docoflove1974

I truly enjoy this website: Ohio State Latin Grammar. They have a very good, and I would say accurate, description on most everything regarding the Latin language...including links to various pronunciation guides! And, of course, they link to The Perseus Project, which has Allen and Greenough's New Latin Grammar for Schools and Colleges. Important elements to remember for English speakers: --C/G: always 'hard' (as in 'cat' and 'garage')--so Caesar wouldn't be [si zɚ] (or whatever that last syllable would be in your dialect); it would be closer to [kaj saɾ]--think Spanish or Italian on that one. --J: Didn't actually exist as a letter; usually was spelled with an I, and as such usually was pronounced as the semi-vowel/consonant [j] (aka like a 'y'). So Julius = [ju lʲus] --V: not surprisingly, it sounded like the semi-vowel/consonant [w]. So 'victor' = [wik toɾ] Otherwise, think closer to Italian (or perhaps Sardinian) pronunciation: if the second to last syllable contains a long vowel or is closed (CVC), then that's where the primary stress is. If not, then it would be the syllable beforehand. One last note: this is Classical Latin pronunciation...not Vulgar Latin. We don't really know how the 'commoners' spoke, only guesses and reconstructions. So this is how Cicero ([ki ke ɾo] spoke, probably...but not necessarily the dude on the corner selling fruit, or the average solider in the army.

There's something about the Beeb's software that they look at your IP address, and black out certain content. I believe, although I'm not certain, that if I wanted to watch certain shows that aren't on slate for BBC America, that it'll show them to me. Annoying, really.

Nope, iPlayer blocks certain shows that they show on BBC America, such as Top Gear and Graham Norton (which is only about 2-4 weeks delayed ). I'm thankful for my friend/neighbor and his questionably-legal methods.

Well, a major one, at least. The baby ones are cute

First, there's nothing wrong with Jezza...well, there is, but he's a wonderful car clown. I love watching that show! The bad news is that BBC America takes about 6 months to show things over here, ugh. so we eventually watch them. My neighbor upstairs has figured out a way to record them on a server in Britain, so I actually got to watch the last two episodes. Holy jeez...the Three Wise Men??? heheheheheh

Happy birthday, Aurelia! Hope you have an outstanding day!

That's right next to (or below and next to?) the Domus Flaviorum, on the end of the Arch of Septimus Severus. I don't recall the name of that specific wall,but I took shots of it, too, from the Forum floor.

Here's to you, Lord Caldrail...may your 2011 continue to have a blue sky with more sun than clouds

I have become one recently! Vampire Weekend took a bit to grow on me, but now I'm seriously loving them. Great gym music! Hope you and yours have a happy, healthy and prosperous 2011, GoC.

Sweet...hope everyone had a great time on my birthday...plenty to eat and drink? hehehe Ever the hostess.... Thank you all for the birthday wishes...my day was fine, but the evening was sublime. A happy and healthy 2011 to you all.

I'm in a right bouncy mood. It's the fact that I'm half Tigger, half Roo, to be sure. There are just certain days that I wake up and feel the need to bounce around all day, playing gaily and freely. What to do today...what to do today... Well, there's a pile of work to be done...but seeing as I have an aversion to work on my birthday, well, that's not exactly an option today. The apartment does need to be cleaned and the laundry done, but that's not much work, so I'll do that. It fits into the schedule, so to speak. Kinda wanna go for a walk...but kinda wanna be lazy. Maybe a lazy walk? Hmmmm...what else....what else...I know! I can send out all these Amazon orders that are stacking up! But that is work...and I need to go to the office supply store to get more CD envelopes. Eh, maybe...doesn't have to get done until Tuesday, so there's still time. Which reminds me...if anyone is interested in a pair of snow spikes for ladies' shoe size 6-10 (American), let me know...an unwanted Christmas gift...actually, an unneeded Christmas gift, since I don't live in a snowy place, nor do I go to such places. They tend to be cold. I'll totally trade...make me an offer I can't refuse. Well, tonight's plans are set, I know that: best friend coming over with Chinese food, then off to a local saloon for revelries. But what to do with this gloriously sunny morning? Eh, let me dwell further on it...don't rush me...I'm enjoying the day. Happy New Year to all! May the dawning of 2011 be like the dawning of my 36th year on earth: sunny and full of positive possibilities.

*Doc saunters in, gliding on her gilded sandals...and notes the festive decoration is still up...sweet. Ordering the servants to start passing out the champers and wine, as well as the various nibblies, she takes a deep breath.* It's good to be queen for the day Thanks, all...let the festivities begin! (If they haven't already...I just got up...it's 8:20am here in California...

Ah...beautiful Cuban son playing in the background...just close your eyes, and you can feel the sun warming you to the core as you sip a mojito...ah...paradise. *screeeeeech* Bella! Get off of me! I'm daydreaming in the sun patch on the living room floor! Go get your own sun patch! Cats...seriously.... Ok, I confess: I'm dreaming of wonderful tropical climes because it's damned cold outside. Ok, ok, I confess again: I'm a native Californian, and we're weather wusses. What's cold for us is a brisk spring day for most in the Frozen North. I don't wanna hear it. All I know is that, while it may be sunny out, the air temperature *might* be 50'F in the daytime, and the strong northwestern winds are blowing a gale, bringing the relative temps down to 35'F or so. Holy cripes, that's cold. Normally I would wait until after New Years' Day to take down the Christmas decorations, but somehow I'm done with them already. I don't know, maybe I put them up just a bit too early...Thanksgiving weekend. Regardless, everything came down today, including the lights on the deck. That meant going out there and trying to stay upright as the win did its best to knock me down. I won, in case you were curious. I think I've never been so happy to have my cat lick my nose afterward...she thawed it out, for certain. But, indoors, that's a different story. I share my cat's predilection of taking an afternoon snooze in the sun, something that I have enjoyed since I was a ni

