Life on the access road...

Happy Thanksgiving....

and Go Hogs!

posted by C. Beck @ 6:07 PM 2 comments

The Secret Elf

Now I know why it has taken my son 6 years to finish college. Does Harding offer a degree for this?

posted by C. Beck @ 8:50 AM 1 comments

I'm not so sure I agree with this. I usually keep my opinions to myself rather than causing any sort of confrontation; in fact, I avoid discussions of any sort that may end up being problematic.

posted by C. Beck @ 11:44 PM 0 comments

Bragging Rights

Due to Thanksgiving, our mid-week services at church were moved to Tuesday night. After tonight's devotional, we came home and had a friendly, exciting game of bowling among family: Terry, me, Wendy & Hunter. I must say, I ruled! My undefeated Wii Bowling streak continues!

I'm getting both nervous and excited about Friday's big game. GO HOGS!

posted by C. Beck @ 11:07 PM 0 comments

Terry's New Toy

Actually, it was for the "family," but we got an early Christmas present: the new Nintendo Wii. I had no interest in it whatsoever until Terry convinced me to play a game of bowling. This is the coolest thing ever. You actually go through the motions of rolling the ball using the controller. In the baseball game, you actually swing the controller to hit the ball. The greatest thing is I actually beat Terry at bowling by 6 pins. I think that is a first.

posted by C. Beck @ 9:15 PM 0 comments

Best in the West!

After getting pounded by USC in the first game of the season, the Hogs went to work and have chalked up 10 straight wins. Yesterday's victory, ugly though it was, clinched the SEC - West. Little Rock will be fired up for Friday's game between the Hogs and the LSU Tigers, the Battle for the Boot. It is going to be an exciting week!

posted by C. Beck @ 8:54 AM 0 comments

47 Rules for Writers

1. Verbs has to agree with their subjects.
2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
3. And don't start a sentence with a conjunction.
4. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
5. Avoid cliches like the plague. (They're old hat.)
6. Also, always avoid annoying alliteration.
7. Be more or less specific.
8. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary.
9. Also too, never, ever use repetitive redundancies.
10. No sentence fragments.
11. Contractions aren't necessary and shouldn't be used.
12. Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
13. Do not be redundant; do not use more words than necessary; it's highly superfluous.
14. One should NEVER generalize.
15. Comparisons are as bad as cliches.
16. Don't use no double negatives.
17. Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
18. One-word sentences? Eliminate.
19. Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
20. The passive voice is to be ignored.
21. Eliminate commas, that are, not necessary. Parenthetical words however should be enclosed in commas.
22. Never use a big word when a diminutive one would suffice.
23. DO NOT use exclamation points and all caps to emphasize!!!
24. Use words correctly, irregardless of how others use them.
25. Understatement is always the absolute best way to put forth earth shaking ideas.
26. Use the apostrophe in it's proper place and omit it when its not needed.
27. Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "I hate quotations. Tell me what you know."
28. If you've heard it once, you've heard it a thousand times: Resist hyperbole; not one writer in a million can use it correctly.
29. Puns are for children, not groan readers.
30. Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
31. Even IF a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
32. Who needs rhetorical questions?
33. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
34. The passive voice should never be used.
36. Do not put statements in the negative form.
37. Verbs have to agree with their subjects.
38. A writer must not shift your point of view.
39. Place pronouns as close as possible, especially in long sentences of 10 or more words, to their antecedents.
40. Writing carefully, dangling participles must be avoided.
41. If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.
42. Take the bull by the hand and avoid mixing metaphors.
43. Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.
44. Everyone should be careful to use a singular pronoun with singular nouns in their writing. 45. Always pick on the correct idiom.
46. The adverb always follows the verb.
47. Be careful to use the rite homonym.
And Finally...
47. Proofread carefully to see if you any words out.

posted by C. Beck @ 4:20 PM 4 comments

ESPN Gameday - AR v. TN

Corso finally recognizes the Hogs!

posted by C. Beck @ 6:51 PM 0 comments

A Not-So-Happy Halloween

I found yesterday to be a very sad day since we no longer have children young enough to go trick-or-treating. Hunter wasn't even home. He had play practice for next week's performance of Macbeth. They had a party after practice, so he didn't even get home until nearly 10:30. We went over to some friend's house for dinner and hung out helping them hand out candy, but I just felt so empty. Another friend and I were discussing this after church tonight. Her children are grown also, so we were talking about renting some kids for next Halloween. However, after getting home, I realized I was thinking about it all wrong. Instead of renting them, I could probably get paid! Maybe I will hire out next year. I could be a Halloween nanny! Maybe I will auction off my services on ebay.

posted by C. Beck @ 11:39 PM 2 comments