Posted August 5,  2022

It's The Journey That Counts!
Life's journey is not to arrive safely at the grave in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting, "Wow! What a ride!"

Anna-Grams
​● Thanks to everyone who called Luciano on his 93rd birthday.​

Weekly Anagrams
​● Poltergeist - The Other Side
  = The direst eerie ghost plot.
~ Tony Crafter (2005)

● The poltergeist = Goes titter? Help! ~ Aronas Pinchas (06) 

● Have a happy ending' = Ah!
   VE day happening!
~ Tony Crafter (2005)

● Homeless Person =
   Hopeless Sermon
~ Jim Banholzer (2014)

Weekly Quotes 
● “With snow came the kites, once the rulers of Kabul's winter skies, now timid tres-
passers in territory claimed by streaking rockets and fighter jets.” ~ Khaled Hosseini

● “We do not usually look for allies when we love. Indeed, we often look on those who love with us as rivals and
trespassers. But we always look for allies when we hate.” ~ Eric Hoffer

● “We think the world is ours forever, but we are little more than squatters.” ~ Alexander McCall Smith

You Had One Job....

 

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Weekly Literary Term
PARALLELISM / PARALLEL STRUCTURE

​DEFINITION
Parallelism, aka Parallel Structure or Parallel Construction, is a grammatical structure in an English sentence.
A sentence uses parallelism when two or more elements in the sentence are grammatically similar or identical in structure, sound, meaning, or meter. Parallel Structure is a basic building block of the English sentence, whether the spoken or written.

WHY USE PARALLELISM?
A sentence uses parallelism when two or more elements in the sentence are grammatically similar or identical in structure, sound, meaning, or meter. Parallel Structure is a basic building block of the English sentence, whether the spoken or written.
● Parallelism can create a sense of rhythm and emphasis.
● Parallelism can help writers achieve brevity and simplicity, two major attributes of contemporary discourse. For instance, use of participle phrases can help organize a number of different things around one subject, thereby enabling the writer to avoid repeating a subject.
● Parallelism fosters reading comprehension because it enables the reader to categorize information (such as words, phrases, etc.) as coequal and related. It add symmetry, effective-ness, and balances to writing.

ERRORS IN PARALLELISM IMPEDES COMMUNICATION
As readers skim through sentences, they tend to anticipate what should follow based on their knowledge of English grammar and mechanics. When a writes start listing things in a series, the reader automatically expects them to complete that serried with more examples. When a structure is introduced but not completed, readers get off track and that is where miscommunication can result.

EXAMPLE
● I like to study, sleeping, and to go to the beach. (incorrect)
The above sentence lists three activities which are not in parallel structure. The sentence uses two infinitives (to study, and to go) and one gerund (sleeping). This is a grammatically incorrect sentence. All three verbs should be the same part of speech. Both the following are correct.
° I like to study, to sleep, and to go to the beach.
° I like to studying, sleeping, and going to the beach.
Lack of parallel structure can disrupt the rhythm and flow of a sentence, leaving it grammatically unbalanced.
● The President traveled to several cities meeting voters, to give speeches, and ask for campaign contributions. (incorrect)
This sentence is also not parallel structure. The correct structure would be as follows:
° The President traveled to several cities meeting voters, giving speeches, and asking for campaign contributions.
For the most part, using parallel structure incorrectly is always wrong. While an error many not cause confusion, it affect the style of the writing. It can work If the writers is trying to make a specific point and wants to put the reader off balance.

PARALLEL STRUCTURE WITH ARTICLES
Pay attention to the Oxford Comma (or “serial comma”) since the misuse can change the meaning of your sentence.
● I couldn’t decide if I wanted to wear a formal dress, fun skirt, or jeans and a t-shirt. (incorrect)
The sentence above is incorrect. This example is a bit tricky, but note the use of the article “a”. 
° I couldn’t decide if I wanted to wear a formal dress, a fun skirt, or jeans and a t-shirt.
● At this new job, expect to work with emerging technology, to develop innovative solutions, and collaborate with talented professionals. (incorrect)
The above sentence is also incorrect. Look carefully at the word “to”.
° At this new job, expect to work with emerging technology, to develop innovative solutions, and to collaborate with talented professionals.

