Dec 8, 2007

On being forgetful and laziness, and homonyms

by Anna Arnett


My blog for Dec 5 – on Dec 8 (I hope).

Another woops. I forgot to blog. It’s the first time all year I actually forgot, though I admit to being late. I even checked on Wednesday, felt disappointment that no blog was posted, and still didn’t remember the missing one was supposed to be mine. I could give you a nice long list of things that kept me from blogging, but why enumerate lame excuses?

I read this morning in Kiyosaki’s “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” that he thinks the most common form of laziness is that of being busy so you won’t have time to do something important (which, I suppose, for some reason or other you would rather not do). Now, this hit me hard because with me at least, it’s true. I do all kinds of handwork—knitting, crocheting, etc.—rather than tidy my rooms (though I love a clean house) or even write (though I love to have written, and once I get at it, it’s really quite fun).

So, rather than tax my brain right now, I’ll be lazy and send you something I got this morning in my email. And surprisingly, I read it through correctly the first time. A couple of them gave me pause when I didn’t pick up on the homonyms, or more specifically, the homographs and heteronyms, because I read the meaning without even noticing the identical spelling. I found it interesting. Hope you do, too. Take a minute now to discern the minute differences, and minutely become minutely aware. (Excuse me, but that last clause was fun, though I would hardly call it good writing.)

English Is A Crazy Language - Part One...

English is a tough language to learn: Can you read these right the first time?

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce.
3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4) We must polish the Polish furniture.
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present .
8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10) I did not object to the object.
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
13) They were too close to the door to close it.
14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting, I shed a tear.
19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
BJLAuth.
Hope you enjoyed it.

6 comments:

  1. Thanks, Anna. I had fun reading these out loud to my family and having the kids tell me which words were which.
    I have to agree with Kiyosaki. I frequently find I need to take stock of my activities and decide if they support my ultimate goals. There are so many good things to do...but I want to do "the right things."

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  2. This homonyms list was great fun, Anna! And I relate all too well to your "love to have written" phrase. I enjoy the actual writing process, too, once I sit down and "get into it"...but oh! the excuses I can find to avoid "getting into it" in the first place!

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  3. That was fun, Anna. I love this kind of stuff.

    I'll admit I often become busiest when I'm supposed to buckle down and write. Arch!

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  4. Now, that was fun, Anna. And who doesn't do the busy stuff to avoid the work on occasion? I think it would be pathological to not slip out of the tough stuff once in a while. You are such a dear...

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  5. Loved the fun,Anna. Words are ever enchanting, aren't they?

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