Language & Grammar discussion

Afterthoughts. I have I think an abnormally high number of them. Most people have thoughts. So do I, but my best thoughts are always my afterthoughts. Sad, but true. Well I guess it’s better than having no thoughts at all, pre present or post.

I like my afterthoughts. They are usually good. In fact I dare say that sometimes they are brilliant. It’s just that, well, they’re late. Post event. Post not-so-witty remark. Post would-be-defining moment. Post disastrous decision. The postscripts of my life.

It’s ironic though. I used to use postscripts in ALL my letters. Pre email days. I loved writing letters. Long newsy ones to friends from everywhere. My thoughts and afterthoughts flying half way across the globe by snail mail. And then the agonizing two week wait for the replies. Many of my postscripts were pages long. Longer that the main body of the letter. I even had post postscripts. And post post postscripts.
Some of my best friendships were made through those ‘postscripted’ letters.

Yes, it’s ironic. That for one who loves postscripts the way I do, for me, they always seem to be just a little too late…


Till my next update,
PS
(that’s not a postscript, they're my initials)

lovely again
i too have been a great post scripter
in life and letters
things occur and as they happen i am contemplating, noticing, noting, recognizing, realizing, sorting, sifting, analysing, formulating, synthesizing
responding and replying often comes too late :)

not "l'espirt d'escargot?"

"And, uh, just one more thing.." said Columbo, turning back.

Moe.....you ARE L'esprit d'escargot!!!
And I have lived by postscripts much of my life too. Although I must say that I am getting quicker on my mental 'feet' as I get older (even though the real ones are slowing a little).

i do like being the l'esprit d'escargot
it's like a secret identity :)
unfortuneately i am not sure i am getting quicker on my mental feet but definitely quicker with the verbal tongue and definitely feeling i've lived too long to put up with any nonsense
as in,"don't waste my time, i'm running out of it"
sometimes i should slow down a little and perhaps just let things go a little rather than correct on the fly
is anyone else over say 40ish finding the need to overhaul some of their core beliefs in order to make things go a little easier?

Oh yes! As in 'chill'....life is short...make fun of it!!!

my experience exactly
everything is all shifty
the absolutes do not hold
and i'm rudderless, wingless, witless and clueless

haha
breast stroke
kick kick
freestyle
kick kick
backstroke
kick kick
forget the butterfly
i'm much too old and winded for that
float on back
kick kick
:)

tennyson?
alas my friend
tis not too late to seek a new land?

There ain't no answer. There ain't gonna be any answer. There never has been an answer. That's the answer.

Gertrude Stein

my my
how this language and grammar group has slipped into slang chaos ;)

copied
pasted
printed
placed under desk glass at office
thank you
i've always loved that thing

I love that Donna, thank you.

I love how this has slipped into a discussion on the 40's decade.

I jumped in last year, and yes, I have been trying out the various strokes. They all work, some better than others, at different times. But I too love the float, Moe. I think, that's the stroke for the 40's. Float. Kick a little. Watch those in the 30's whizzing past, furiously trying to reach their destinations, and knowing that soon they too will realise that everyone will, eventually, and that it's much more fun getting there whilst enjoying the swim.

The 40's has empowered me. I can now say "I'm too old for this" with total authority, and with a snort of contempt. I have found myself, again. I like myself, again. I have learned to accept people for what they are, and have stopped expecting them to be anything else. I have begun to accept triumphs and disasters with a sense of calm, and to 'treat those two imposters just the same'.

I'm reading "Eat Pray Love". Been reading it for the last ten days. A little at a time. Reading and thinking. And reading some more.

Something that really piqued my interest was the idea of each person having a word. And each city / town. Perhaps even country. And each family too, maybe. A defining, dynamic word that best describes the person / city / family at that point in time.

I found myself looking for my word. Could it be a verb? Or a noun? Or an adjective?

I think my word for now may be 'Seek'. I seem to be searching all time. Seeking stability, peace,energy, success, friendship, strength, wisdom. Seeking the time to do all that I want to do. Seeking the time to do nothing.

Funnily I don't seem to be seeking happiness. Perhaps I feel that if I do get all those other things that I seek, happiness will find me. Eventually.

PS-I think the word for my family (my parents and siblings) is, and always has been, 'Success'. All my life, it was subconsciously drummed into my psyche. 'You're nothing unless you're successful' attitude. Of course, I rebelled. I still do. But I've learned to make my peace. I've learned to love myself.

that's lovely prabha
i'll have to think about my word
balance was the one that immediately came to mind

I thinkl I am 'seek' too Prabha....I love this idea. I wish it could be balance, but I fear that several elements in my life are out of balance (as opposed to 'unbalanced'!!!!). Work seems to figure too much for a start....but I have to pay the bills alone so.......

'Balance' is a lovely word... That's one more element I 'Seek'...

Great post, Prabha! Life is a long search, for sure. In the words of the Prophet (Bono), "But I still haven't found what I'm looking for..." etc.

ahhh
ain't it the truth

i'll never forget driving out of nyc after ten days with a theatre group at the fringe festival with that song playing

so glad to be heading back to maine
having gone with my friends to find something
creativity, cooperation, art

knowing i still hadn't found what i was looking for-still longing
partially satisfied but sad to have it done and already missing those i was with

and missing my family back home

You just summed up life, Moe. How divine :)