Feed the World (Nourish Your Soul)
Ok, that's such a dippy title, but I didn't have time to ponder a better one cos I have to share the niftiest thing.
So about a year ago, I started getting this Hallmark Magazine in the mail. I didn't order it, and it had my name on it, and it had some cool articles and nifty pictures to look at, and hey, who doesn't love a free magazine? Sure most of the stuff doesn't really fit my lifestyle (I don't really cook, and don't own a home that I can furnish with nice things), but there is some other worthwhile stuff I can use. And even if there weren't, I ask again, who doesn't love a free magazine?
After I received about 4 issues, I got a renewal form in the mail.
"Aha," thought I, "this is how they suck you in! Give you a free mag, then a renewal form."
But the price was pretty decent for another 20 issues (I think it's published bimonthly) so what the hell. It wouldn't be free anymore, but I love to read while I eat, so there you go.
Anyhoo, I just got my latest issue and perused the whole thing last night. That's right. I didn't turn on the tv until around 10 p.m., even.
The coolest thing mentioned this month is something I thought we could all benefit from:
If you go to freerice.com, you can use the power of your noodle to earn grains of rice that the UN World Food Program sends to starving hungry malnourished folks.
I know! No catch! Feel good about sending food to someone while you fritter away the work day (I mean, when you're at home relaxing) testing your vocabulary!
It's fun, worthwhile, and hey, you might just learn somethin'. So there you go. Check it out. And forgive the dippy title, while you're at it.
:D
So about a year ago, I started getting this Hallmark Magazine in the mail. I didn't order it, and it had my name on it, and it had some cool articles and nifty pictures to look at, and hey, who doesn't love a free magazine? Sure most of the stuff doesn't really fit my lifestyle (I don't really cook, and don't own a home that I can furnish with nice things), but there is some other worthwhile stuff I can use. And even if there weren't, I ask again, who doesn't love a free magazine?
After I received about 4 issues, I got a renewal form in the mail.
"Aha," thought I, "this is how they suck you in! Give you a free mag, then a renewal form."
But the price was pretty decent for another 20 issues (I think it's published bimonthly) so what the hell. It wouldn't be free anymore, but I love to read while I eat, so there you go.
Anyhoo, I just got my latest issue and perused the whole thing last night. That's right. I didn't turn on the tv until around 10 p.m., even.
The coolest thing mentioned this month is something I thought we could all benefit from:
If you go to freerice.com, you can use the power of your noodle to earn grains of rice that the UN World Food Program sends to starving hungry malnourished folks.
I know! No catch! Feel good about sending food to someone while you fritter away the work day (I mean, when you're at home relaxing) testing your vocabulary!
It's fun, worthwhile, and hey, you might just learn somethin'. So there you go. Check it out. And forgive the dippy title, while you're at it.
:D
posted by H. at 1:50 PM
7 Comments:
No need to forgive the title: What's so funny 'bout peace, love 'n understanding anyway? Hey and free rice is totally addicting 'n fun (as most addicting things are, unfortunately). What most surprised me was not that there are words I don't know, but that there are words I DO know but which I've been mispronouncing all my livelong life, at least in my head, because they're words I've read but never actually uttered or heard spoken before, but still.
I am shocked and horrified to learn that despite your tough exterior, you are just a big old word-game lovin' do-gooder.
I feel like I don't even KNOW you, Flapjam.
Hey who, glad you like the link. Now, since it's the cyberspace and all, and I don't really know who you are in real life, whether or not you're my elder, my contemporary, or whatnot, I feel like it might be okay to tell you somethin' somethin'. And that is..
that I am going to say something rude. Rude and informative. Oh yeh.
So, addictive - it's this peeve my mom has, when folks say that something is addicting, it drives her ding-dong-up-the-wall crazy and I admit it has now rubbed off on me. Stuff is addictive (adjectival form), but it is not addicting (verb form, usually used in the past tense).
And yes, I totally feel like a beeyotch saying that since you always leave nice comments. But hey, never hurts to know, right? Go forth, who, and become addicted to using addictive.
--
hannah l-
Who are you again??
Well I will most definitely not mess with your mom, but as for you (whoever you are):
(1)
“’Addicting’ is a perfectly legitimate word, but much less common than ‘addictive,’ and some people will scowl at you if you use it.” Warns Prof. Brians
(Point taken!)
And then there’s this:
(2)
"Addicting is the participle adjective of the verb to addict, just as annoying is the participle adjective of the verb to annoy. I don't think anyone would say that you can't describe someone as annoying, and similarly it is OK to describe TV as addicting." (Reasons Grammar Girl.)
(3)
And then finally the closest you will get for any web grammar authority for your brutal prohibition is this, from the infallible Wayne Burkett's Weblog:
“When someone says "Sudoku is addicting," they almost certainly mean that a property of the game is that it causes addiction, and they should have described it as addictive. But it's not strictly improper; they might mean that the game is currently causing addiction in those who encounter it -- the subject's object is implicit in this case -- and we'd have something that's both grammatically correct and meaningful.”
Which is clearly (yes??) what I did in fact mean: viz., Free Rice is currently causing addiction in the implied subject of moi.
And so there we may have a resolution of sorts: It’s addicting me but it’s addictive to you.
But as a guest on your fine blog, i promise to respect the grammatical rules of your house (however wacky they may be!).
Boy, between this and Hannah's comment on the movie post, I may just have to disable the comments! (That way I can't get into any more trouble!)
Seriously though, I did not mean to ruffle your feathers, as obviously I must have, since you went and did research to back up your usage. Thanks for taking the time. (I hope it was only five minutes' worth.)
I will say though, that I still prefer the proper adjectival version of the word (wacky? please!); participles ain't always the answer. And though I do not prohibit its use, "addicting" is just one of those words that is like nails on a chalkboard to me. If I were you, I'd keep using it, just cos you know it bugs me. That's what people do, alright, live to bug me.
As for Burkitt's blog, I see that he further went on to state:
"I'm off on this rant because this type of mistake sufficiently rebukes the oft-heard response to grammatical nit-picking: "c'mon, you know what I mean!" The simple truth is that, well, maybe not. Which of the two did our puzzle-lover intend to convey? That Sudoku is actively addicting those who play it, or that it has the property of causing addiction? These are different things. They mean different things. And if you don't tell me what you mean, or if the context leads me to believe you've made a common mistake, then I've just gotta' guess."
Heck, even Grammar Girl said:
"Nevertheless, there seems to be a lot of confusion in the world—and a lot of strong opinions—about this topic, so if you have a blog and you want to avoid a flame war, my advice is to stick with addictive."
Now that we're all edified and flamed out, let's get back to earning free rice for the folks who don't have computers. Or food.
Or whatever.
Good point(s), all.
FREE RICE RULEZ.
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