An Historic Error...of Judgement if Nothing Else

Ok, I need to rant. While this whole past week has left me with a sense of great hope for our nation, I feel we are making a vital mistake. Everywhere I turn, the same phrase screams at me and sends me into panicky convulsions.

"...an historic election..."
"...an historic day..."
"...an historic inauguration..."

AN historic? Really America? Who decided that would be a good idea?

The word "an", as we all know, is used as the indefinite article before a word that begins with a vowel, replacing the word "a". I am very appreciative of "an". It allows for fluidity in conversation at times that could otherwise be very sticky. For example, "A elephant went for a interesting walk in a arboretum while carrying a old watch and a umbrella," does not exactly roll off the tongue.

Of course, "an" has another use. Some tricky words begin with consonants but, A-HA, make vowel sounds. You can't fool me, "hour" and "honor" - I'll use "an" for you as well.

Now herein lies the problem. "Historic", while beginning with an h like many of those really-a-consonant-but-sounds-like-a-vowel words, is not pronounced "istory", and therefore should not require an "an".

Dictionary.com gives me this reasoning (emphasis my own):
"the form of a before an initial vowel sound (an arch; an honor) and sometimes, esp. in British English, before an initial unstressed syllable beginning with a silent or weakly pronounced h: an historian."

I forgive the British. They do actually say "istory". Correct me if I'm wrong, but I have never heard any American say "an historian". Nor have I ever heard any American say "an history book". WHY IN GOD'S NAME IS IT CORRECT TO SAY "AN HISTORIC"?

Maybe it's not correct. Maybe EVERY media outlet has gotten it wrong. I hope so. But if not, I call upon YOU, America. To quote Gandhi, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." My wish is for the phrase "an historic" to be eradicated from the American English vocabulary (the Brits can keep it). Join me in my quest and we can create a more perfect union.

YES WE CAN!

Musings on the Inauguration

The following is a commentary on things that I really have no authority on which to comment. Take from it what you will.

The president's (God I love that - President Barack Obama) speech today was in some ways exactly what I expected, and in some ways not at all what I expected. It was decidely, and I'm sure deliberately, more somber than all of his past speeches.

"Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans."

As one of the commentators on NPR put it today, Obama didn't come out and "sing" like in his other speeches. It was his time to grow up, to move from the campaigner to the president. He made it known that there is work to be done - and work to be undone, in his not-so subtle jabs at Bush's policies. He also hinted that things are going to take longer than perhaps projected during the campaign. Unless you are very, VERY naive, this is to be expected.

It didn't matter. I, and millions around the country, hung on his every word. The speech covered all points, from the economy to health care to foreign policy to energy. Hooray for restoring "science to its rightful place"!

I'm still not quite sure what it is about Obama that intrigues me - his ideas for change, his youth, his ability to instill a sense of hope in everyone. The seriousness of his speech today made me believe he could actually DO something, that it wasn't just all talk - something I have so desperately hoped for over the past few months.

I watched the inauguration on www.cnn.com/live at work (don't tell!). And while I was able to hold back the tears (I may have shed one or two on Election Day), I was overwhelmed by the atmosphere projecting from my computer screen. This man, who 50 years ago wouldn't have been able to have a cup of coffee with his vice-president, drew almost 1.5 million people out in JANUARY. Young, old, black, white, families, college kids. The absolute joy and hope of the massive crowd was I think what got to me the most.

Some random notes:

• My motherly instincts took over when all of the former presidents were walking out - all I could think was, "Why are all those old people not wearing hats?!" I'm glad that most later donned some form of ear covering. George H.W. Bush and Aretha Franklin certainly had the right idea.
  

• I was not very happy with the people who booed Bush. I don't like him either but I would never boo him. You trying doing that job. And to the people who sang "Na na na na hey hey hey goodbye" - slightly funnier, but still inappropriate.

• Also, poor Ted Kennedy! Yikes...thoughts are with him.
  

• And while I am a strong supporter of the separation of church and state, sometimes I feel it is appropriate. I'm certainly not talking about Rick Warren - him I could have done without. It's one thing to talk about God in an invocation, but Jesus? Anyway, I absolutely loved the benediction given by the Rev. Joseph Lowery. American needs to ensure that "our faith does not shrink though pressed by the flood of mortal ills." Amen to that!

So now it begins - a new era for America. And hopefully it will be a new era.

"So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people: "Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet ."

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."

Ok, So I Skipped a Year....

Right. Blogging. It's been a while. Now that I'm back from London, I'm not really sure I have anything exciting to blog about any more. But I figured I give it a go. Please notify me if I become tremendously boring.

So let me catch you up on the past year of my life, in case you missed it:

• Came back from London and spent my last semester at Syracuse living with three great girls on Euclid. Again, I marvel at how my housing situations have worked themselves out. I've never been one to have a lot of girlfriends, but all of my roommates (and adopted roommates) have been great.
• The semester itself was relatively uneventful. I took the standard 5 classes and did okay. Rick was gone all semester doing an internship at the State Assembly in Albany, so I only saw him every other weekend.
• On May 11, 2008, I graduated from Syracuse University. I still haven't quite convinced myself of that fact. I had spent the last few months of the semester frantically searching for a job, to no avail.
• On May 13, 2008 (yes, I took ONE DAY OFF after graduation - believe me, not my choice), I began working full-time as a secretary in my mom's office. Had to have that health insurance.
• After about 3 months of checking patients out and memorizing diagnosis codes (Knee pain? 71946. Depression? 300) I stumbled across a position in the classified section at Enable and applied.

So I got the job. I am now the Donor Relations Coordinator at Enable, a non-profit that provides services for people with disabilities. My main functions are fund raising and public relations, and all that those things entail. I really like my job, and Enable is really a great organization. Plus, I have my own office!

Enable is on Court Street on the north side of Syracuse. So for now, I'm still living at home in Baldwinsville. Figured I'd should probably save some money.

So that's about it. Stay tuned for updates on the real world.