It's not a typo
It’s not a typo.
I am, i said.
In High School, we did a unit of Poetry in English. I did a lot of introspection, and found more than a few things out about myself.
I’m not, for one, fond of the limelight. This has worked out well in several respects…i enjoy a job where doing my work gets me the reward of being left alone. I was quite content to be good at my actual job, and remain where i was, while others gathered the collateral duties outside the workspace that garnered attention and promotions.
I enjoyed being recognized for the expert i was, or the dedication i had for the job, but didn’t seek it out. My favorite award ceremony was when they put my good conduct medal in my in-box. My retirement ceremony consisted of shaking everyone’s hand in the office the last day i showed up for my retirement paperwork. It seemed like it would be arrogant for me to make people wear the monkey suits for my honor. I love ceremony and tradition, and showed up at more than a few retirement ceremonies for others, and don’t consider THEM to have been arrogant for the event. I just didn’t feel it was right for ME.
I tend, therefore, to use a lower case i when i type. It’s not a typo, but a habit i’ve had since the late seventies. Of course, the other rules of typing were beaten in with a stick, and i capitalize at the front of sentences, and other times, when necessary.
Or when the friggen computer knows more than i do about my express desires to express myself.
The Books
A person reviewing a movie from a Fundamentalist standpoint felt that a character’s use of the word ‘bible’ was offensive. In context, as a reference document of esteemed importance to a particular trade, group or interest, a book that is authoritative in a given field, it was the correct use of the word. It just wasn’t HIS use of the word. I don’t think he understands what the word really means.
‘Bible’ is a word that comes to us from a word for ‘book, plural.’ And that came from a word for ‘paper.’ Actually it originally meant a certain type or quality of paper, coming from the city Byblos. Like ‘fez,’ the origin of the stuff became the word for the product. Sitting here, with my box of Boise Cascade paper next to the printer, it seems arrogant as all get out to think that we can subvert a word’s definition and then castigate those that use it correctly, but differently from us. It would make as much sense to refer to a religious book as The Holy Xerox, and then chew people out for using the words to refer to multiple copies of a joke going around the office, or the equipment used to make the copies.
And as ‘ancient city of the Phoenicians near but not exactly at Beirut, famed for it’s papyrus’ is a bit unwieldy for discussions about The Holy Bible, i adopted habitual use of ‘book, plural’ in such discussions.
Atheist.
The proper spelling of someone who lacks a belief in a deity is ‘atheist.’ If there were an adjective to describe lack of belief as athy, then someone would be athy, someone else might be athier, but there would always be someone who was the athiest. I’ve grown tired of correcting the spelling, and being told that it just doesn’t matter, that i’m being anal about it, that i should grow up and stop being so sensitive.
Well, we’ll see if the gander sauce is equally tasty to the Christains.
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