2016 INDEX

Monday, January 15, 2018

January 15, 2018          Laugh of the day

         Occasionally I call my brother and ask him to read something I’ve written to see if what I have written makes sense to the average person.  I have many dear friends, writer friends, and a few intellectual friends who mentally leave me in the dust. Most all are nice and rarely comment negatively on my work. My husband also critiques my work, but he knows me too well and can read between the lines or knows the rest of the story.

This all started when I needed someone who can’t always read between the lines, someone close, yet removed enough so my mind can’t be read, and as a plus, someone of the opposite sex.

         When I need that kind of ICE COLD read, I’ve found my most honest sounding board is my brother, Ken.  I can be honest with him and ask about a certain phrase or say – did you get what I meant?

If Ken doesn’t get the thought I am trying to convey, I know I have failed by being too fancy or to far-out in my language use or my thoughts.  When he can get my subtle humor, then I know I am on the right track.  He is honest, truthful, and not rude.  I like the way he calls it like he sees it, sort of our mutual family trait, and when he doesn’t like it he says, “I don’t get it”.  He makes a good sounding board because he is the quintessential, ordinary man and a rather good benchmark for my writing at this stage.

Today I emailed my Writer’s Class little essay that required me to put ten random words to good use. 
        
         While we were discussing it I got off on the subject of how people from New England have words that are more French in their vocabulary due to  Canada’s proximity. I said something like; we both know dozens of French words used in the English language.  Then I tossed out a half dozen words at him, I said,

“risqué,
veneer,
coquette,
entrepreneur,
façade,
Déjà vu.”

As I paused a moment and thought about it, I could probably toss out 50 more if given a little time.

Ken came back with,

         “Like Grey Poupon?”

         I laughed aloud and said, “You got me . . . touché!”

For your amusement is a link to one of the Grey Poupon commercials.



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