PARALLEL STRUCTURE WITH CORRELATIVE CONJUNCTIONS
The use of a correlative conjunction (“not only … but also”, “either… or”’ “neither… nor”, “both… and”) requires parallel structure of both clauses or both phrases in the sentence. If a verb follows the first correlative conjunction, than a verb should follow the second conjunction in the set.
● When deciding whether to travel by car or plane, travelers must consider not only the cost but also know how far the destination is. (incorrect)
° When deciding whether to travel by car or plane, travelers must consider not only the cost but also the distance.
● Many college students must balance not only part-time jobs but also taking full-time course loads. (incorrect)
° Many college students must balance not only part-time jobs but also full-time course loads.

PARALLEL STRUCTURE WITH COMPARISONS
● To make new friends, Jessie thought running on the track team was better than membership in the chess club. (incorrect)
“Running” is a gerund. “Membership” is a noun.
°To make new friends, Jessie thought running on the track team was better than joining the chess club.

PARALLEL STRUCTURE IN VOICE
● You can either pay the service fee now, or the bill can be paid later. (incorrect)
You should have a consistent subject (you) doing both things. Both the following are correct.
° You can either pay the service fee now, or you can pay the bill later.
° The service fee can be paid now, or the bill can be paid later.
Pay attention to parallel structure in phrases and clauses, also.

EDIT FOR PARALLEL STRUCTURE
First, identify whether you sentence contains multiple words, phrases, or clauses that list similar information.
Second, check whether all those pieces of the sentence take the same grammatical form.
Third, change all the listed pieces of your sentence to take the same grammatical form.

Source:   https://writingcommons.org/parallelism-parallel-structure/

DISCLAIMER: These discussions of Literary terms are not my writing or ideas. I am not an expert, and so I have chosen the works of those authors or organizations, shown as the sources, who know what they’re talking about. I use their works word for word, sometimes with editing, modifications, and combination with the works of other experts. Here and there I add some comments of my own and miscellaneous bits and pieces from other sources. However, much of the writing is word for word from the sources.

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​Observation Days

​​August is:
​● Happiness Happens Month
● National Back To School Month
● National Eye Exam Month
● National Immunization Awareness
   Month
● National Inventors Month
● Black Business Month
● National Golf Month
● National Peach Month
The Coming Week is: 
● National Scrabble Week
● National Fraud Awareness Week
● International Clown Week (1-7)
● National Video Game Week
● National Simplify Your Life Week
● International Assistance Dog Wk 
● National Bargain Hunting Week
   (8/1-7)
● National Farmers Market Week
● International clown Week
● Single Working Women’s Week
● World Breastfeeding Week

August 5 is:
● Work Like a Dog Day
● National Oyster Day
● International Beer Day
● National Water Balloon Day

New Dictionary Words in 2022
​● cycle  logistics (n) =  .Cycle logistics specifically refers to delivery by cargo bike. These strange-looking bikes, capable of carrying dozens of kilos, are increasingly used for last-mile deliveries because they are fast, agile and able to thread their way through the jungle of cities.

● ​boomerang gene-ration (n) =  young adults who returned to live with their parents. 
● de-consummerism
  (n) = Defined as “living better by consuming less”, the principle of deconsumerism is to adopt a thoughtful, considered approach to consuming, for instance by focusing more on one’s needs and by privileging quality over quantity. In concrete terms, this can be illustrated by choosing to give fewer gifts at Christmas or to opt for second-hand purchases
● gender fluid (n) = We no longer speak of feminine” and “masculine.” Some people willingly embrace the feminine and the masculine or simply wish to free themselves from these two concepts altogether. Hence the increasing use of the terms “genderfluid” and “non-binary.” A gender identity that is getting increasing visibility in the media in recent years

​Source: https://www.lifestyleasia.com/22-words-to-use