All I Want for Christmas Is the Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition, in 20 Volumes (Blue Leather, Please)
Let's hear it for subtlety! Hurrah!
That picture alone is worth framing. In fact, I just might see if I can get a good enough print to have it framed at one of the stores in which I work. I could hang it in my house to serve as a source of inspiration, a holy relic, a household god, a totem...
You may have heard the question asked, "If you were stranded on a desert island, what book would you most want to bring?" George Bernard Shaw offered the best answer I have ever heard: a blank one, so he could fill it with writing. I would answer similarly, were it not for the fact that I presume I already have blank paper if I also have an instrument with which to write. Therefore, the book I would bring would have to be, without a moment's hesitation, The Oxford English Dictionary, the Ruler of all dictionaries. I shan't belabor the point with a litany of the OED's superiority and its place in history as one of the Academic Wonders of the World. I've done that once or twice. If you need to look up a word, next time consult the OED at your local public library or institution of higher learning. You'll see what I mean.
The CD-ROM I mentioned a few days ago is actually a DVD-ROM. What is this DVD-ROM collection I desire? It is The Complete New Yorker: over 4,000 issues in their entirety for a retail price of $100. I just keep finding things to buy...
Today is my long-awaited day off, and although I planned to write about some movies for this update, I've decided to sign off for now and resume this Web-logging tomfoolery at a later date. The time is now almost 2:00 p.m. and I just remembered I need to eat breakfast or lunch or a combination of meals. Ta'ra.
I'll keep posting if you keep reading. Be seeing you... :-?
