Famous Quotation Friday - Music Lyrics

Now that a short spring vacation is in our past.  Allow us to start posting again with our now traditional Famous Quotation Friday.  My aim was to maintain rhythm and rhyming, but I couldn't always accomplish that.  Two old songs, a youngish song, and a fourth (third in this list) that splits old from young, sort of.  Striking up our band . . . now:

• I'm picking up good vibrations.  This girl's providing all my titillation. (Ooh, bop bop good, good vibrations)
•  I split from my housing in Atlanta . . . aiming for that Frisco Bay . . . Had nothing in this world worth striving for . . . and look as though nothing's gonna blow my way.  Sitting on a dock of this bay . . . watching our moon pull that liquid away.  I'm just sitting on a dock of this bay . . . wasting hours.
• With all lights down . . . it's not as hazardous . . . all of us got to this spot, do an amusing thing.  I am stupid . . . and contagious . . . all of us got to this spot, do an amusing thing.
• So I won't dillydally additionally.  It cannot wait . . . I don't doubt.  No grounds for disarray . . . our clock runs short . . . this is our lot . . . I'm yours. 
  

Lots of outstanding artists in that list - Brian Wilson, Otis, Kurt Cobain, and Jason Mraz - that this blog looks upon with favor.  And just for fun, an additional fab four songs from John, Paul, Harrison, and Ringo.

• Oh, I . . . will say a thing . . . I think you'll think is grand . . . as I . . . say a fun thing . . . I want to hold your hand.  I want to hold your ha-a-a-and.  I want to hold your hand.
• Aurally distinguish (doo dah doo), do you want to know hush hush information? (doo dah doo)
• Day prior to last, all my difficulty was so far away.  Now it looks as though that difficulty is around to stay.  Oh, I still trust in that day prior to last.
• As I find yours truly in days of worry . . . Mama Mary talks to this man . . . Passing on words of wisdom . . . Allow it to stand.  And in my hour of caliginosity* . . . that woman is standing right in front of this man . . . Passing on words of wisdom . . . allow it to stand.

* Not from my normal vocabulary, I admit.  Had to look it up.

Famous Quotations - Film

This could go on and on, so I'm stopping at six.

• Frankly, my darling, apathy is my primary antiphon to that.
  
• It's living!  It's living!
• Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through this world, son.
• You had this girl at "Howdy".
• You can't wrap your mind around what's actually factual.
• If you build it, your dad will show up.

I'm hoping I didn't spoil that last film for you.  OK, an additional six of common origin.

• Of any gin joint in any town in this world, this girl walks into my gin joint.
• This is to looking at you, kid.
• Louis, I think this is a start to a pulchritudinous companionship.
• Play it again, Sam.  Play "As Days March By".
• Round up our usual suspicious individuals.
• You and I will always think back fondly on Paris.

An Initial Appraisal of Gadsby: Champion of Youth

Thanks to a kind gift, I am working my way through a singular book.  A book that was an inspiration for this blog, Gadsby: Champion of Youth, by a man I will call Sir Wright (can't so much as do his initials, which is fitting).  Calling him "Sir" may sound pompous, but I think such a skillful man warrants august titling.  Authoring a fifty-thousand word story without using such a common symbol is no small thing.

A fourth of my way through his book, though, I am sad to say it's a tad disappointing.  Possibly, that's unjust on my part; as I just said, that particular stylistic goal trumps all in this work, and criticism should account for that difficulty.  My adoration for Sir Wright and his arch-goal notwithstanding, my two primary thoughts thus far:

First, witty turns of phrasing occur, no doubt, but Gadsby's plot is basically just a chain of public works to this point.  Build a hospital.  Plant oaks and firs.  Build an airport.  Start a night-schooling program.  Build a zoo.  Not too thrilling.  Writing in 1939, it is not too surprising that Sir Wright sounds highly in favor of big FDR-ish social programs.  "A town can accomplish anything with a sound civic focus of mind" is our author's basic assumption.  Nothing wrong with that sort of optimism, but, man, Wright will just push and push it without stopping.  Solving any difficulty is just a function of mobilizing a handful of altruistic activists.  Wright lays it on thick.  Any conflict in any upcoming subplots will find my arms radiating outward, but I am not optimistic, as only faux antagonists show up, and only occasionally.

Um, sub-first, Wright oddly, in my opinion, broadcasts his handicap continually within his story.  As an illustration, this short quotation about stocking a zoo. 

Now, you know that all animals can't find room in this orthographically odd story; so, if you visit Lucy Zoo, you'll miss a customary inhabitant, or two.  But you'll find an array worthy of your trip.  (35*)

An astounding listing of animals follows just a paragraph down.  Why not allow said list to talk on its own?  Fracturing that fourth wall can work, but doing things subtly is usually a good way to go.  And that's just an individual illustration.  I found many similar quotations.  Although, if a word such as "orthographically" is in your vocabulary, why not throw it out now and again, right?

All this, as I said, is about a partial scan of this book, so a lot of its plot is still unfolding.  Conflict may start soon, who knows?  If Gadsby's story wins this critic at last or not, such an ambitious book will support many posts with its myriad thought-provoking and/or humorous quotations.

* Additional annotation is proving difficult. 

March Insanity!

If you want a solid approach to scrying* this spring's NCAA hoops championship, Lipograms can assist.  My formula should not astound any of you.  All you do is count up a program's flaws.  Now, you may think I look at ball-handling or shooting skills, but that's not vital, as it turns out. 

Vital to making fruitful picks is karma.  Schools incorporating our taboo symbol will no doubt bow to karmic fury for such audacity.  Knowing this should put you in command of your pool.  Good luck.

Click this link for Lipogram's Official Picks.


* If you don't think my karmic approach is any good, how do you account for such a wondrous pick for alphadictionary.com's daily word right as I was drafting this? 

NFL Draft Analysis, Part I

It's approaching D-Day, H-Hour for football fans as NFL squads adjust plans of action for our run up to draft day.  It falls to yours truly to broadcast any sports information that might show up on this blog; Lord knows my co-author won't do it, as Flo's floccinaucinihilipilification* about sporting affairs knows no bounds**.  Thus, my thoughts on a position-by-position basis follow.

A handful of young guns will audition for a spot taking snaps.  A quick synopsis of six of 2010's top guys:

1. Sam Bradford from Oklahoma ranks atop this list according to my analysis. An injury-fraught history will harm his status, but a coach should risk picking him fairly high.
2. I would not draft a guy who willfully opts to go by "Jimmy".   Maturity is paramount at this position, and a Jimmy lacks it almost indubitably.
3. For my dollar, Colt McCoy, not commonly thought first round quality, will grant solid production for low cost.  Gritty, that McCoy.
4. Cowboy Zac Robinson : am I including him simply for no typing difficulty?  Mainly, but Robinson's good, though.
5. That Tim guy from Florida will not pan out.  Possibly a solid H-back in coming days.
6.  And last but not most trivial (just kidding, most trivial, too, by far), my tricky, sly pick: Jonathan Crompton.  Can't say much about his NCAA affiliation, but what NFL squad won't want to add a guy with disturbing, wispy facial hair?  Can't miss.  As long as you aim at a UFL slot.

* Ha!  Did I do that right?
** Not totally truthful.  Flo plays kickball.