Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#41047 09/06/01 11:56 AM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 460
P
paulb Offline OP
addict
OP Offline
addict
P
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 460
" … Her thoughts wouldn't get themselves organized and they didn't even seem to be actual thoughts but just clumps of words banging around in her head, bouncing off the side walls, having themselves a bit of fun … "

Bonnie Burnard: A good house (p. 194).
A recent Canadian novel which I wholeheartedly recommend!


#41048 09/06/01 12:59 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
clumps of words banging around in our heads

I sometimes think that the only reason we consider ourselves superior to the other animals is that we can coagulate our experiences into bunches of jabber.


#41049 09/06/01 03:18 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Now that's interesting, paulb. I wonder if she was preparing to write something? I do try to think ahead and make what comes out of my mouth seem somewhat logical, but I find that I make my greatest effort at
organizing my thoughts when I want to write something. I suppose that started when I had to write all those darned research papers in college. I'd have a kajillion scraps of information and quotes all over the place, and would sometimes number them, then scratch each off as I included it, because I might have item #4 on page 2 of my notes, and what I decided to make #5 might be on page 3 of my notes.

Some months ago, I helped a friend with his PhD thesis.
My part was to organize his survey responses. Egads! These weren't nice little multiple-choice surveys--people had written free-form responses, and of course did not always stick to the topic. My friend had suggested categories the responses should fall into, and before I got through with the first batch, I realized his suggestions had to go right out the window. I finally just
cleared off my dining table and physically laid out all of the surveys, assigning categories as best I could. Trying to decide where all the "gray" ones went was...interesting. I think there were about 400 surveys; far too many for me to remember at #279 that #12 had had something similar. I had to lay them out, so I could find the first one. I am glad he isn't doing a second thesis!



Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 444 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5