Here's what's on my mind this week:
1. I Literally Can't Use Any Other Word. Literally.
I use this word a lot. In fact, too often. This is in spite of the fact that many literary and writerly types lambast the overuse of the word, lament its misuse, and mourn the loss of its original definition. I know what it means, of course. I know it doesn't mean the same thing as 'figuratively.' And yet, I can't help myself. Is there any better word to use when you really want to accentuate and exaggerate? Is there anything better for expressing hyperbole?
I think not.
And as you may have guessed, I sort of kind of like hyperbole. A little tiny bit.
So I'm going to just keep committing diction crimes and using it when I shouldn't.
Oh, and The Oatmeal has the best take on this that I've ever seen. Go read it.
2. Don't Be Such A Trope.
Because we all need more reasons to waste time, procrastinate, and get lost in the Internet Wasteland, some
What's that word again? You know, tropes: "commonly recurring literary and rhetorical devices, motifs or clichés in creative works."
I dove into while doing some research (once upon a time when I used to write fiction) and could not get out again to save my life. At least I enjoyed drowning. Go on, go for a swim. You know you want to.
(Disclaimer: you probably have to be a giant movie/book/TV/creative nerd like me to enjoy this sort of thing.)
3. It's Christmannukolstice Time!
Yes, I got another table-top tree. Yes, I'm still Jewish. No, I don't care that I'm not supposed to have one. It just makes me happy.
One year, I'll get a real tree ('real' as in 'enormous', because this tree is not plastic. No, thank you.) And then the heavens will open and pigs will fly and writers will all use the word 'literally' all the time and I'll be a real girl and there will be world peace and prosciutto will be prescribed to treat headaches and heart disease and I will have a magic tool that freezes time so that I can get enough sleep AND work AND write and...
What was I talking about?
Oh yes. Trees make me happy.
What are you up to this week? Do you have a tree/bush/item with holiday significance in your house? Literally?
Trees make me happy too, which is why I don't think I could ever live in a new subdivision where all the trees have been cut down. I like old neighborhoods where there are plenty of tall trees around.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, our Christmas tree is artificial......
We're waiting for our daughter to get home before putting our tree up. Glad yours is making you happy.
ReplyDelete'Literally' is fun to use and everyone knows what you mean when you say it.
I tend to overuse "really" and "just" so when I edit I am slashing out most of them. I say most because I still leave some in dialogue.
ReplyDeleteYes. I have my Christmas tree up. It's not as pretty as it usually is because my cats keep destroying it. lol
Hahaha. The use of the word literally drove me nuts in Gone Girl. At one point, the author said something to the effect of "his head was literally falling off." I had a vision of a severed neck and a head tumbling to the floor. Then I went on to rant to my husband because the guy was still alive after his literal decapitation.
ReplyDeleteI love the tropes site! It's a great resource, especially when it comes to the Cera Chronicles. I always have to double-check my stereotypes. :)
Ha!! I haven't read the book (just saw the movie - I know - when did I become THAT girl? Sigh) but that's really funny. Further proof that you can make millions while breaking rules - LITERALLY ;)
DeleteWe just went to the tree farm and cut down a real tree. (We do it every year.) My whole house smells like pine.
ReplyDeleteYou must do this, too. You must! :D
Pfft, have a tree if you want to! It looks better than mine, which is about a foot and a half tall since my apartment is too small for a real tree.
ReplyDeleteyay another "literally" overuser--I am literally obsessed with this word, and I fear writers want to smack me. I don't write it too much in MSs but I blog with it a lot and i say it in real life LITERALLY ALL THE TIME. ha. lol @ Loni--I never noticed how much it was overused in Gone Girl!
ReplyDeleteWe've always gone out and bought a real tree, but this year I wanted a fake one with fake snow on it. :) I love it!!
ReplyDeleteI love it that you have a tree-The tree of life, family tree, a tree has roots...one doesn't have to be from one certain religion to enjoy something that gives us cheer:) This is in my little head. I have noticed I use the word "amazing often. oh well
ReplyDeleteLOL, I do, too!! I'm trying not to say 'amazing' or 'awesome.' Not easy...
DeleteYou're supposed to put a warning label before you link to TV Tropes. That site keeps people mesmerized for hours.
ReplyDeleteI like the plastic trees :P. They're a lot less messy.
Yes, but they don't smell the same... :)
DeleteWe always cut down out tree. Love the smell! Okay...I think I'll go get lost in the TV tropes website. You know, research for my next fiction project...
ReplyDeleteHappy Tree! Happy tropes! Literally, happiness! :) Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLOL! Your post gave me the giggles. :) We're going out this weekend to go holiday shopping and all that other holiday stuff that I'm not really too fond of because there's just so much other work that needs to be done, but hey, I'm not Grinch. I love the holidays, when I'm not the one preparing the house, ya know? :)
ReplyDeleteYou're not alone, Liz! I, too, over use the word literally too much. This and two other words... "Quite" and "Absolutely"
ReplyDeleteI just love them!!
Happy tree, yay!
I have a beautiful tree up right now. Our black kitty loves playing and sleeping underneath it. We decorated it last week:)
Happy tropes! Happy tree!!
I love TV Tropes; I've literally lost hours of my life on that site. :P And I don't think you need to be one religion or another to celebrate the holidays as you see fit. I'm agnostic, but I see it as a time that's about family and giving and love, and that's good enough for me. ^_^
ReplyDeleteDribbles, drabbles, drivels...what, no dreidels?
ReplyDeleteJust coming by to wish you a Merry, Happy Christmannukolstice.
Hugs, and stay safe this season.
I never used to abuse literally. Then my nephew entered sixth grade...
ReplyDeleteNeedless to say, I'm afraid I've picked up some of his vocabulary! LOL
Hey, trees make everybody happy. We decorated ours yesterday, and it be lookin' good.
ReplyDeleteThat is literally the cutest tree I've ever seen. Bringing a tree into the house & stringing it w/ lights & garland & ornaments has to be one of the most nonsensical traditions around...but yeah, makes me happy too. :)
ReplyDeleteWe had an event last week at work so I was swamped, but I'm on vacation now (woo-hoo!) so I have time to think about whether or not we're actually going to get a tree this year or sit around talking about how we should get a tree, especially since this is my daughter's first Christmas. So we'll see. And by the way, you crack me up! Use literally however you darn well please and let the chips fall where they may!
ReplyDeleteLove this post, Liz. :-)
ReplyDelete