That’s a Lot of Snow

Zodi's Courtyard 1-27-09

Cold, crisp, clean white snow. That is what I woke up to yesterday morning and this morning. the weather predicted that there would be between three and ten inches. I’m certain that we received many more inches then that.

Yuki showing just how deep the snow is on 1-27-09

On January 27th, I stepped outside, along with my cat Yuki (Yoo Kee) and looked at all the untouched white stuff that covered my courtyard. It had started late the previous evening and within an evening there was enough to coat the ground. Yesterday there was about three to six inches on the ground before the ice reared its ugly head. It continued through the night and into the next day. Snow first, then sleet, then ice, finally more snow.

Zodi's Courtyard 1-28-09

This morning I woke up, once again to a winter wonderland and more snow still falling.  I knew the roads were going to be a mess this morning, and probably bad tomorrow morning too, so I prepared and called my boss to inform her that I wasn’t coming in today.  This was at 9pm last night, eleven hours later, a foot of snow or more blocked anyone from going anywhere until maintenance came through to plow and shovel.

Rhys' Romp!

The snow continued to fall until about 10am, by which time I decided to wake everyone up. After making pancakes for everyone, we bundled up and headed out to the snow. After taking fifteen minutes to sweep my steps of the light powder, we made it to ground level and Rhys began his first romp in the snow.

Trekking is tough

Trekking through the snow that came up to this knees he went to speak wih the neighbors and tell them exactly how he felt about playing in the snow, then went back into the whiteness.  Shortly after making tracks around the tree in the courtyard, the other two men in my house came out to play as well.

Male Bonding

Thinking my camera and my phone would protect me, I was horribly mistaken. They proceeded to make snowballs and throw them at each other, my son and even me.  Both had warned me that they were going to hit me with snow balls either way, giving in I stuffed the camera back into my pocket, but not before dropping it in the snow.

Rhys in the snow.

About fifteen minutes later, I found myself flat on my back  in the snow. I had gone to throw snow at my little brother (the big one) only to get my foot stuck when I went to run away. Down I go, cracking up with laughter as I did. It has been about 10 years since I played in the snow like this. Giving into recklessness and forgetting to fear the snow.  I’m not much of an outside person, but once in a while, I do venture out fearlessly.

K on her back. 1 of 10 tackles

My neighbors daughter decided to join us in the snow fun we were having. The boyfriend threw a snowball half way across the yard to hit her, missed completely, she turned around and went back in to get some more layers on then joined us for more. The snow flinging continued. K or 18, thought it would be funny to throw snow at my brother, she ended up in the snow looking up at the sky. M of 39 decided to join us too, bringing out shovels, and toys that work well in snow and one the beach. She also had a clever idea of using food coloring and spray bottles to make a homemade snow paint.

Rhys say cheese and strikes a pose

After being outside for 45 minutes, I realized that I could no longer feel my fingers. Probably due to the fact my gloves are cheap and thin. Rhys’ nose was starting to run, and his cheeks were bright read. It was time to go in and have a cup of hot chocolate and then a nap.

Snowed in, in Indiana

Keep it real and rockin’!

Courtyard tree 8am 1-28-09

 

The Way I See It: Language

Language is a wonderous and yet odd thing. It is the way we communicate. Spoken in many different languages, some older than others. Even the use of drawings is a form of language to convey a story. From the first cave drawings to present graphic novels and cartoons. Those first cave drawings, by the way, I often thought were the first political cartoons. From written text to the spoken word, to sign language and even braille, language comes in many forms.

So why is it, with all the wonderful words we have, that often we find ourselves using some of the most vulgar language to describe a situation. When I was younger, it was extremely taboo to swear in public, often if I did so I would expect to be given a stern talking to from my parents. Even on television it was shocking when someone would say “hell” or “damn”.

Some thirty years later, television, radio and even print has changed a great deal. So has our language and ways of communicating. So to has the attitude toward some rather vulgar terms. At one time it was considered an unwritten rule to never, ever drop an f-bomb on television. So to was it considered in poor taste to say it in public. Now, however, just sitting at coffee row, reading the paper, I hear it at least seven or eight times in an hour. The same with television. It isn’t uncommon now to see George Carlin’s seven deadly words you can’t say on radio or television crop up with bold regularity. And those seven deadly words aren’t the only ones.

When I was younger, I was shocked (shocked I say) when I would hear an adult whom I looked up to in an authoritative way, to drop an f-bomb (or even an s-bomb). I was so traumatized by hearing it one time, I think I almost cried. Granted, at that time I was also dropping f-bombs with secret glee in private. Never in public. Now, I hear the all familiar word, and I merely shrug it off because it’s become as common in the English language as bread or table.

Two things recently that I have seen have been rather inspiring. The first was a television series which became a movie. Joss Whedon’s Firefly (and subsequent movie Serenity) was a tale about a group of smugglers in the far flung future. They traveled the spaceways, but the show had very much a western feel to it. But it was the cussing that I thought was different. Yes, they still swore, but they swore in Chinese. The feeling was that in the future the United States and China would become the two greatest super powers. Even the most backwoods hill billy would know how to speak Chinese. All of the swear words were in Chinese. No f-bombs. No bleeps. No need for language warnings at the beginning of the show.

The other thing that caught my eye was a news report about a 15 year old named McKay Hatch from Pasadena, California. McKay started a No Cussing Club in his local school. That evolved into such a thing, that it’s become world wide. To date, it has 30,000 members. What’s sad is the number of cyberbullies out there who just don’t get it. McKay has received threats, condemnation and more from people who can’t see that McKay is taking a very mature look at language.

These two events have got me thinking about my own fiction that I write with Black Mask and Pale Rider. I use language as flavour to add to the story, but I don’t need to drop f-bombs or so on. When I go through a second draft of the first series (which will come after I finish it… soon, I promise, soon), I plan on changing the language. It will convey the same emotion, the same feelings and describe the same events.

It just won’t be nearly as vulgar.

Until we stop talking completely…

…keep ’em flyin’.