Azalea requested I explain what I meant by my statement that, with respect to the NY Times, I have "language issues". Fair enough, I can see how that may have been a little obtuse or obscure or some other word starting with "ob".
At home, I tend to talk to the newspaper. Out loud. Usually by myself, but generally I don't care if others are there. I regard the reading of the newspaper as a conversation between me and the writers and editors. I orally convey my agreement with an article, as in, "yes, exactly right". Or my disagreement, sometimes, by proclaiming loudly, "you complete asshole, that is such a biased presentation and just totally ignores the facts!" Sometimes I will review out loud what those missing facts are. Sometimes my language gets coarser. I don't know if I am alone in conducting this kind of conversation with the Times. I hope not. If I am, I will simply mark it down as one of my charming idiosyncracies. Feel free to chime in on this point.
In any event, I had been doing this for years. Long before the arrival of the children. And while I saw good reasons to stop doing this around the children, there were times I just could not help myself. For instance, I consider the NY Times' articles concerning the conflict in Israel to be so one-sided and so anti-Israel so as to be a national outrage. In fact, I really started reading the NY Post in earnest on September 12, 2001, since the coverage by the Post of 9/11 did not include any earnest questions about what we as a nation had done to deserve this attack. But I digress.
One day, my daughter was sitting and having breakfast with the nanny when out popped a whole series of curses. The nanny was astonished and asked her why she was using such language. The little girl pointed to the table and explained with one word: "Newspaper". The nanny then requested that I stop reading the newspaper around the children if I could not control myself.
I hope that clarifies what I meant when I said I have language issues with respect to the NY Times. Still, I suppose it might be more accurate to say instead that the NY Times has writing issues and I have control issues.
Posted by Random Penseur at July 14, 2004 09:23 AMIf it helps, I do the same thing with computers, kitchen appliances and animals. :)
Posted by: Hanah at July 14, 2004 09:55 AMI have that habit with tools.
Posted by: Jim at July 14, 2004 10:41 AMWe get the Sunday NYT delivered way out here in CaliFORniA. Dan mutters a lot while reading it, but he only actually yells at the computer news, which is our daily paper now.
I try to stay out of it. I've learned that if I ask questions, I'll get an earful about the "way things should be". Complete with gesticulations. Then I'll calmly agree, "Okay King Dan" and he'll mock-pout.
It's a time-honored ritual around here.. ;-)
Posted by: Amber at July 14, 2004 01:26 PMMany thanks for the clarification. I carry on the same type of conversations when i read my daily newspapers online- NYT,NY Post, Washington Post.
Ever do any work with Alston & Bird out of Atlanta?
Nope but I know some of the NY A&B people. Why?
Posted by: RP at July 15, 2004 04:05 PM