Pundits are splashing us with rivers of ink to emphasize how crucial 2020 will be in determining the future of, well, pretty much everything. I’m not a pundit, but I do have some thoughts on the new year.
This sign offers good advice, albeit ungrammatically:
With the intense emotion floating around, “defensive boxing” seems like a good skill to have. Will you “learn to boxing” in 2020? I probably won’t (too conflict-averse), but I will obey this sign’s orders:
This is no time, I think, for “sitting or standing on the barricades,” and not only because it’s easy to fall off. I’ve resolved to educate myself, decide which side of an issue I’m on, and cross barricades whenever I can. I may even storm a few, but peacefully.
Realistically, here’s the sign I know I’ll follow:
You, too, will “do what you’ve got to do, to get through it.” I mean, what choice do you have?
Happy New Year to all!
I’m just happy that 1) I won’t learn to be boxed; 2) I might sleep on the barricades, if only because I love alliteration; and 3) At least I won’t get threw it.
Big eye roll.
But HAPPY NEW YEAR GERRI! <3
Happy 2020 to you, too, Ellie!
I wish my father, a journalist and devout grammarian, were alive to see your blog. He was known for tapping out corrections on his manual Royal Classic, and sending them via US post to the perpetrators of any and all grammar offenses, both those committed in print and on air.
Hi, Kim. So nice to hear from you! I remember meeting your dad when he and your mom came to school. I hope I used proper grammar when speaking with him!
I’ll take the three pieces of advice. I’m too conflict-averse also, but the “defensive boxing” suits me. I hope I’ll be able to defend against and knock my worst enemy out: unemployment.
And if it insists on frightening me, I will not barricade myself in hopelessness, but I’ll “do what I’ve got to do, to get through it”: keep the faith, be persistent and always grateful.
A marvelous 2020 to all!
Junior Santos
Brazil
Great comment! I hope you have a wonderful, employed 2020!
I have concerns about Sign #3’s form and content. Although it may be grammatically correct to use the present perfect tense in the “you’ve to” phrase, the writing would be more alliterative in the straight present tense, namely, “you got to.” Also, this would allow the lonesome “it” to move up a line, thereby improving the sign’s symmetry. I find the sign’s message problematic because it could be interpreted as eschewing ethical considerations in decision-making in favor of purely transactional approaches. Haven’t we had enough of that for the past 3 1/2 years? Happy 2020! (I hope)
Good points, Bill. I understood it to mean do what you have to do to get through the current era, where ethics are sadly not often part of decision making. They’ll always be part of mine, as much as I can manage. Happy 2020 to you also!
I never doubted that we’re on the same page. 🙂
Nor did I!