An evolution

http://national-random-acts-of-poetry.blogspot.com/

My friend sent this to me and the email was titled “uh, because.” He found something that reminded him of me and shared. I, of course, loved what he shared and decidedly posted the site as quickly as I could.

This is a wonderful group of people doing truly amazing things. When the Sumerian people developed the written word, our entire species was given the gift of communication, an evolution. Because we can express and document through the written word we have the capacity to share and grow, to build and strengthen.

We also have the capacity to keep lies alive and slander innocent people. I guess it is like the scalpel in the hand of a killer or the hand of a surgeon! Again, who is responsible for the effects of such beautiful yet lethal tools? Keep writing!

xo
allison

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  • Aysha

    Michael L: Your both lucky to be able to speak another language right now i can only speak one but hopefully that will change someday.

    Best of luck trying to learn a new language! Learning a foreign language is a great gateway to learning about the culture and what the culture values and their view of everyday things in life.

    Example: The Ekimo language has about 20 different words for snow. Ain’t that neat?

    Marilyne: If you don’t mind me asking, what language do you speak besides English?

  • Brittany

    I cannot agree more dear Allison. That’s awesome! I love poetry and words and just writing my feelings. I just love writing in general! It’s a great way to communicate your feelings and to share your opinions\ideas with others. Exemple this amazingly awesome Website!!! Hehe, well I hope you have a good day and night and I wish a wonderful week. ill blog next one! For sure. Bye for now BrittanyXOXO

  • http://www.myspace.com/rostafarian Ross UK

    Aysha: I’ve heard that thing about eskimos too but I just recently learnt that they have no more than we do (and we have a few, like snow, sleet, ice, slush, powder, flakes etc). What eskimos do have a lot of is demonstrative pronouns (like this one here, that one outside, those things we hear etc).

    That’s the thing I love about learning a new language – the way you have to shift your perceptions to how native speakers see things, whether it is simply about gender (English makes little distinction but some languages have two or even three) or something that requires you to fundamentally alter the way you think.

    It’s like you were saying before about the word order of subject/object/verb, and the way that when you’re fluent you think in a language rather than translating your thoughts. That’s the jump I’ve always had trouble with, and it basically means I’m generally good at reading and writing in other languages when I’ve got time to think things through, but I’m less good at conversing in real time. I guess it’s why I personally focus on languages no-one speaks anymore… It always amazes me when I hear someone switch instantly between languages without even a pause to plan what they’re going to say.

  • http://www.daybow.com David Hayes

    As the Cheerios say “OOOOOOOO!”

  • Aysha

    Ross: Thank you very much for correcting my understanding of the Eskimo language.

    Yes, I have heard that some languages have an “other” category for gender. Very fascinating!

    Conversing is the the hardest out of all three (reading, writing, and speaking). I feel the same way with speaking in French. I can read and write relatively well, but speaking is a whole new story.

    The gears have to shift instantaneously when speaking from one language to the next, and it’s hard! I know I can have a rough time trying to transition from Urdu to English because the inflections of the voice in where they rise and fall in a sentence are different for both. Once in a while, my accent slips too whether it be the American or Urdu accent. Weird.

    French is altogether exhausting for me to speak because the French do the complete opposite of what we Americans do in terms of inflecting the voice in sentences: They tend to inflect their voice at the end, like as you would in English when asking a question, whereas we inflect first, and then go down at the end for the most part. Does that make any sense at all?

    Languages rock! I love this topic!

  • http://www.myspace.com/rostafarian Ross UK

    The thing I don’t get about language is accents. Dialects I can understand as language is a constantly evolving thing and words change depending on need – it’s the same reason French and Italian are different even though they have similar roots. But how is it there are such wide ranging differences in accent when people are speaking the same language?

    There are clear and obvious differences between US and UK English accents. I’m useless when it comes to understanding, or even recognising, regional accents – my family are all from the north of England and I sometimes struggle to understand them even though I’ve known them my whole life – but even I can hear the difference between a New York accent and a Texan accent, whereas in the UK there’s a big difference between Geordie and Cockney accents (northeast England and east London) and Welsh is very different to Scottish. I understand there are even regional differences within Wales and Scotland, although like I said I’m terrible with accents.

    Does anyone know how differences in accents came about?

