Category: Thoughts uncut

Writing. Grammar VS Feelings

grammar vs feelings

I like to think I know my grammar. But I can’t write grammar.

For me, it’s always about writing feelings. I don’t think about grammar rules when I write. As for the conscious rules that prevent me from typing “there” for “they’re” or “by” for “bye” are just — subconscious.

But beyond that, I don’t think of balancing my words with semicolons instead of a period, or adding extra emphasis within a parenthesis. Because, when you fixate on trivialities like spelling errors — blunders, in fact — you often forget what want to say. I often forget what I want to say.

Because writing, for me, is being in the moment. It’s a calling: Just write.

But a good piece of writing is slower than spontaneous. It’s a beautiful paradox of words: writing is re-writing, whereas first drafts are just drafts.

I don’t let my mind get in the way of my writing. Everything I know about grammar and spelling just sits in my head, waiting for me spill my thoughts on to the screen.

Because only once the thought is out there, can you go about making it make sense. And that’s editing.

If I’m to edit as I write, I’ll never get through the writing phase to say whatever I meant to.

I don’t write the best gramma(r)tical sentence; I re-write it.

Five people in a meeting

chandler

What do you do in a meeting? I have a pretty short attention span for crappy yada yada and I zone out after a while. But if I do manage to stay awake, I look around at people of varying designations, gulping in tension while sweat runs down their faces.

There are the five common types of people in a meeting.

The bald guy: He’s the “bold” guy. The one who speaks in cliches like “bald is the new beautiful.” The one who thinks wordplay is his forte and everyone adores his clever wit. Alas, he may never know how mistaken he is.

The new recruit: She’s the fresh face in the company who’s running around introducing herself, asking questions, and making observations out of the obvious. She’s all eager to prove her worth, looking everywhere for the bubbling reputation — “even in the cannon’s mouth.”

The invisible: Ever seen a guy who looks like he’s not supopsed to be there? This invisible guy is the perfect combination of introversion and shyness. He’s still figuring out why he’s in this meeting at all, and wondering if he could go get a step out for a coffee.

The couple: The new weds, the new lovers, or just new team mates — they’re always together. Looking at them, you can’t help but wonder if one of them will fall off if they ever unlock their hands.

The speaker: *Clears throat* “Alright, everyone! If you can all write down your names in this sheet, we can go ahead and discuss why our WENUS (Weekly Estimated Net Usage Systems) has dropped this quarter.” Oh, and he never does anything to improve figures in the next quarter.

Any of them ring a bell? Or have you encountered other interesting types?

Weekend Plans

“So, what plans for the weekend?”

Don’t tell me you haven’t heard this question pop up in every corner on a Friday afternoon. Because I sure have heard it, and it rekindles my temper.

Why, you ask? It’s a harmless question, you might say. And I’d agree with you, except it’s a useless question too. It’s a conversation starter, yes, but the most I’ve seen people reveal about their weekend plans is their meeting with friends.

No one goes into much detail. Because it’s awkward to tell others you’re planing to hook up with a stranger on the first date, or you’re planning to elope with your high school sweetheart—or worse yet—that you’re planning on introducing “the one” to parents who never approved of your choices.

While the couplings are in trouble, we singulars have problems of our own. Would I be thrilled to tell people I’m planning to hang out in my room alone watching the latest in Blacklist and sleep for hours afterward? Of course, the thought of lounging in my pyjamas all day thrills me beyond words, but to the ones looking so eager and curious to know my weekend plans, I’m just sad and alone. I don’t bother myself with what they think, until they wear that sad expression one uses in the deathbed of an old granny.

Why should anyone have plans for the weekend at all? Why not go home on Friday evening, kick back, relax, and wait for the morning to tell you what to do that day? I’d rather do that than have my entire weekends planned, mapped out, and scheduled. Because, when I do plan to cook up a terrific single-serve meal, I’d just land in a power failure.

So, that’s how my weekend went. What about yours?