These are the school kids of Navasota, in the 1870's. And I can promise you, by the looks on their faces, like me, they hated grammer! Who knows how many authors and poets we might have produced here if we had encouraged creativity rather than conformity. But structure became real important in Navasota, as it was a lawless and ruthless bunch, and they needed an iron hand to create some semblance of civility.
So far... I'm writing to myself. And that is fine. This blog is like a storehouse, to be discovered by those meant to find it. Like a little treasury or time capsule for the future. Most things I write about have a lasting quality. They will keep.
Never the less, it sure would be nice to hear from more of my readers. I KNOW YOU ARE OUT THERE!
So far the miniscule response from you has been... curious. Mostly corrections in my use or neglect of grammer. Afraid to respond? To agree? To disagree? I welcome your thoughts, or I would not blog. I would just write a diary.
Just one thing, don't edit. Misspelled words, I want to know about. I work hard to avoid them. I am a pretty bad speller. A dictionary sits prominantly next to me all the time, and is used constantly. P R O M I N E N T L Y. So I welcome that kind of tweaking. IF my thinking or reasoning is faulty, or my facts incorrect, please hammer me. TRUTH is what drives me, it is the alpha and the omega.
But I write in a casual English, more like how I speak than how my High School English teachers taught me. As I wrote in my intro, truthfully, this is a stream of consciousness... Sometimes I deliberately give my stuff the common touch. When I get my pronouns out of order, I know it. But I like the flow, the sound of the words. I proof every thing I write, several times. But I have read enough classic literature to know that form and structure have changed a lot over the centuries, and somebody had to be the one to just put it down, no apologies, like it feels or sounds in real life, so that we have whatever form that has prevailed today. So don't play English teacher. Go find someone who cares. Grammer lovers are in for big adjustments, and our language is in for a lot of serious modification in the future, as Internet writing trends push the grammatical envelope beyond our wildest imaginings.
Language is a fluid art form. It is communication, for Pete's sake, not math or physics. The nature of communication defies the very idea of absolute rules concerning its arrangement. We all went to school to learn the accepted rules of communication, that would have been foreign to our ancestors three hundred years ago. And so it goes...
IF you can enjoy my thoughts and photographs in spite of this horrible rebellion, PLEASE let me know. I need and enjoy the discourse. And thank you for reading and sharing this space. It means a lot to me, and it is a great part of being free and alive. So please bring this blog alive by adding your own thoughtful words. Even words of rebellion!
5 comments:
I check your blog every day and enjoy reading it. I've even learned a few things, and for that, I thank you. Keep up the good work.
I read it regularly....and I remember mentioning to you (now stating on your blog) that I noticed a day or two without my daily dose of the Navasota Current....I enjoy it and share it with others!! -Bert
Like Bert, I look every day for your post, and tell others about the things I learn from them. My favorite topic you commonly address is our town and things related to it. I am an English teacher and from the outset I have understood your use of language and applaud your neologisms and purposeful syntax, they add much to meaning. I stress to students that good writing is good writing, good speaking is good speaking, and good grammar is good grammar and there is room in the rules of each for purposeful expression.
Poets and essayists of today have a smaller following than they did in the past. Sadly they have been overshadowed in influence by movie producers, but writers should not put the pen down because critics put down the pen.
btw this is Jim Russell.
Russell, I'm the one who made the comment about the grammar. I want to make a public apology to you. I respect you as a person and I appreciate what you do for this town. I also enjoy reading this blog and I read it every chance I get. The comment was not meant to hurt feelings or to suggest superiority. The usage of that particular phrase is a pet peeve of mine and I read it on a bad day. I took my frustration out on you and that was wrong and I sincerely apologize.
Russell, Russell where fore art thou Russell? Are you still out there? Russell(echo,echo) Russell(echo,echo). Come back where ever you are. You're missed.
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