Remember in elementary school when your teacher made you write about your hero. Of course they were specific about your hero being a real person who affected your life. At the age of nine I only knew “superheroes” like batman, superman, and power rangers. I really couldn’t think of anyone so I decided to look into my history book for the coolest mother ducker out there. Henry the VIII? Way too promiscuous. Napoleon? Way too French. Aha! Just the right guy. I had flipped right onto Joseph Stalin. According to history, he helped defeat Hitler, built one of the largest armies at the time, and then competed with the US for nukes. And he had a city named after him; where’s your city Mr. Obama? Then I proceeded to write about how he saved the world from Nazis and if it weren’t for him, we would all be German. It actually turned out to be a decent paper and I was pretty proud of it.
At dinner time, my dad asked me about school, and I told him I had just finished an essay and I would like him to proof read it. After we ate, I handed him my masterpiece and watched his face intently. Within moments of reading he almost threw up: “Are you seriously writing about Stalin? Do you know who he is?”
“A Russian leader? Are you rascist against Russians dad?”
“What? No I’m not, Stalin is a genocidal dictator”
“That’s why he’s my hero! Wait what does genocidal and dictator mean?”
“It means he’s a bad guy who killed a lot of people.”
“So the paper’s not good?”
“It’s worse than the one where you quoted rap. Try writing about someone who actually made a difference in your life instead of some tyrant in your history book.”
I went back to my room and thought long and hard about what to write. After awhile, it suddenly became clear who I should write about. I picked up my pencil and proceeded: Although he doesn’t like Russians, my dad is still my hero…
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
My Grammar
My Grammar
Don’t it make you winces when someone say “He never knew no one named Nathan?” It sure do for me. Now I ain’t no grammar police, but I does like to speak wright English. It’s imperative for this nation and especially the country to speak goode. We as the next generation has to let the other nations known that we can master ours own language. A person thats can speak well will translate into success in their line of work as well. And since we’s entering young adulthood, we have to leadeth a grate example for our childrens. Here is a bunches of grammar tips that can help you lead a smarter life (some are courtesy of Reader’s Digest).
Incorrect usage: Hopefully
Correct usage: I hope
Why: Hopefully means in a hopeful manner such as “I hopefully watched him return.” “Hopefully, I can get some studying done” is not the same as “I hope I can get some studying done”
Incorrect usage: The reason is because
Correct usage: The reason is that
Why: “because” is implied in “reason”
Incorrect usage: I laid down on the couch
Correct usage: I lied down on the couch
Why: You “lay” down objects like a book. You don’t lay yourself down. If you’re wondering about “getting laid”, I don’t know…probably the wrong place to be looking
Incorrect Usage: PIN number
Correct Usage: PIN
Why: PIN means personal identification NUMBER
Incorrect: For all intensive purposes
Correct: For all intents and purposes
Why: because you’re stuuupid. (jk)
Incorrect: very unique
Correct: unique
Why: you can’t get more unique than something that’s already unique.
Incorrect: I literally laughed my head off
Correct: I laughed my head off
Why: Really? Did you really actually laugh your head off? Because if you did then I want to hear that joke too.
Incorrect: comprises of or comprised of
Correct: comprises
Why: think of comprises the same as includes. No need to say, “My group includes of John, Joan, and Jack.”
Don’t worry, no one’s grammar is perfect, but you can use some of these tips to be a pompous blowhard and show your friends up. Then you will soon have no friends and resort to writing blogs like I. I mean me.
Don’t it make you winces when someone say “He never knew no one named Nathan?” It sure do for me. Now I ain’t no grammar police, but I does like to speak wright English. It’s imperative for this nation and especially the country to speak goode. We as the next generation has to let the other nations known that we can master ours own language. A person thats can speak well will translate into success in their line of work as well. And since we’s entering young adulthood, we have to leadeth a grate example for our childrens. Here is a bunches of grammar tips that can help you lead a smarter life (some are courtesy of Reader’s Digest).
Incorrect usage: Hopefully
Correct usage: I hope
Why: Hopefully means in a hopeful manner such as “I hopefully watched him return.” “Hopefully, I can get some studying done” is not the same as “I hope I can get some studying done”
Incorrect usage: The reason is because
Correct usage: The reason is that
Why: “because” is implied in “reason”
Incorrect usage: I laid down on the couch
Correct usage: I lied down on the couch
Why: You “lay” down objects like a book. You don’t lay yourself down. If you’re wondering about “getting laid”, I don’t know…probably the wrong place to be looking
Incorrect Usage: PIN number
Correct Usage: PIN
Why: PIN means personal identification NUMBER
Incorrect: For all intensive purposes
Correct: For all intents and purposes
Why: because you’re stuuupid. (jk)
Incorrect: very unique
Correct: unique
Why: you can’t get more unique than something that’s already unique.
Incorrect: I literally laughed my head off
Correct: I laughed my head off
Why: Really? Did you really actually laugh your head off? Because if you did then I want to hear that joke too.
Incorrect: comprises of or comprised of
Correct: comprises
Why: think of comprises the same as includes. No need to say, “My group includes of John, Joan, and Jack.”
Don’t worry, no one’s grammar is perfect, but you can use some of these tips to be a pompous blowhard and show your friends up. Then you will soon have no friends and resort to writing blogs like I. I mean me.
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