POMPOUS TWIT or SOMEONE SO INSECURE THAT HE'LL USE POINTLESSLY BIG WORDS IN AN ATTEMPT TO LOOK SMART
what is this?
i'm writing a paper (hence the odd nightly hour) and i was using the built in thesaurus on my mac. and i input utilize. which gives me a few synonyms. along with the scolding.
there's this "Word Note" section below the synonyms where DFW just told me off.
DFW, show yourself!
(full word note entry below)
--------
WORD NOTE
utilize
This is a puff-word. Since it does nothing that good old use doesn't do, its extra letters and syllables don't make a writer seem smarter. Rather, using utilize makes you seem like either a pompous twit or someone so insecure that he'll use pointlessly big words in an attempt to look smart. The same is true for the noun utilization, for vehicle as used for car, for residence as used for home, for indicate as used for say, for presently, at present, at this time, and at the present time as used for now, and so on. What's worth remembering about puff-words is something that good writing teachers spend a lot of time drumming into undergrads: "Formal writing" does not mean gratuitously fancy writing; it means clean, clear, maximally considerate writing.
— DFW
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Ohhhhhh Virginia
Watch
Yep W&M has a new mascot...the "Griffin", or maybe a "pantsless tailed eagle"....potato poTAHto
Also confederate history month? Really Virginia is this necessary?
Yep W&M has a new mascot...the "Griffin", or maybe a "pantsless tailed eagle"....potato poTAHto
Also confederate history month? Really Virginia is this necessary?
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
You clearly do not grasp the point of jinx.
From an online cartoon blog/journal (?). Amusing though...
#378; In which Children suffer
I also quite enjoy this one
#556; In which it’s Hard to Tell
#378; In which Children suffer
I also quite enjoy this one
#556; In which it’s Hard to Tell
Monday, March 22, 2010
@!
http://www.moma.org/explore/inside_out/2010/03/22/at-moma/
MoMA is killing it. (in a good sense of the word kill)
MoMA is killing it. (in a good sense of the word kill)
Saturday, February 20, 2010
sort of obsessed with this right now...
british singer...this has been on repeat for a few days now
the video below's pretty poppy--but don't worry D, her other stuff has a little less sugar and a little more emotion
http://www.myspace.com/elliegoulding
the video below's pretty poppy--but don't worry D, her other stuff has a little less sugar and a little more emotion
http://www.myspace.com/elliegoulding
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Sunday, January 3, 2010
grammar notes
sort of interesting, from this weeks NYT magazine.
can you imagine being the lawyer that said "irregardless"?....although perhaps they were quoting mean girls
can you imagine being the lawyer that said "irregardless"?....although perhaps they were quoting mean girls
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Merry Christmas!
and on a completely unrelated post:
http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/12/holden-caulfield-is-unactable.html
Such a great letter.
I love the last sentence.
But also just the awareness and sensibility of his character.
http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/12/holden-caulfield-is-unactable.html
Such a great letter.
I love the last sentence.
But also just the awareness and sensibility of his character.
Friday, December 11, 2009
i refuse to put this up on my blog
but i have to put it somewhere. chase my colleage from LA sent this to me. they are his friends. this is who i work with. this is ridiculous.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
Virginia is for lawyers....
So I went to a fantastic lecture this morning. It was a little bit of an effort to get to school early on a friday (and i got there 5min late,story of my life) but it ended up being SO worth it
The guy's a VA lawyer who has been nationally acclaimed for this work defending/protecting the 1st Amendment (freedom of speech) and recently won a "Human Rights Hero" award from the American Bar Association, really interesting guy, does a lot of work for the ACLU. Very liberal, but also just a great thinker. One of the cases that got him a lot of attention was when he represented a KKK grand wizard who was on trial for cross burning. He is black, but he talked a lot about how he felt compelled to take this case because freedom of speech is a line that shouldn't be crossed. His point was that hateful ideas wouldn't be stopped by not allowing them to be said, but that things need to discussed and have people think and talk about them in order to get anywhere as a society. The only way we can improve is through thoughtful discussion. In thinking about these things, people will be able to see hateful or stupid ideas for that they are. He pointed to the Bill of Rights as what raises us up as a society, and as standards we must vigilantly protect.
Anyways, really wonderful talk. Thought I'd share a bit....oh! and his other big point, which is less specifically legal-related, which was it is every person's duty to try and be happy in life--that it is your job to find your niche in life and excel at it.
It was a good way to start the day....especially as literally 5min later in the library someone freaked out as they had "lost their lucky highlighter". Oh law school.
The guy's a VA lawyer who has been nationally acclaimed for this work defending/protecting the 1st Amendment (freedom of speech) and recently won a "Human Rights Hero" award from the American Bar Association, really interesting guy, does a lot of work for the ACLU. Very liberal, but also just a great thinker. One of the cases that got him a lot of attention was when he represented a KKK grand wizard who was on trial for cross burning. He is black, but he talked a lot about how he felt compelled to take this case because freedom of speech is a line that shouldn't be crossed. His point was that hateful ideas wouldn't be stopped by not allowing them to be said, but that things need to discussed and have people think and talk about them in order to get anywhere as a society. The only way we can improve is through thoughtful discussion. In thinking about these things, people will be able to see hateful or stupid ideas for that they are. He pointed to the Bill of Rights as what raises us up as a society, and as standards we must vigilantly protect.
Anyways, really wonderful talk. Thought I'd share a bit....oh! and his other big point, which is less specifically legal-related, which was it is every person's duty to try and be happy in life--that it is your job to find your niche in life and excel at it.
It was a good way to start the day....especially as literally 5min later in the library someone freaked out as they had "lost their lucky highlighter". Oh law school.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
It has been a long time
Since last I posted, i am sorry. But I needed to share this with someone, and well that someone is all of you. School fantastic, classes great, program even better, people in program wonderful, my butt right now-- major pain maybe a little chafed.
No one told me that this riding thing hurts your butt, big time. Maybe my cheek muscles are not fit, maybe I am too seated, maybe my seat isn't cushiony enough, no matter what it is my BUTT hurts and makes me really sad. I am going to try and power through it since I am loving the biking experience when I am not in fear of my life, but the cowboy walk up to my apartment is a memory of the pain.
Maybe I should design something like a childs seat for an adult, god knows. Other than that California and design school rock!
and my house is a giant disaster. I will take cool photos like craig this weekend. Nice apartment, it looks so spacious. Glad school is going well for you too!
No one told me that this riding thing hurts your butt, big time. Maybe my cheek muscles are not fit, maybe I am too seated, maybe my seat isn't cushiony enough, no matter what it is my BUTT hurts and makes me really sad. I am going to try and power through it since I am loving the biking experience when I am not in fear of my life, but the cowboy walk up to my apartment is a memory of the pain.
Maybe I should design something like a childs seat for an adult, god knows. Other than that California and design school rock!
and my house is a giant disaster. I will take cool photos like craig this weekend. Nice apartment, it looks so spacious. Glad school is going well for you too!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Guilty Pleasure
What can I say? I'll watch most anything on Bravo.
The mannerisms and voice inflection are down to a T.
Brillant.
The mannerisms and voice inflection are down to a T.
Brillant.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
almost forgot!
the MUSICAL COMPONENT
not really related to law school, but does deal with CRAZIES (sung by a crazy-obsessed fan of an elvis type character, from the short-lived musical "Cry-Baby")
not really related to law school, but does deal with CRAZIES (sung by a crazy-obsessed fan of an elvis type character, from the short-lived musical "Cry-Baby")
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