the grammar rodeo?

A shout-out to all the 'burg people!
My grammar book specifically mentions the Pittsburgh/Western Penn. regionalism/dialect
"For instance, in Central and Western Pennsylvania you will hear 'The car needs washed,"...
** courtesy of Funk and Kolln, Understanding English Grammar

office

The Office for Responsible Research probably shouldn't amuse me as much as it does, but I can't help but laugh to myself when I walk by.
I picture some Far Side comic, where on the other side of the hall, there's another doorway, perhaps misshapen with a broken door knob, smallish, that says Office for Irresponsible Research... crazed lab rats scurry through the corridors and other experiments gone awry, people who haven't gotten IRB approval, etc. Maybe I've worked and been around academia too long, I'm not sure why ISU's insistence on putting that adjective in their office title entertains me...

eggs

I met the farmer who picked/collected my eggs yesterday- when I stopped in the farmers' market to buy eggs. Not only do they have the best price but it is nice to personally meet your local farmer. Can't get too much fresher than that, short of having your own farm.

Another nice thing about small-town life is you can go into a really good bakery and get 2 baked goods and coffee for about $4.00. Are you kidding me?!? It's like 1980's prices! Okay, granted most of the housing here is also stuck in the 1980's too...

Oh well...also in the last 2 week period it has managed to range from 60 deg. out to 13 deg.

I will have to report more on Dancing Liberty Tax Man and Garfield driving the car at Kmart...

happy new year

Someone paid for my coffee at Caribou. Happy New Year.

Almost time to leave the Twin Cities...
Ciao Minnesotans...

sun ray

Stopped at the *Sun-ray shopping center, which a friend had mentioned is supposedly either
the oldest or one of the oldest strip malls in the country- I haven't been able to verify this
with any independent sources, so someone feel free to fact-check this.
I have passed by it nearly every day I've been here, as it's a landmark of sorts driving on
I-94. It's not really terribly noteworthy, as far as shopping centers go, except for its historical
"value".
*Also the illuminated sign is a bit wonky and seems to also show it as the Un-ray, which I find
way more amusing.

I also saw a bumper sticker that had something to do with (cheese) curds but sadly now I can't remember the exact wording.

meat raffles

technology

As ubiquitous as we may think technology is our culture, knowing how to use is still NOT
instinctive. Ie. If you've never used it before, it doesn't matter how pervasive we perceive it to
be in "American culture", it's still confusing and bewildering and can be difficult to explain how to use it.

Just some thoughts for right now...