  • Tony

    I think accents mostly have to do with what ethnic groups settled in certain regions. In England, Angles in the North, Saxons in the South, then Celtic influence. Some of those influences were carried over into certain areas of the U.S., but then we had other influences by the various waves of immigration in certain areas, especially New York, for example. If I remember correctly, there is an island off the eastern coast of New England where the same families had lived for generations and maintained, essentially, the same accent of the original colonizers of that area from England up to recent times. In Northern New Mexico, there are areas where people speak a Spanish similar to the colonizers from the 16th century, and they and people from Mexico sometimes have difficulty understanding each other. Spanish words in various Central and South American countries can have different meanings, and the accents sound different, certain regions much more liquid sounding than in Mexico, probably also influenced by the indigenous peoples of the various areas that were colonized. Then, you have Northern and Southern French and, then, Canadian French. Dialects and regional accents are, I believe, influenced in similar ways.

    Sometimes, listening to BBC, I get momentarily confused by certain words such as “methane,” though it is a concept I’ve had much acquaintance with at times, including being jet propelled while jogging.

  • Tony

    I meant to say, by the pronunciation of certain words such as methane. Also, I will never understand the reasons for the pronunciation of Worchester.

  • http://www.myspace.com/rostafarian Ross UK

    I understand the derivation of place names like Worcester, Leicester and Gloucester (in each of which you drop the “ce” in the middle so you get Wooster, Lester and Gloster), but I’m not sure why they’re pronounced like that. It’s probably to do with English being a hodge-podge of Latin, French, German and Danish. The “cester” derives from the Latin “castra” for a military camp, and was changed to “caestre” during the Viking period.

    It’s even more confusing when you consider that the town of Cirencester is the exception to the rule as it is pronounced in full!

  • Tony

    Would you believe that, as I was getting ready to wash dishes, my mind started going nyah, nyah! You didn’t spell Worcester right! And I had to get back on line to make that clear, and you had already done so, Ross. Interesting information about the derivation.

    Here’s a “Why is the grass green?” type of question: When we translate a language that has a different alphabet into English, why don’t we spell it phonetically? Why, for example, do we write “Turgenev” when we’re told to pronounce it “Turgaynef,” or maybe, “Turgaynof” (I’m not even sure)? At the moment, I can’t even remember how to spell Gorbichov (?).

  • http://www.myspace.com/rostafarian Ross UK

    That’s an interesting question – I’ve never considered it before. I suppose we do spell it phonetically when transposing from pictographic languages like Chinese and Japanese, but in the case of alphabetic languages we simply say alpha is A, delta is D etc.

    I tend to prefer learning languages which have different alphabets because you can effectively learn the pronunciation from scratch. I find languages like Polish much harder as they use largely the same alphabet as English but the letters combine to give syllables that confuse the hell out of me. It’s strange – I can’t think in another language but I can think in another alphabet…

  • http://www.daybow.com David Hayes

    This is the longest Allison dry spell in a while. I guess we are all getting spoiled.

    Work was closed today, so I spent the day getting stuff done I can’t do when I’m working and cleaning. I’m a little disoriented. I thought this weekend was when a couple conventions were to be held … but it’s NEXT weekend. Boy that is disorienting. I got my car repaired today. It started to break down on the way home from work at 10:00pm last night. No problems at all then suddenly, it needed $1250.00 worth of work done. It works hard for me so I guess it dserves to break down once in a while.

    Hmmm. Need a new topic here. Routine is important for us old folk.

  • taylor nikole

    heheh 3 days :)
    in counting…
    (and no i didn’t know that until i counted the days :-p) LOL

  • taylor nikole

    and*

  • http://www.daybow.com David Hayes

    Someone should make a list of the user names of people that have posted here (someone with a lot of time). I’m curious if the number of people posting has tapered off. Is Allison getting a broader base or a core group?

  • taylor nikole

    hmmm im not making the list
    haha
    lol

  • taylor nikole

    I volunteer you for that job David :)

  • Michael L

    David
    Someone should make a list of the user names of people that have posted here.

    Thats an interesting challenge whoever excepts it is going to have one hell of a job lol.

    looking forward to the results though it should be cool.

  • http://www.daybow.com David Hayes

    Heaven help them if they leave one name off!

    It wouldn’t be the biggest statistical task I ever took on. The worst part about doing the job manually is that I’ll bet that there is a way that this data can be automatically generated and compiled into various reports automatically.

    Reports such as:

    Alphabetical list of users (compiled by e-mail address)

    Number of posts per user — total and per month over the last year.

    Hmmm. Not as many reports as I thought.

  • http://www.myspace.com/fridayphilosopher The Friday Philosopher

    Time for another random act of poetry me thinks!

    THE GIFT OF PATIENCE

    I have a gift for you!
    It is beneath your feet
    in the light of those steps
    along your path;

    In how what has befallen me
    has seemingly so taken us
    from our paths,
    only to realize
    that part of life
    — part of our path —
    is in the side trail
    we never before saw;

    Where fate becomes destiny
    through the understanding that
    that which befalls us
    — that which cannot be controlled —
    must be surrendered to,
    until the joyous whispers
    of an ever-loving God
    shows us the glory
    of a beautiful new way.

