me? neurotic?

In response to a comment on my last post about properly aligned Sweet 'n Low packets, I submit the following:

Since I don't use Sweet 'n Low (or anything that comes in little packets like that), it's a non-issue at home. In a restaurant, as long as the packets of (any given) sweetener are safely housed within the intended container on the table, I don't care if they are perfectly arranged or not. Admittedly, I do prefer if all the like-packets are kept together (i.e. all the yellow ones are together and blue ones together, rather than a stray yellow packed mixed in with the blue ones).

Now, I do catch myself rearranging magazines at the check-out line at the grocery to be put back in their appropriate place (b/c if they're not, a 'stray' copy of the Weekly World News might be covering up the one stack of Vogue that some poor girl is looking for. This also occasionally happens at magazine racks in the bookstore.

Generally, I consider this magazine-sorting behavior to be altruistic (and not neurotic). And the sweetener packet ordering is just plain logical and proper, right?

And for the record, nothing in my pantry is properly faced, although most items do tend to be placed such that the front of the label is generally viewable as it sits...but clearly, all the spices live together in one spot, the cereal all together in another, etc. I mean, isn't everyone's pantry set up that way? Who would be crazy enough to keep cumin and dill seed in one cabinet or shelf, and have garlic salt and marjoram in another?

So, it's not about having everything in PERFECT order...just in order.

But if you still wonder...check out this cartoon and then tell me I'm neurotic!

diction: it can be a monkey

I don't remember ever learning the word 'persnickety'; as far as I know, it has always just been there, in my brain, waiting to be used as appropriate.

I'm sure there are countless words that fall into this (unfortunate) category, and most don't ever get to come out to see the light of day. However, a few years ago, 'persnickety' started getting a lot of attention from me when I noticed a friend of mine using the word 'persnippety' (which isn't, actually, a word). 'Persnickety' quickly started working its way into my daily speech around this friend, in the hopes that it would rub off. I can't remember if it did or not.

Because it was such a rub for my grammar-patrol-loving mind, you can only begin to imagine the immense panic that I experienced two days ago, when, in the course of reading some bit of fiction, I ran across the word 'pernickety'. I froze. All those moments of frustration with my friend who says 'persnippety' came rushing back as I realized my worst fear might come true...that I had been wrong about the word myself all this time. THE HORROR!

Needless to say, I jumped up and went straight to the dictionary and looked it up. Turns out, the definitions cited on dictionary.com are as follows:

per·snick·e·ty (adj)

1. Overparticular about trivial details; fastidious. Snobbish; pretentious.
   
2. Requiring strict attention to detail; demanding: a persnickety job.
   

per·nick·e·ty (adj): Persnickety.

persnippety: No entry found.

My first thought: Ah...what relief!! Despite the fact that I know I've looked up 'persnickety' and 'persnippety' before, it has been quite a while, and confirmation is such a good feeling.

My second thought: As much of a fan as I am of people that have good diction, when two words are so similar as 'persnickety' and 'pernickety', shouldn't someone quite farther up the grammar patrol chain than me have the authority to just DELETE the superfluous word, and go with the one we're all used to - and comfortable with: 'persnickety'?

turkey day in the UK

Mmmm...pizza and red wine. Now doesn't that just SCREAM Thanksgiving to you? Well, it did to me.

Thanksgiving here is 'just another day' (because although the Pilgrims actually were English, England doesn't claim them, given how things turned out about 150 years after the first Thanksgiving).

So, when what was originally a double-booked night on my calendar turned into two cancellations, I carted myself off to the store to buy 'Thanksgiving Dinner', instead of doing what I technically probably should have done (go to the gym and cook dinner), and this is what came home with me. So compared to what I would have done on most any other night in merry old England, this was a blessed holiday!

In retrospect, I should have chosen a Napa or even Texas wine, given the event to which I was drinking. However, being that I didn't really think things through, since my Thanksgiving celebration was quite unexpected, I ended up with a Spanish Rioja. It was lovely.

impulse buys CAN be good!

The pictures I posted yesterday include one taken at Piccadilly circus, standing in front of the Virgin Megastore, where I had just purchased my new favorite CD called "Who Killed the Zutons". Buy it now from Amazon.

I decided to buy the CD after hearing only 2 songs, one of which reminded me of an older U2 sound. In fact, I asked Mike and John if it WAS U2...which won't suprise those of you who know about my mishap with James Taylor and Ronnie Milsap (aka "the Milsap mishap").

Now, I should state that, although I was much more prone to impulse buying in years past...lately (and by lately, I mean in the last 2 years or so), I have grown to be quite the spendthrift when it comes to CDs and DVDs. Reason unknown. Regardless, every now and again I still fall prey to the impulse by (like the rest of the human population), and it usually turns out to be a disappointment.

This time, however, I am gloriously happy with my purchase. If you're not up for the absolute impulse buy, you can read a couple of reviews here.

Dali was a FREAK!

I went to the Dali museum in London this weekend with Mike and John. Now, it should be noted that, generally speaking, I don't like Dali...never have. However, in the name of 'broadening my artistic horizons", I spent some time reading about the sculptures in the museum.

Apparently, one of the themes Dali was obsessed with during his life was the concept of time, and the fact that it is mastered by no one. So, even though I still don't really like his work, I do very much like one of the sculptures I saw. It's a melting clock (big surprise) with a crown at the top.

Some of these pictures are John's...he's got a MUCH better camera than me.

i can drive!

My permanent car hasn't arrived (fingers crossed for Monday), but I couldn't take another weekend of cabin fever...so I rented a car this weekend, and today I visited Windsor Castle.

My car will have an automatic transmission, but the only thing available at the rental agency was a standard. Now, it should be said that I'm QUITE good with a stick shift, as that's what I learned to drive on, and continued to drive until just 2 years ago. However, driving a stick shift here means that not only do I have to worry about the steering wheel and traffic on the wrong side, I also have to shift...and oh, yes, the stick is on the wrong side of the steering wheel as well.

Let's just say there was a general email issued to everyone in the office to steer clear of my part of town as well as the road to Windsor for the weekend. Emergency contacts were entered into the mobile phone, clean underwear was worn, and many prayers were prayed (by me and every Christian who knew I was on the road, I'm sure).

Even though I took a few pictures, the best part of the day was something I couldn't capture on film. It was me. Bouncing up and down in my seat in the car every time I knew I had taken a turn and was still on the right course. Especially when I was close (and knew it) and was having that experience Meg Ryan kept having in French Kiss of NOT seeing the Eiffel Tower...and then, finally, there it was!

I was like a giddy little girl who just found out she was getting a new puppy for Christmas!

I made it all the way to Windsor AND all the way home without hitting anyone or anything, and I only stalled the car 1 time (give me a break, it's been 2 years), and I only went around 2 roundabouts more than once. Now, for the record,I purposely went around both of those roundabouts twice to be sure that the exit I thought was the right one really was it.

So, for those of you who will be passing through my part of the world anytime soon...the one place I know I can take you (and get you back home) is Windsor.