Þorn

Everyone's familiar with those old fashioned signs like 'Ye Olde Pub' or 'Ye Local Tavern.' The thing is, a lot of people are pronouncing it wrong. Because that Y isn't actually a Y, it's the letter Þ. Called Thorn, it gives us the same two sounds as the letters T and H put together. So for instance, instead of spelling it Thorn, it would actually be Þorn. Until about the 14th century, Thorn was a very integral part of the alphabet, since the sounds it makes appear in quite a few words. So what happened?

When France got a hold of the alphabet, they started adding letters that didn't need to be there, and so needed to take out some of the other ones. So they got rid of Thorn. Now, why did it get replaced by the letter Y? Because in traditional writing, the letter's curve was a bit higher up, and a bit straighter, so it looked like the letter Y with an extra line in the middle. Which is why a lot of the Y's on those signs you see look so stylistic. The letter Thorn, when used, actually made words more concise, in that they weren't really words. They were really more like abbreviations.

For instance, the word "The" was þe
And þe word that, was þt
This was þs and they was þy. Much quicker, much easier to write. Unfortunately, if you want to see the letter Thorn still used commonly, you're going to have to move to Iceland.

Updates on Life

Konbanwa, everyone. That's 'Good evening' in Japanese, for those not in the know/too lazy to use Google translate.

It's been a while since I blogged, and now seems like as good a time as any.

So, let's see... what's new?

Well, for the past few months, I've been going to a shitty alternative learning center called Ombudsman. I go from eight in the morning to twelve fifteen in the afternoon. Four hours of sitting on a computer, consuming material, retaining it for a short time, vomiting it up for the test, and repeating the cycle.

My Uncle Richard went on a vacation to the Bahamas for a couple of weeks. We ran a pretty tight ship while he was gone, but apparently not tight enough. He got back at 2 this morning (the day I'm sick, of course,) and says that we have to have the house clean by Friday, or he's not taking my cousin and me to see the Seventh Harry Potter Movie (yes, that necessitated capital letters.)

And I'm sick. Bad sick. I woke up this morning, threw up, went back to bed, got up five minutes later, threw up, went to sleep, woke up at eleven, threw up, got on the computer, watched a webcomic being drawn live, threw up, greeted my uncle when he came home from lunch, threw up, swept the kitchen and the bathroom and stairs, mulched the leaves in our yard, threw up slightly, ate dinner, almost threw up... Yeah. I don't know what the fuck this is, but it's getting worse as the day goes on, believe it or not. I have a feeling my chicken will be making a come back on me...

So, that's my life since the last time I updated. Nothing special.

Guddonaito.

Best Read When Alone (AKA: The Words You Never Wanted to Hear)

All alone, where you can't see

The world that opens

In front of me.

Terrified of being left alone,

No one to turn to

In the place I call home.

Injustice is fatal, or less.

Tolerance lost,

Dead, and faceless.

I want your guidance,

Not your words in my throat.

Why should I be silenced?

Every time I turn around

Some new reproach

To the me I had found.

Now I'm stranded alone,

Unsure of myself,

And of what I've done.

Following my heart

Has just brought more tears

Than there were at the start.

All I ask is your acceptance,

All I get are the bitter words

Which, to me, are meaningless.

~Rena Marie

Update on Life

Hello, everyone. I'm absolutely positively breaking our pattern since Oniichan hasn't decided to post and I really really needed to. So here's the big news that I just wanna shout to open internet space: I'm changing. For the better, I assure you, but I'm just trying to make some small changes in my life. So far it's overly troublesome and makes me hate life, but other than that it's... well, that's it so far. As you haven't been informed, I now have a job. I get my first paycheck this week, so that's always fun. I'm trying to start being healthier. Work is good exercise, so I'm starting to get muscles in my arms. I'm only a cashier, but I have to lift heavy packs of sodas and waters and dog food and whatnot. I'm trying to start meditating for utterly confidential reasons (which have nothing to do with the temper of mine that I'm so proud of). My new good friend Jamie has been very helpful. I haven't had much time to read or draw, and I've been feeling sick constantly for over a week. But work's getting better. I have fewer questions, fewer mistakes, and people are actually talking to me now. Including Katie, who's really nice. She has cool piercings in her ears and plays WOW, which is cool with me. Unfortunately, I'm upset because Quin is mad with me. I told him I'd talk to him after work last night, but I was super tired and I forgot my phone in the car. Now, he won't text me back and I don't know what to do. Well, actually I just found myself to have a text from him, but he's being grouchy. I don't like it when he gets upset with me, and I most definitely don't like fighting with him. I hope things get better. Well, that's all I've got to say today. Enjoy the rant.

Wish me luck,

Rena

On the road?

08/07/10 1:05 PM.

So, I'm writing this entry from the road, with no internet connection (have to post it later). We've just left Kansas City after dropping Alex off with his mom. I'm really gonna miss the company, but I havent cried. Yet. We had a great summer, had lots of fun, and we've already got plans to talk ASAP.

I'm hoping to go south for the summer next year, but we'll have to see. I might be a Studen Ambassador for People to People. *Feels important*. France, Italy, the Vatican, Greece, Rome? I think I might prefer Ponca City.

Yesterday we took Alex on his first motor-cycle ride. He LOVED it. His next great adventure? Well, he's hoping to conquer a roller-coaster. New experiences await. I'm just glad I got to show him some of them.

Nothing much to do on the Interstate, but I'm going to try and entertain myself. I've got some movies here. Plus a cell phone with my boyfriend on speed-dial. No internet, sadly....

Less important than leaving Alex, we're also on our way to a party. My boyfriend Quin's dad is turning 50 today, so they threw him a surprise party. I'm gonna be staying there until Tuesday, then I have orientation for junior year on Wednesday. Oh boy?

Alex starts school this Thursday, and I start a week later.

Not looking forward to the school year, but maybe I can catch some of those forementioned new experiences.

After so long of not posting, I'm glad I did. Good to talk to something.

Well, ciao for now.

Rena

Blog Background

You may have noticed the background of the blog has been changed to Pandas. This was Rina's choice. My choice was making the header lime green. So, it is my second full day here, and I'm bored. There's not much to do in the small town she lives in. Thursday, we're going into one of the nearby towns where I'll get to meet one of her friends. Yay! So, that's all for this post. See you later!

Arguing & Feeling Icky.

I hate. Hate. Hate arguing with Niisan. My temper always kicks in (thank you, Leo-ness) and either he wins because I don't feel like being flexible or he gets super mad at me and I give up so he wins anyways.

You may or may not be wondering what brings this up.

Well, we're kinda-sorta arguing over something in an RP.

I really want to bring in a cute little witch girl, but he doesn't have a character lined up so he wants to use a just-as-cutesy girl.

While I have nothing against the character OR yuri, I really don't want it for this character. He, however, is being very very stubborn.

On more downer topics, I'm pretty sick lately. Fever hovering at around 99.9 and my stomach feels like crap. I've been quite sick a lot lately and I have a doctor's appointment on June 4th, the day after school gets out, to get some tests done and see what's up.

Well, that's all I really have to vent about, I'll try and update you after the doc's.

Ciao y'all. ~Rena.