Happy New Year!

Happy 2008 to everyone! A couple of random thoughts and some reviews for this first day of January '08.

Between Christmas and today, I skimmed most of my new book, Woe Is I by Patricia T. O'Conner. I like the subtitle: "The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English." I loved this section in the last chapter: "A good writer is one you can read without breaking a sweat. If you want a workout, you don't lift a book--you lift weights. Yet we're brainwashed to believe that the more brilliant the writer, the tougher the going. The truth is that the reader is always right. Chances are, if something you're reading doesn't make sense, it's not your fault--it's the writer's" (195).

I agree. It is very difficult to explain things clearly and well. In order to explain something clearly, it must be clear in the mind of the writer (or explainer). This is one thing I admire about my husband. He has this great ability to explain things well, to make them clear to just about anyone.

It is up to the writer to explain rather than the responsibility falling on the reader to decipher. Anyway, it's a good book for English teachers or writers or anyone else to likes fun books about language.

We watched "Stardust" last week and really enjoyed this family-friendly movie.

Also watched part of the "Band of Brothers" mini-series. Love it! Damien Lewis is one of my favorite actors these days.