Grumpity-dumpity

Today is my last day in "holiday" mode.
I kick off the official return to reality tomorrow with a dental appointment -- a cleaning, which supposedly will kick start all the root canals and other necessities I require for a painless smile made of my sparkly natural teeth.

I woke up this morning feeling more buoyant than I have in months. That's because I gained holiday weight and haven't done my Pilates in two weeks. Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's back to work I go. Experience tells me I'll be feeling better in two days. It's always a challenge to get back in the saddle, but once there, the view is so much nicer.

My writing plans have changed. About two months ago I decided to return to the novel I began years ago -- The Scarf Dance. Laying aside all other projects, my focus returns to the book I always wanted to write and plan to finish.

So, I am officially checking in.

On another note, I have noticed yet again, a shift in the English language, as the dumbing down continues.

Remember when some idiot once said "irregardless" and suddenly the entire world was saying it?

It took years to correct this -- but, by and large, irregardless was beaten back into the dust bin.

Lately, however, language misuse is the order of the day. In recent weeks, I have heard media and lay citizens say the following:

more clear
more plain
more light
more lovely

...well, you get the drift.

I suppose people think greater (more great?) emphasis lies with the adjective, "more."

If you are reading this, please say greater, clearer, plainer, lighter, lovelier. Please?

It's one thing to have a character in a novel or play etc. speak anyway he likes -- quite another for the writer to misuse language.

My mother used to tease me. She'd put a Band-Aid on a scraped knee and ask, "Is this 'more better'?"
It was a giggle moment meant to evoke child-like boo-boos. It certainly wasn't intended for OED consideration.