    The Gift of Patience
    is a Gift often concealed,
    To know our desired path,
    is never truly sealed.

    That each unexpected step
    will still lead us
    to the same sacred and holy place,
    And that with patience,
    each step will finds us
    still there in His Embrace!

    By Dr Michael R. Norwood

  • http://www.daybow.com David Hayes

    Hmmm. Just thought of this. In last night’s episode, Jimmy should have been immune to Maxima’s kiss … having kissed Chloe so many times. Maybe that’s why he survived. I never heard of a hospital with a treatment for too much … stimulation.

  • http://www.actorslife.com/kasealaine Kasey

    I hope that someone gets this, because the moment someone sent me this site, I thought of this community.
    http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/08/london_from_above_at_night.html

    It’s so beautiful, check it out!

  • http://www.myspace.com/rostafarian Ross UK

    It’s frustrating that we won’t get season 8 here for months yet – we only just finished season 7 last month.

    Kasey: those pictures are amazing – I love the lighting, I’ve never been able to get a digital camera to work properly in low light.

  • Tony

    Ross, I don’t know if this would work for you, but you can watch the most recent episodes on the CW website, cwtv.com/cw-video/smallville.

    Yesterday, I saw a brief report on a ten-year-old pianist who’s going to be playing in Carnegie Hall next year. He practices about eight hours a day and, when asked why so much? he said that he wants to accomplish something great in life. His mother said that he is self-driven. He started playing when he was three.

    This is just in case Allison doesn’t have a topic for us tonight, and only if any of you are interested in this one. It’s about part of what I’ve found in this blog, inspiration to work on certain goals, but the other thing that I constantly seek is the energy and the discipline to work on those goals. I sound as if I’ve just been hatched, but I’ve known a lot of people in my life with these problems, and seeing them has made me see the same problems in my own life. Sometimes, the most exciting thing about a goal is starting on it. It’s the sticking with it that’s hard!

    Most of us can attain self-discipline in certain areas of our lives, but, in certain other areas, we are almost helpless. How do you view self-discipline, and, if you don’t have it, how do you think you can get it? Is it contagious — seriously?

  • Michael L

    Tony

    I saw that report on ABC i think.

    That kid was amazing. and at such a young. He’s a real example of what can be achieved with enough hard work and dedication.

    BTW Kasey

    Beautiful photo thanks for sharring.

  • mar1013

    I want to post this site because it’s a new way to learn languages and connect with people around the world

    http://www.myhappyplanet.com

    I’m already there and i like the web, i think i’m improving my english, well… i’m trying and i’m teaching spanish and catalan there as well

  • Michael L

    Awesome site mar1013
    thanks for posting!!

    BTW guys i just uploaded a couple of my Smallville drawings on the forum’s under Fan Art check it out when you get some extra time and let my know what you think.

  • mar1013

    you are welcome Michael!
    If anyone wants to learn spanish, i’m open to teach

  • taylor nikole

    hm i wonder what happened to allison :-p
    maybe she fell in a hole?
    that can’t be too good

  • medina

    portuguese, nobody speak portuguese?

    ah eu também tenho dificuldades de entendê-los senhores e senhoritas

    paz

  • Gnome

    Hi Medina!!!
    I speak portuguese!!!
    Im a little absent and I still will be for a while, but if you need some help… I will be here…
    I just miss this blog!!!
    But now Im enjoying my free time at Egypt!!! Man..its an incredible, different and crazy place… To much contrast from what I use to see in Brazil!!!

  • http://Allisonmack.com Samantha

    That’s a great way to get out and help. We need people out their to help those who aren’t as lucky. Thanks for leting others get a look into other places that the news doesn’t cover, Allison!

  • viviane

    ai medina, eu te entendo! ;)

  • viviane

    Allison Where are you?
    you gone!

  • http://www.daybow.com David Hayes

    I hope she isn’t waiting on me to compile Blog statistics. I’ve only compiled the 7 blogs topics from February. I have a list of 266 people who posted to thse 7 blogs, whicj blogs they posted to and how many times in each. February was a short month! This is a huge job … that probbly could have been generated directly from the site’s data base. We’ll see as time goes on if I can keep working on this in my spare time. It would help from now on if everyone posts in alphabetical order! To see the raw data in process, if interested, you can look at my Excel spreadsheet at daybow[dot]com. just paste the following to the site address:

    /Exchange_File/Exchange_File/welling_tom_08.jpg

  • http://www.daybow.com David Hayes

    WRONG! That didn’t work!

