On Fri, 04 Apr 2003 01:36:51 -0600 Shalanna  writes:

> cold cruel world even when I fall asleep before three AM.  *But* I 
> wanted 
> to apologize for that cleverly inadvertent dig about the hair on 
> fire.  I 

The PROBLEM is =and I'm TYPING this gently, with no meaning
recrimination, and it IS a writing issue= even had I black hair (soot),
or blonde (even hotter flame), or blue (gas fed), it borders on
name-calling, which injects steam right out into a discussion and makes
it argument.
There are TIMES, especially when one knows they tend to be taken =cough=
more strongly than they intend (and I'm speaking of MYSELF at this point,
so y'all just sit down) that it's better to use a graphite pencil than
dumping out the color box (though it's not as FUN).

> And yes, I'm a drama queen.  Always have been.  

Which is fine. 
Hell, I do enough overstating and arm waving myself to fill a few volumes
of apology.
But realize that has Implications and Consequences.
Most of which coming from not seeing the outline for the color.
Another point of writing STYLE, where the STYLE overwhelms the message.
=shrug= Life is. And, for writers, it's usually good to see the variables
of human nature and response in action. 
[Pamela again is so much more effective than I in her brevity. Though she
WAS taking on only one bit of the discussion -- though a key bit. I bow
before the Master -- but also know what I am and who I am, and have
pretty well given up trying to make major changes. I'm more stubborn in
my ways than me.]

>  >"Muggle" is older than both books
> 
> It sounds like it should have always been a word, actually.  Perhaps 

It's a delightful word, and has probably been in Brit slang for
generations.
"What a Muggle-head I've been!" marvellous. 
Very like muddle and so on....  It now, of course, has a specific
meaning, but that's ok, it works.
[Of course, you've got me still "coming down" from a Peter/Harriet
Whimsey orgy of witsome prose... talk about staining the petrie dish.]

Anyway, the book I was thinking of is "The Gammage Cup" by Carol Kendall
(first published in 1959, first Oddessey Classics version 1990 -- so not
resurrected on HP's tailcoats. Copyright renewed 1987.... and so on).
"Muggles, Gummy the poet, and Walter the Earl are not like the other
Minnipins..." I've only read a couple chapters, hmmm, I'm between books,
maybe I'll take this one on, since it's now in my hand.

> an 
> extended OED search is in order.  Tomorrow. . . .
> 
> Humbly,

Ah well! Don't sweat it. 
=hugs= 


====
Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint. --Mark
Twain 
====
[Courage is...] tasting the vegetable before making a face. --Bernard
Waber

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