Podcast Oddities

I received an ipod last Christmas and have been continuously plugged into it for a year now because I'm absolutely thrilled to be able to hear some of my favorite radio programs from when I lived in Michigan and have found loads of other great 'casts to listen to.  I have three observations on the changes in spoken American English that have occurred in the 10 years I've been away. 

This first one drives me crazy.  People seem to neither give nor receive anything anymore.  It's all "gifted".  Arrgh!  When did "gift" become a verb?  According to my trusty old (1993) American Heritage Dictionary, "The verbal use of gift in Modern English is irredeemably tainted (as is its derivative giftable) by its association with the language of advertising and publicity."  Here here.  This Christmas I gave many handmade gifts that were greatly appreciated by those who received them.  At least that's what they told me.

Thing #2:  I listen to a variety of podcasts and I'll admit an awful lot of them are about knitting.  A lot of them are not, though, and this is a reference I hear on a broad cross-section of all of them:  Big Box Stores.  What are they?  I don't remember ever hearing that term when I lived in The States. 

#3:  At The End Of The Day I am so tired of this cliche.  I think it originated in the UK, but it's use is widespread among the American podcasts I listen to.   It's as bad as "wake-up call" which, thankfully, doesn't get much use anymore.  Perhaps journalists are tired of all their wake-up calls and are now looking forward to the end of the day.

And with that, I'm done complaining in 2010.

Happy New Year!

My First Blog Post

Yeah!!!  I'm finally getting around to beginning my blog as we're all winding down (or winding up) to Christmas, one of my favorite times of year.

In my blog, I plan to talk a little about knitting and probably a lot about life as an American expat in Italy.  It's not all "Under the Tuscan Sun", you know.  Maybe it's because I don't live in Tuscany, but it's not like that at all.  Don't believe the hype!

So I wanted to get my blog started by the end of the year because it was the very last item on my To Do list for 2010.  Ha ha!  I don't do annual To Do lists and if I did, I'm pretty sure I would never get through all the lofty goals I've set for myself.

And on to the knitting part:  I finally finished the first sock (of a pair) I started in November.  It took me a long time to get through it because I kept stopping to do Christmas knitting (3 pairs of mittens, 3 hats, 2 star ornaments) and I got a bit side-tracked by a pullover I've recently begun.  I had to remind myself that the sock wouldn't get done without a bit of effort on my part so I finally finished it last night, having stayed up past my usual bedtime to do so.  It's quite pretty, but as with all socks I've knit, it isn't as long as I thought it would be.  This pair is called I Heart Toe Up Socks from "Socks From The Toe Up" by Wendy D. Johnson.  I'll get around to adding photos some day.  This is my second pair from this book.  Now on to my second sock!

Happy holidays to everyone!!