I was just beginning to think that the winter depression had totally robbed you of your sense of humor, Lord Caldrail...but that last bit was truly good. BBC America made a huge to-do about the fact that they broadcasted the Doctor Who Christmas blah blah blah--quite the achievement that they actually broadcast something in the UK and in the US at the same time! I can safely say that such crap was not viewed at my abode. On the other hand, I think there were some viewings of reruns of Star Trek: Next Generation. Picard effing rules. And now...the wait of gawd-knows-how-long until the next installment of new Top Gear. In the meantime, various repackagings of the previous series, trying to fool us Yanks into thinking that they're new episodes. And yet, I'd so much rather watch them than the new US version of the show. No personality, no passion...no goofiness. Or rather, fake goofiness.

OMG...hilarious! But I need to hear "Feck!" "Arse!" or "Girls!" to make it sound quite right. Same to you, GoC, and your clan!

Just a little more than a day before Christmas, and all through the house, there was plenty of scurrying, but not by a mouse. Ok, ok, ok...I can't do that...never was that good about reworking classics. But this song in particular has some great memories associated with it. The song has undergone a 'modernization,' but it's still a good one: See, when it came out 30 years ago, I was a wee lass, and didn't know of its existence at first. But within a couple of years, it became a permanent part of the personal Christmas repertoire. My mom instantly loved it, especially the hokiness of it. I mean, seriously, it's funny! It's not meant to be as serious as "White Christmas," or as merry as "Jingle Bells," and of course it's not religious in any way. But it reminds you that this is the season to be jolly, to be childlike with anticipation and goodwill. It's funny! But...and there's always a but...there was Dad. When I was a kid he hated this song, and I do mean hate. If it came on the radio, he would turn it off, even if the radio in question was in my room and I was quietly enjoying it. He found it offensive, humorless, and overall a representation of the evils of modern society. I called him a killjoy several times, and I think Mom's stepping in finally killed his off-turning ways. But he always maintained that he hated the song, and his actions and body language certainly backed that up. Fast forward several years...to 2 weeks ago. We're driving through a local farm that has a holiday light display every year...well, I take that back, this is the second year of it. But still, we were driving through, marveling at the creativity and beauty, and at the same time talking about Christmas songs. Dad then lays this bombshell: "You know, I haven't heard 'Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer' this year...I love that song! It's so funny! Mom and I immediately interrogated him on that point, bringing up his actions and words of the past. His retort was simple, yet very un-Dad-like: "Well, I guess I grew used to it, and started to like it." Dude, this is my dad...one of the most rigid of opinions. Literally heaven and earth has to move before he changes his usually well-informed opinion on something. And when it comes to popular culture, he is incredibly granite-like; this is a man who started his adulthood in 1960, and disliked essentially every major British rock band to ever create history, simply because they were British. (For the record, King Jimi Hendrix and Queen Janis Joplin rule his musical kingdom, and only Eric Clapton has cracked his lineup.) The only other time I ever heard him change his opinion on popular culture was on the usage of the word 'suck,' however I understood (later) why he hated us kids to use the word; he figured he could control us from cussing, despite the fact that he was a beautiful example of how to improper language in a most eloquent manner. So, as I sit here and use my Christmas/Birthday gift from my parents (all 32" of LCD and HD-goodness), I start rolling the Christmas songs in my head again...and sing along to the tale of what happens when someone drinks too much eggnog and tries to walk home in the snow on Christmas Eve night. Enjoy!

Last night was quite a f

Soooo...if that's the case...the series of strong storms that we've been having here in Kah-lee-fohrn-knee-uh is due to the CIA weather balloons? Same for the Arctic hilarity going on in the UK?

And how fitting that I'm having a party tonight...all are invited!

I did find it a challenge, but by the time I had taken my first class I had already studied Spanish and Italian for several years. That did make the verbal morphology easier (differences between verb forms), as well as much of the vocabulary. The declensions, however, were (and still are!) a bit of a bugaboo for me, although I did recognize patterns eventually. Still, I'm glad to have taken it!

Have you aired your grievances yet?

Ah, that explains everything

Um, now I'm jealous. I did see them in college--they were top bill with a slew of other punk/swing/etc bands--and have been a constant in my '80s/First Wave' iTunes play list. Sadly, I never saw the Clash...that ship has sailed, I guess.

Wow...sounds like an amazing trip! It's been many years since I've last been to Yosemite, but I'm due to go again...hopefully next summer. Joshua Tree is one I haven't been to, but I've driven through the desert many a time...can't say you're missing that much, but that's just me. I would say Lake Tahoe is truly on the list, but so is Monterey, Napa/Sonoma, of course a few days in San Francisco proper...I hate Los Angeles with a passion, but visitors should see Disneyland, at least. San Diego...oh, Santa Barbara...*sigh* too much to do here! But if you do come out, let me know...I'll gladly play tour guide! Today was gloriously sunny, cool, and a great walking day. We did a lot, especially since we didn't know until this evening that we might catch a break. You see, Saturday we supposedly will be 'dry' during the day, although I didn't exactly hear the word 'sunny' in that forecast. At least I can get one more day outside with my friend. Tomorrow is another story...looks like quite a steady rain. Might be time to hit the nice mall, see a movie ("The King's Speech"), stuff like that. Every day in the next week brings rain...*sigh*...I guess we do need it...

So, is there no poultry member of the avian family running around clucking, "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!"? Odd, that....