"Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech" (First Amendment)

.....The comments on the previous posting are very interesting to me because I spent half a lifetime studying the relationships of speech and writing.  Eons ago the attempt to imitate the spoken word was written on stone--and animals were used to capture the spoken word.  Perhaps it was a Pharaoh's speech written for the ages--something akin to the Gettysburg Address. 

....."Egyptian hieroglyphics can be read now because of the translation of the Rosetta Stone. The Rosetta Stone is an ancient Egyptian  stele inscribed with a decree issued at Memphis in 196 BC on behalf of King Ptolemy V. The decree appears in three scripts: the upper text is Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, the middle portion Demotic script, and the lowest Ancient Greek. Because it presents essentially the same text in all three scripts (with some minor differences between them), it provided the key to modern Egyptian hierogliphs."  (from Wikopedia)

.....So, it seems to me that what is now called an "emoticon" is actually a kind of hieroglyph--though the emoticon really is not a word as is a hieroglyph; it is mostly used to indicate tone, as Joel has pointed out in his comment.  I'll stick to hieroglyphs and demotics and three cheers for King Ptolemy the Fifth.

.....Speaking of speech, I spoke to RH+ yesterday (See? I'm trying to make a literary transition from the prior discussion of speech) and told her that I would like to get her a "memento" of our 30th Anniversary, so we drove to the Town Center Mall in Boca in order to obtain a proper memento--something to remember me by.  I don't think I will make our 40th.  Fortunately we found that there was a scooter to be had in exchange for a driver's license at the information counter. There is just so far that I can walk with my walker.  Anyway, to shorten this story, we went into Mayor's Jewelry store and I bought her a diamond ring; of course you would need a magnifying glass in order to see the diamond.  However, although I never got her an engagement ring, this ring, remember, is a "memento".  She is to wear it on the finger she uses to inform me of her displeasure at times. The finger, itself, is a kind of emoticon. But at least this particular finger will sparkle. 

Et vadit mundi; And so goes the world

.....I must discuss something that I have wanted to explain for a very long time, and it is really very simple.  In writing anything, the issue that is missing is the tone in one's voice as one is speaking.  Writing is not the language.  Speech is the language.  Thus when it appears as though I am having an argument with one of my readers, that may not be the case at all.  Without the accompanying tone of voice in the writing; when a viral discussion appears to be going on in this blog, it is simply verbal gymnastics; when I deliver an opinion in my blog, advancing a disagreement with any reader's point of view on a subject; when it appears to be a confrontation, I don't mean it to be.  I never wish to have a confrontation with any reader, be it a friend or a relation.  When you grow up in the South Bronx, you learn to dance the tango on a friend's body, and when he gets up he bloodies your head with a baseball bat.  And then you go together looking for girls.  And when you go through a world war, your attitude against  the enemy is beyond mean.  And so, this becomes a part of your life style.  Win--or pay the price.

 

.....On Father's Day (how did that happen?) we are driving to New York, and then home.  It has got me concerned about how I will react to such a trip.  And then I thought about my trip around the world, skipping from one country and culture to another without worrying about the effect on mind and body.  I felt like the Great Gatsby or even Gulliver.  I could conquer any development; after all, I was eventually  decorated with the DFC, the highest honor the Navy could bestow.  And so I went to Norway, Sweden, Holland, Denmark, Germany, France, Nepal, Iran, Turkey, Australia, Tahiti, Bora Bora, Samoa, England, Israel, Fiji; not necessarily in that order--and a couple I have forgotten.  And now my wife is driving me to New York, and I am carrying along my walker. 

"Age cannot wither, nor custom stale her infinite variety" (Shakespeare)

.....I've been living here in sunny (?) Florida for 31 years and I have never experienced such rainy weather as we are having now.  It has been raining heavily on-and-off for about 10 days.  This kind of weather keeps us housebound on most days since RH+ and I do not want to drive anywhere in this kind of weather even if we have a doctor's appointment--which we have fairly often.  Yesterday, por ejemplo, RH+ had an appointment at Boca Hospital for an MRA (not MRI) test on her kidneys.  Of course I accompanied her while she was called for the test.  About 30 minutes later it was an RH-- who came hyperventilating into the room where I was waiting for her, and she was 10 sheets to the wind hysterical.  The problem was the machine she was placed into was extremely narrow and had a cover that closed her in.  And then it became extremely noisy.  Well, RH-- felt as though she was in a coffin, and she discovered that she suffered from claustrophobia.  She screamed for the nurse to abort the test, and then she left to come to the waiting room where she found me.  I really don't want to go into this any longer.  Let's just say that fire and smoke described her demeanor until she once more--and it took a while--for her to become the lovely RH+ that I was accustomed to.  And so on the way home about 5pm we stopped at a Chinese Restaurant and we both had lobster Cantonese which for us was comfort food.  And we both needed a little comfort.

 

.....Now, it's the following day and still we are threatened with rain.  I have to get to the Mall to buy a pair of shoes for the wedding we are going to in NY.  I am required to wear a tuxedo to this affair and all I have is a pair of brown sandals that are comfortable to wear, but do not match very well with a tuxedo.  It's mid-afternoon now, and if it is not raining we will probably get to the Mall for shoes and perhaps dinner in the food court.  On the computer, I"ve already checked my email and the sports, and have played a few games.  And then I thought about the fact that RH+ and I will be celebrating our 30th Anniversary on June 19.  It so happens that we will be in DC on that day and perhaps we'll get to see my two sons and their significant others as well as the grandchildren they have provided us to give money to.  I'd like to get a memento for my own significantee for our 30th because I don't believe I'll be around for our 40th.  If I just happen to be wrong about that, at my age then (99), I doubt if I'll give a damn about anything except how I'll get to reach 100 and do an Argentinian tango on the dance floor with Rhoda(85).  Whoever reads this is invited to the party.

 

 

"Nature, Time and Patience are the three great physicians."

.....Today RH+ came with me to the VA Hospital in West Palm Beach.  As a matter of fact she is the one who drove.  It's about 30 miles on the turnpike and she drives me quite a bit when I have appointments or when we go out to a restaurant in the evening.  I get into the passenger seat while she takes my walker and puts it in the back seat.  She is a very big help to me.  Hmmm, I like this color; Navy blue, I suppose. One of my readers complained that it was to difficult to read some of the colors I pick out for the blog.  We had to go to a new mental health building to see Mary, the RN who helps with the medication I get from the VA.  The old PTSD building was very easy to get to, and usually we were able to park right by the entrance.  This new building is kind of in the boondocks (that means "out of the way" Ruthie) and the parking lot is pretty far away from the main entrance.  If I should drive alone, I would have to take my scooter.  When Rho drives, she lets me off at the entrance and then parks the car.  

.....We will be driving up to New York on June 16 and it's about 1200+ miles.  It will cost us about $165 each way in gasoline.  I suppose that's a little cheaper than flying. Besides, I don't want to fly ever again if I can help it.  Of course we will also have hotel expenses there and back.  Oh, by the way, we are going up for a wedding.  Rho's nephew is getting married.  However, Rho has been having a serious problem with her carotid arteries and her kidneys.  On Friday she has to go to the Boca hospital for some tests, and depending on the results she may have to have surgery.  If so, and depending on how serious it might turn out to be, we simply will have to forget about going to the wedding.  Her health comes first.  Of course, a lot of people, including us will be very disappointed, but what is, is--and it has to be dealt with.  So, keep your fingers crossed, and if you have religion, say a prayer or two.