Midnight Musings

Not that I was expecting it, mind you. It was just bound to happen sooner or later. Someone asked me how to spell "Jones". No, it wasn't someone foreign-born or a functional illiterate (on second thought...). It was one of our federal government employees - a person ostensibly qualified by passing the infamous Civil Service Exam to work for our United States Postal Service.

"How do you spell that?"

I laughed for the two seconds it took before I realized he was serious. "Jones?"

"J-O-H-"

"No - JONES."

"J-O-A-N-"

"No...J-O-N-E-S."

"Thanks."

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

'night.

I love to visit Engrish.com Sometimes it can be offensive, I admit. And sometimes, like today, I wonder if it's mean to laugh at what they post there. It can be a picture of anything from building signage to t-shirts to small appliance labels, written in mangled english by Japanese printers. The site is run by an American who lived in Japan for some time and has substantial affection for the country and its people. It's clearly not a mean-spirited venture and it's not as if he's making fun of the handicapped and we are joining in. I'm just having pangs of guilt and not sure if there's a valid reason. Of course, I'm still laughing at the site, too.

'night.

Courtesy of A Tribute - 9/11/01 - God Bless America I don't know why I always look at these pages. It must be for the same reason I still have to turn away every time I see the World Trade Center on tv. This image in particular hit home. It's a different world.

'night.

I don't get it. First, there was Star Search. It was a novelty. Then it became something else, then there was the kids' spinoff. Then it went away. Then came American Idol which, on the heels of the various reality tv shows about making people who would never get along in ordinary situations live together and the Survivor craze, became a mammoth success. I am not ashamed to say that I have never watched any of these shows even once, although my sister-in-law was appalled when I told her. Then something happened. Nashville Star (because it's not part of America, I suppose). Amazing Pet Stars. Our Next Food Network Star. Where does it end? America's Soapmaking Star? Star Lumberjack? Star Chemist? Park Ranger Star? Star Orderly? There are scads of thankless jobs out there that deserve public recognition but will never get it. (Of course, if they did, I couldn't whine about thankless jobs anymore.) I think the whole thing just reeks of discrimination. Who will stand with me against this tyranny? Who will lobby Congress in support of our Next Star Special Education Teacher? Let's bury them with e-mail. Let's drown them in telegrams. Let's flood them with letters. Wow...I never realized how violent this political action stuff was... 'night.