    Try:

    /Exchange_File/AM_Stats.xls

  • m e d i n a

    yeah viviane :)

  • http://www.myspace.com/rostafarian Ross UK

    I can’t believe you’re actually doing the count manually David, that’s dedication! It’ll be interesting to see the results in the end.

  • skahahoo

    Since y’all seem to be waiting for Allison to return, and since a lot of people are talking about language, I thought maybe this question would be interesting to discuss. But…hehe…that’s just me. I think I already posted this in a previous topic. Anyway, can you think of examples in which the words we use may shape our perception or thinking of some concept? And whether or not that helps or hinders our understanding and/or communication?

    For example, I read something a while ago that discussed how Western culture frames debates (or arguments) as wars because the language that is often used are things like: win, lose, opponent, attack, defend, “take a stand,” “choose a side,” etc. But the author posed an interesting question: What if debate were viewed as a dance, rather than a battle? Then wouldn’t each participant be viewed as a contributor rather than an opponent? And then perhaps the value would be seen as the debate is itself, the exchange of viewpoints, rather than the goal of winning?

    I thought this was fascinating, but couldn’t think of other examples like it. Anyone else out there think of anything?

  • Michael L

    Allison where have you gone?????

    David

    Dame i can’t believe your actually going to do that hole thing manually. you have a lot more patience than i do lol. Really looking forward th the results keep up the great work!!!

    Also i just uploaded a few more of my Smallville drawings on my deviantart page theres some of Allison, Tom, Kristin, Michael and Sam i’m also working on a few more that should be up later to day or sometime tomorrow. check it out and let me know what you think.

    http://www.mikel01.deviantart.com/gallery

    Michael L

  • paul

    All the lies and slanders that have ever been written don’t, in my opinion, outweigh the beauty and significance of, say, Homer’s Iliad.

  • http://www.daybow.com David Hayes

    Michael L,

    I really like your drawings. I can’t motivate myself to draw like that anymore because it is just too easy for anyone to Photoshop a picture and come out looking more skilled than anything I could do.

    One comment on the sketches, I think you need to get the softest lead pencil you cn get and explore your drk side. I used to draw sopheres for practice. Things will pop out from the paper if the darkest value on the page is absolute black. It’s a matter of taking a chance, going to extremes and expanding your range. I’m sorry I don’t have any good examples for you, so this will have to do:

    daybow[dot]com

    /artwork/artwork/Mike_Keen_portrait.jpg

    I’d answer you on the forum but I haven’t been a member there for a long time. If you want to e-mail me, my e-mail address is available under contact infromation on my site.

  • http://www.chloesullivansite.com/ Bouroux

    Hi Allison.
    I think you received the script of the episode 13 and that you spend all your free time working on the episode.
    You’d be happy to have finally the history. You can start working on the episode. Remember to rest. Listen your body.

    Take care of you.
    Bye
    Claude.

  • Neil

    Wow, Allison, it’s been a whole week since you’ve posted anything! Is everything alright ? Looking forward to reading your next posts. Don’t be a stranger, OK?? Love your energy and you spirit.

    Neil

  • alicia

    Hello , Allison?…we miss you.

  • http://www.daybow.com David Hayes

    These Stats are getting easier. I finished February then jumped back and started January. I’m halfway through January now so I have an alphabetical list of 359 names of people who have posted to the blogs now. At least I think I do. Some people spell their names differently from time to time and some probably post under the same name. Some of these names are pretty common … like “Toonamix.” I must know 15 people with that name. So if statistics get merged due to common names or split due to different screen names by the same person … well, this ain’t rocket science accuracy here. But it is getting easier becuase I am adding fewer names with each new blog now (10 new names on the most recent) and Excel will re-establish alphabetical order for me. I’ll update the spreadsheet on my site sometime in the next hour.

  • http://www.daybow.com David Hayes

    By the way, some names and a lot of posts got messed up because certain font characters that were posted before the format change on this site didn’t do very well when the conversion happened. So I have people with the copyright symbol embedded in their name. I substrituted a “c” when that happened.

  • taylor nikole

    hahah david…
    you have too much time on your hands :)
    lol
    just kidding :)
    good to see you are doing it though

  • http://www.daybow.com David Hayes

    A lot of time! I am only working 10 hour days this week instead of 13 and with no new blog to post to ….

    And my dispenser design came out of the prototype tank nearly perfect so the 4 bosses above me get “aggressive bonuses” and I’ll get a precious handshake when they lay me off!

  • taylor nikole

    hmmm precious..
    got it :)

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