Monthly Archives: September 2020

Well, that was a dream pun

Posted on September 15, 2020 by maradanto

Dreamed last night I was helping a women’s group at a church develop a list of songs for their Christmas service. One of the older women wanted to include a song about how proud Mary was to have been chosen … Continue reading →

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Summer of Monsters: Unicorn

Posted on September 13, 2020 by maradanto

“Will the unicorn be willing to serve you, or stay the night by your crib? Can you bind the unicorn in the furrow with ropes? Will he harrow the valleys after you?” — Job 39:9-10 If you thought unicorns were … Continue reading →

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Language levels

Posted on September 13, 2020 by maradanto

Something for world building. A few thoughts as a language person. There are four kinds of language 1. Lingua franca. This is a language you learn for business, for trade and for travel purposes. While it’s the first language for … Continue reading →

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I do not miss 9-12, nor should you

Posted on September 12, 2020 by maradanto

Can we please not spread this meme around like it is profound, patriotic or wise? It is not. This meme is offensive because it is trite and sentimentalizes a period of shock, fear and trauma into a moment of kumbaya. … Continue reading →

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Summer of Monsters: Cherufe

Posted on September 5, 2020 by maradanto

Few things are as terrifying as that moment when the earth begins to shake. Scientists have suggested all manner of preposterous ideas to explain such phenomena. They claim that the surface of the earth is made of “tectonic plates” floating … Continue reading →

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Summer of Monsters: Satyr

Posted on September 4, 2020 by maradanto

Satyrs are the middle-school bullies of monsters. You’ve probably seen them cruising around the neighborhood in their flashy , low-to-the-ground sports cars, engines revving while the bass is cranked up so high that the windows in nearby buildings shake. Or … Continue reading →

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The truth about haunted houses

Posted on September 3, 2020 by maradanto

People think that haunted houses are the result of the death of someone who lived there. This is a misconception. A Queen Anne is grander and more exciting than an A-frame, and the A-frame has a wilder spirit than the … Continue reading →

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Hey! You car sucks (and so do you)

Posted on September 2, 2020 by maradanto

Every Wednesday for a while now everyone on my block with streetside parking has been getting leafleted by Brothers Towing in Belleville. The flyers are jammed into the doors or placed under the wiper blades, and come emblazoned with their … Continue reading →

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Everyday Latin

Posted on September 1, 2020 by maradanto

Several years ago when I was a member of the school board I said at the start of a meeting, “I would like to add an agendum.” The board chairwoman just shook her head. “You would.”

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Summer of Monsters: Harpies

Posted on September 1, 2020 by maradanto

Harpies are an unusual feature from Greek mythology in that they are exclusively female in nature and yet not known for their beauty. They appear in the story of Jason and the Argonauts, when the adventurers arrive on an island … Continue reading →

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