2012.02.20 — Drawing pictures with mouse and keyboard (A River of Stones#2-20)

Drawing pictures with mouse and keyboard
asserts that creativity unbinds the limits
of technology.

2012.02.19 — Oil, fresh mint puréed (A River of Stones#2-19)

Oil, fresh mint puréed
lamb roast, rosemary mustard,
potatoes au jus.

2012.02.18 — The seamstress smiled ruefully, (A River of Stones#2-18)

The seamstress smiled ruefully,
as she related replacing all those wallet cards
stolen with her purse.

2012.02.17 — With Mahler's 5th plugged into my ears (A River of Stones#2-17)

With Mahler's 5th plugged into my ears,
I flew,
with an old skateboarder's grace,
to the play.

2012.02.16 — A night at the mall (A River of Stones#2-16)

A night at the mall,
a strip thing built on old farms,
now under dead bricks.

2012.02.15 — An event filled night (A River of Stones#2-15)

An event filled night
with a cut thumb, burnt tongue,
and a bitter wine.

2012.02.14 — I dreamt that I stood (A River of Stones#2-14)

I dreamt that I stood
in a long grocery line,
and faced the bully.

2012.02.13 — Monday's distraction (A River of Stones#2-13)

Monday's distraction
left me alone with few thoughts,
the smell of old books.

2012.02.12 — In the leafless tree (A River of Stones#2-12)

In the leafless tree
the crow alit on a branch
and preened in light rain.

2012.02.11 — Buttermilk muffin (A River of Stones#2-11)

Buttermilk muffin
hot tea in an empty mall
rushing to slow down.

2012.02.10 — Whilst from on High, all is nigh a fushigi

Today, at my place of work where sometimes work gets done beneath the reign of e.mails, I paused to read my leader's high praise for the team having accomplished great things. I rarely read this executive's e.missives because they are generally bombastic and self-serving verbal spews I find hard to digest. But every once and a while, two or three times a year I guess, I pause from my work — maybe because I was bored and just not into it — to wend my way through one to see if anything has changed.

It began typically enough, but when I read '[blah, blah, blah] team, [blah, blah, blah]… whilst [blah, blah, blah] team … [blah, blah, blah],' I found my self unable to refrain from vocalizing my brain's 'OMG? Who uses 'whilst' in an official business announcement?!' [I've not copied the e.mail's text, here, in order to avoid creating the false impression of having violated some kind of business ethic.]

From the pod across from me RT popped up and said '[The CEO] uses that word a lot. And it always kind of bugs me, but I don't know why. Why does it bug you?' I said something like it is an old word and may be at best used in a kind of odd literary way to emphasize something or in an effort to be poetical. It is not used in so-called proper writing anymore, and especially not within an official business context.

We ended the discussion shortly after some additional discussion about the peculiar structure of the balance of the paragraph as to the use of pronouns and the 'team concept'.

That afternoon, for the first time in ten years of working together, TK sent me a query/comment regarding our executive's e.missive:

I’m not sure if you read these offerings, these writings that come down to us from on high. Yes, I mean those written by the leader of our fine company, [the CEO]. When I read them, I become distracted and amused by our friend’s overuse of the word “whilst”. [The CEO] never uses the much more mainstream and acceptable “while” where a good “whilst” will do.

It has always rubbed me the wrong way, and now I know why, thanks to Wikipedia. I find it especially ironic that “whilst” is considered archaic outside of the UK. In Canadian and American English, it “could be considered pretentious or archaic”. Perhaps someone told [the CEO] once that [leaders] would sound smarter whilst using the word “whilst” in their messages? Now it’s become the literary equivalent of an ear-worm for me.

I just had to point it out to you; it’s my Friday afternoon mood. Sorry if it now becomes your obsession. Cheers, and have a great weekend whilst you take a break from this crazy place! ;^)

And to cap of the fushigi-ness of this event, TK copied it to my confidant, RT.

2012.02.10 — In the dream I stood (A River of Stones#2-10)

In the dream I stood
but without a real standing
in the public court.

2012.02.09 — The TV was on (A River of Stones#2-09)

The TV was on
when a walk called out my name
so I went to bed.

2012.02.08 — On the day after (A River of Stones#2-08)

On the day after
the day before, the cat flicked
her bird song tall tale.

2012.02.07 — I stood, a teacher (A River of Stones#2-7)

I stood, a teacher
using students to teach me
how little I know.

2012.02.06 — English Bay at noon (A River of Stones#2-6)

English Bay at noon,
in spring, the ghosts of fog drift
and the fish don't care.

2012.02.05 — It was at dawn's break (A River of Stones#2-5)

It was at dawn's break
that the cat sat down to dream
of a bird for lunch.

2012.02.04 — Before it was dawn (A River of Stones#2-4)

Before it was dawn
the birds dreamt of the new sun
then sang in the day.

2012.02.03 — Eggs over easy (A River of Stones#2-3)

Eggs over easy
are almost enough to ease
waking up for work.

2012.02.2 — The work acronym (A River of Stones#2-2)

The work acronym
ARS-Prod, brought tears of laughter
instead of respect.

2012.02.1 — The earth rolled over (A River of Stones#2-1)

The earth rolled over
turned over the day's number
ripened the red wine.