at a loss for words

Apparently that was the case concerning the most recent installment to the Oxford English Dictionary. As many of you probably know, last Thursday several Internet abbreviations made their way into the Dictionary. Among the additions are OMG, LOL, IMHO, LMAO, TMI, BFF WAG and FYI. Slang and other figures of speech were also included, such as Muffin Top, La-La Land, Dot-Bomb, Couch Surfing, and the unspoken Five-Second Rule. Not to mention the inclusion of the <3 heart symbol.

Although I understand that these "terms" are a sign of the times, I think that these updates are quite possibly some of the most ridiculous that I've ever heard (and even some that I haven't heard before..ie: WAG). I'm embarrassed that these non-words and text lingo are the profound additions that our generation has to offer to the world of vocabulary.

In high school, my senior English teacher had to come up with a policy against what she referred to as "text speak" because she would receive papers that were laden with incorrect spelling and word usage typical of text messages. The sad thing is that the students who were guilty of the infraction had become so accustomed to their informal way of communicating that they were increasingly unable to retrain their brain in order to communicate effectively and formally. Communication is a basic component of human life and if we lose the ability to communicate adequately with others we are losing something far more essential to life than we realize.

The complete list of revisions and additions is available here.

is ignorance bliss?

Recently, 1,000 Americans took the U.S. Citizenship Test provided by NEWSWEEK. 38% of those 1,000 Americans failed the test. This staggering percentage raises valid concerns for the future state of the country. According to the NEWSWEEK article which compiled the test results, "29 percent couldn’t name the vice president, seventy-three percent couldn’t correctly say why we fought the Cold War, forty-four percent were unable to define the Bill of Rights, and 6 percent couldn’t even circle Independence Day on a calendar." Although this ignorance and lack of interest in civic affairs has been increasingly apparent for centuries, it's argued that the current, rapidly changing times cause this "civic ignorance" to present serious problems for future generations.

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I feel that this lack of concern and utter disregard is inexcusable. Under certain circumstances, the vice president may serve in the president's place and yet 29% of the 1,000 Americans who took the test don't even know his name. For the 6% who didn't know the date of Independence Day, it's sad to think that people celebrate a holiday without even knowing the reasoning behind it. The date honoring the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and our resulting independence from Great Britain has become overshadowed by cookouts and fireworks and people seem to lose sight of the purpose behind the celebration.

Although, with the changing times, priorities too, have shifted. We tend to place a greater emphasis on unimportant and useless information. Celebrities have become household names, yet we struggle to identify our country's leaders. We go to a party and know whose birthday it is, yet we celebrate the Fourth of July without understanding why and without the acknowledgment of the birth of our nation as we know it. We only take the time to care about the things that seem to directly affect us.

However, whether or not we choose to realize it, everything that is happening around us affects us in some way or another, whether directly or indirectly. History is being made every day and it's important to be aware of the past, as well as the present, because history does repeat itself and it will affect our future.

how much is too much?

Life is really simple, but men insist on making it complicated-Confucius

In today's materialistic times, many overindulge in unnecessary purchases while others struggle just to survive day-to-day. I'm talking about those who only have "stuff" for the sole purpose of having it and those who try to keep up appearances and end up living beyond their means. A perfect example of this idea comes from the TLC television show, Hoarding: Buried Alive. Admittedly, the circumstances and living conditions seen on the show certainly aren't typical, and there are usually deeper rooted issues behind the compulsive behavior.

The reasoning behind their excess and the need they feel to hold onto their belongings at all costs is irrational and illogical because they have so much "stuff" that it's impossible for them to even get to it all. Often, years have gone by and they haven't been able to make use of their possessions, proving that they obviously didn't need to hold onto them in the first place if they've been able to get along without them for all of this time.

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Personally, in my home we learned as kids the importance of minimalization when it came to material objects. For example, for each new item purchased, we would donate an existing item. To read about minimalization and the benefits of living simply, you can check out this article.