to what other people say.” They were like “Alan, of course, the way you express yourself is very eloquent and you don’t say anything just for the sake of it.”  Telling them a bit about the preconceptions I am aware that people in the past have had of me, they were like “well we never thought that at all” (for example, I never like to reveal outright where I went to university because I don’t want it to compromise anyone’s opinion of me; but if asked, I will say “Oxford” – after all, I earned my place there so why keep it a secret?  Often, people’s immediate response is “Oh, Oxford Brookes, right?” Because I could never be bright enough to go to the real Oxford University – and in addition to insulting me, they also insult all the Brookes students too!  Oxford Brookes University runs some fantastic vocational courses, from what I understand.).

During our practice day preparation session, there was a point during debating the timetable / structure of the day where I didn’t really understand what was going on.  Instead of voicing my misunderstandings and adding to the general overall confusion, I just kept my mouth shut, looked through a folder with banks of activities, and started pulling out things which might be useful.  I knew that too many voices weren’t gonna help things, so I stayed quiet and let the others resolve things.  That was important to me because I didn’t want to enter into any kind of organisational role (especially since that wasn’t my role on this occasion), or be seen to be either bossy or ditzy; I knew that the organisers would sort things out, and that there were other useful things I could do in the meantime.  Whether the others do value what I say, find that I express myself with an eloquence that’s beyond my years (something Leanne said, which truly complimented me) or whatever, I don’t need to speak all the time.  Sometimes less is more.

Which is perhaps why I have not written so much on here in the past week or so; I guess that I haven’t had anything burning to write and I’ve been busy living my life and getting on with other things.  By this point, I’ve written plenty of blog entries that I don’t necessarily need to write every day; there’s still plenty of reading material here for y’all!  And I still definitely enjoy composing a blog entry; but I’m not going to blog for the sake of blogging, because if I have nothing to say, then that entry is going to devalue my words.  And I like to think that when I speak, my words have meaning.  So don’t worry if I’m quiet, or if I don’t write for a day or two – I’ll be back! (I can hardly stay silent for ever – less may sometimes be more, but nothing will still be nothing )  And when I speak, hopefully you’ll find what I say interesting.  Just for a little teaser of things I am developing in my mind to talk about: my mixtape High Fashion; tarot; Mariah Carey’s new album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel; more relationship drama!  Keep it locked – I appreciate you and I enjoy you all!

Not my eloquence, but that of the nigh haiku-like Jerry Holkins of Penny Arcade.

The Unvarnished Truth

This represents, to my mind, perhaps the single greatest piece of writing on video gaming ever.

“So, you think I have advance notice of the school curriculum?  You think I knew her guitar lesson would conflict with Spanish and then, armed with that knowledge wrote you a cheque and waited two weeks to complain?  She hasn’t even started the lessons and you get to keep the whole term’s fee.  What is your normal notice period?”

“You would have had to have given notice in July.”

“I didn’t know there’d be a problem in July!”

“I’m sorry.”

“No.   You’re not.  Well, thank you so much for you non-help.”

And there it is.

Non-help – what the hell is that?

It sticks to my tongue all square-shaped with spikes.  My concluding comment was to be a wireless left hook that would hurt as much as the physical action, instead, I think I hear a snort of amusement before she hangs up.

I can speak English, I’ve been doing it since I was a child.  I just can’t  seem to join the words up properly when under pressure.  So when will it happen?  That effortless eloquence.  The snappy repartee that I haven’t had to fashion, polish, store and wait for the right opportunity to use.   Then, often as not, misjudging that moment, I deliver the words out of context to a confused friend who thinks he misheard, gives a shrug and talks over the time he should have spent slapping me on the back and saying: ‘nice one, very funny.’

The phone rings, I shrink from the handset but listen to the message:  ”I’ve had a word with my manager, we’ll refund half the term’s fees.  We don’t normally do that, it’s normally NON-refundable but we’ll make an exception this time seeing as she’s a NON-starter.  Would you give me a call back, please?”

Not a chance.  Keep the money.