Hate, hate, hate buzzwords.

I really despise buzzwords sometimes. I don't know what it is about people, but they whenever they come together in any kind of group, they always end up with new words to describe everything. Even though there are usually plenty of perfectly fitting words already, they have to go and make up their own. It seems to simultaneously fit our need to label things and to exclude people who are on the outside and thus not "in the know". I hate in-words and buzzwords. For years I have thoroughly detested the phrase "paradigm shift", or just plain "paradigm"; and mostly because for the most part, the phrases meant absolutely nothing. A word without value need not be said. I find this no less true within the christian community. I hate christian buzzwords. Seriously, "missional"? What the hell? I've always hated "purpose driven" too, not to mention dozens of others. Come on people, use your good words. Pull out that old thesaurus and find words and phrases that actually mean something.

On a side note, I really much prefer the british method of placing punctuation following quotes outside of said quotes. It makes far more sense that way, and ever since I learned that it is an acceptable practice in at least one place in the world, I rarely do otherwise. Thankfully I don't get graded on such trivial matters anymore.

*weeps with relief*

Thank you, dear sweet Jesus! I came home today and plopped down on the computer to find that there was no sound emitting from the speakers. This being a six year old computer, my first thought was that something had up and died. My poor little heart was just about to grab a hobo bindle and make for the door. I turned things on and off, reset the compy, tried playing various things, etc. Nothing. On a last thought, I checked the sounds option in the control panel. Lo and behold, the sound was muted. I then realized that the row of buttons at the top of the keyboard, the ones I never use, contains a button for muting. I don't know how it got hit though, considering that in six years it never once has done so. But boy am I happy to have sound. A computer without sound is too horrific a thought to contemplate. Surf the net in silence? Never!