Moment of Clairification

And to think, I still get the “e” and and the “i” switched about half the time I write that title. I will admit, I’m no grammar queen, and I keep my dictionary, thesaurus and AP style book next to me practically at all times. I just went to see if there were any comments posted on my -30- column, my very last words after dedicating much of my last six years to that paper. I was annoyed, but quite amused, to find that readers had started a little discussion about my grammar! And of all the seven comments on the column, not a single one had to do with what I actually had to say. There was one reader who actually took it upon his or herself to copy the entire column and edit it, denoting mistakes or corrections in brackets. This person has some nerve, a lot of free time, or some vendetta against me… or maybe it’s just some eerily strong determination to disprove me, be negative, show me they know more than me… I have no clue. But I am much more curious than angry. Seriously, what’s up with this person?

Here is the link to my column, which I wrote right before deadline at a coffee shop with Chris. http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2008/05/07/Opinion/Dt.Editor.A.Bold.Face-3366499.shtml

This might have been the hardest thing I’ve ever written. How can one really put such a life-changing experience as working at the Texan for six years into 500 or so words? And who am I to share what I’ve learned with others in this “me” column, when I’ve been sharing things I’ve learned and expressing my truest feelings in editorials all year? Anyway, I went back and forth about what to write about and whether I’d even write a -30- at all. It would have been just fine, after all, if my last words had been those in my second to last column:

“Unwritten rules of college athletics,” May 6: http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2008/05/06/Opinion/Viewpoint.Unwritten.Rules.Of.College.Athletics-3365293.shtml

And really, I’ve been getting as much of those last words off my chest for the past week as I possibly can. …. then I signed off…. let’s write a poem….

“First real day off in a year,” Famous poetry by Claire Harlin

good-bye newsprint

for now, a new type

of prose

no rhyme, let’s go

to Campbell’s Hole

even though it’s about to rain

tacos, towels, hike

hike, hike,

no water in the Greenbelt

but wait —

the sun came out just for me!

it’s my day

change plans

bull creek

water, sun

traffic on 360 looking down at me with envy

sun setting, to the garden we go

collards, plums, mint, rosemary, lettuce, dill, broccoli, oh yeah

stuff the peppers, cut the papas, mash the mint

mohitos, oh my

night picnic

in the frontyard

candles

a lovely sleep