I meant I was implying I didn't understand.

Some grammatical clarifications, not that I'm implying that you're ignorantly misusing the Queen's English.

I.e. vs E.g.

• I.e. (Latin, id est = "that is") - The abbreviation is used to express the sentiment "in other words." Usage: We went to a movie (i.e., "Star Wars"). In other words, the movie seen was "Star Wars."
• E.g. (Latin exempli gratia = "for example") - The abbreviation is used to suggest applicable examples. Usage: Let's go to a movie (e.g., "Star Wars"). Here, "Star Wars" is one among many movies you might go see. So, the e.g., could have been "Star Wars," "Jaws," or "Rocky," etc.
  

Sympathize vs. Empathize

• Sympathize - the emotional affinity in which whatever affects one person affects another person
  
• Empathize - the ability to recognize and experientially feel the emotion of another, typically as a result of a prior similar experience (empathy typically encompasses sympathy)

Presume vs. Assume

• Presume - to believe something to be true without proof of non-contradictory evidence (e.g., The defendant is presumed innocent.)
• Assume - often used similarly, but assume means to suppose, postulate, or claim something is true without checking or confirming it

Farther vs. Further

• Farther - refers to physical distance
• Further - refers to an extension of time or degree (It's "furthermore," never "farthermore.")
  

Who? vs. Whom?

• Who - used when referring to the subject
• Whom - used when referring to the object (Use the he/him method to decide which pronoun is correct: He=Who & Him=Whom, for example, "Who kicked whom? He kicked him.") (see my previous post for more)
  

Implying vs. Inferring

• Imply - for the giver of information to suggest indirectly; to put the suggestion into the message
• Infer - for the receiver of information to make a guess or conclusion in light of certain evidence; to take the suggestion out of the message (A speaker can imply, but a listener can only infer.)

Alas vs. Alack

• Alas - used to express sorrow or grief
• Alack - more old school way to say "alas"

Regardless vs. Irregardless

• Regardless - without regard for or despite something
• Irregardless - commonly used the same way, though somewhat nonsensically, since the "ir" should be used for negation rendering the term a double negative meaning "not without regard for/to"
  

Are you trying to say, "capiche"? Well don't do it, 'cause it hurts my ears when you do it.

These aren't so much pet peeves as they are my contentions about how words ought to be pronounced.

1. AGAIN - It should rhyme with "pain," and "rain," like the kind in Spain that stays mainly in the plain. I can only assume we changed this to spite our friends in Canada and/or the UK.
   
2. KANSAS & ARKANSAS - It should either be "Can-Zes" & "Are-Can-Zes" OR "Ken-Saw" & "Are-Ken-Saw." The current inconsistency is unstable.

I don't know if usage has changed and what I'm proposing is how it used to be or if it's always been cagged, but regardless of what you've heard, I'm right on this.

• While on the subject of pronunciation, I find it odd that "Course" and "Horse" and "Hoarse" and "Force" all rhyme.

BONUS: Check out one publisher's Top 40 Pronunciation Pet Peeves.

Give me a word, any word, and I show you that the root of that word is Greek.

For my pastoral colleagues who have given up and/or rusted up where their Greek is concerned, I recommend Keep Your Greek: Strategies for Busy People, by Constantine R. Campbell.

Here's a snippet for the utilitarian:

"Sometimes students ask me whether or not it is good to talk about Greek in their sermons. I usually caution against talking about it unnecessarily, though I think it is fine to do so if your hearers will really benefit. So then the inevitable question is: If Greek doesn't make it into my sermon, then what's the point? To which I will answer: If you think that way, you've missed the point. The usefulness of Greek is not so that you can tell people about what the Greek says in your sermon. The usefulness of Greek is that it will give you understanding of the text, which will shape what you do say in the sermon. It's for your preparation, and it usually remains behind the scenes. Sure, sometimes it might need to come out from behind the curtains, but generally speaking it will do its work unseen by everyone but you. But to you, the Bible teacher, Greek will make a huge difference."

Preview Keep Your Greek here.

"To whom," brother! "To whom," brother! "To whom," brother!

One of the more confused issues of grammar is the "Who" vs. "Whom" usage. "Who" is nominative case, while "whom" is accusative case.

Rule: Use the he/him method to decide which word is correct.

• he = who
• him = whom

Examples:
Who/Whom wrote the letter?
He wrote the letter. Therefore, who is correct.

For who/whom should I vote?
Should I vote for him? Therefore, whom is correct.

We all know who/whom pulled that prank.
This sentence contains two clauses: We all know and who/whom pulled that prank. We are interested in the second clause because it contains the who/whom. He pulled that prank. Therefore, who is correct. (Are you starting to sound like a hooting owl yet?)

We want to know on who/whom the prank was pulled.
This sentence contains two clauses: We want to know and the prank was pulled on who/whom. Again, we are interested in the second clause because it contains the who/whom. The prank was pulled on him. Therefore, whom is correct.

• Source: GrammarBook.com

Please, I'm begging you, have mercy; I've been wearing the same underwear since Tuesday.

Humans quite often misunderstand the concept of "Begging the Question."

People will be talking about a subject and someone will say, "That begs the question ..." and then offer up a related question.

For example: "Whenever a sequel comes out, it always begs the question, 'So is it as good as or better than the first one?'"

In other words, what they mean instead of "That begs the question ..." is "That raises a related question, which probably should be asked & answered."

"Begging the Question" is actually a reasoning fallacy and would be a criticism of what's just been stated. In such a scenario, begging question is really avoiding the/a question; it's NOT asking for the question. Confusing use of terminology, I know.

Begging the question presents a premise as though it's beyond question and uses it in making an argument. As part of the argument, a person uses as fact that which may be unproven or contested in order to prove a point or draw a conclusion.

For example, the guy who gets rejected when asking a girl out for a date is begging the question when he attributes her "No" response to her being stuck up or dumb or a female dog or whatever. Why? Because he's assuming he's a worthwhile individual in whom there is no flaw. So, it can't be something wrong with him. It must be a defect in her. The fact finder would challenge his questionable assumption, namely that he's not a loser.

Another example is all the environmentally friendly things we must do in order to have a planet left for our children and grandchildren. Yet, these assertions beg the question; what's disputed is the effect those things have on the environment. In other words, the question is avoided as to whether or not our fuel exhaust or factories actually affect climate change.

Want another example? Most of the impetus behind gun control laws beg the question. We need to ban all guns so there will be a safer America for our children. What's the question avoided? Do gun bans lead to reduced crime rates? Look at Chicago. Look at Washington, D.C. Look wherever you like. The reality is that studies will show law-abiding citizens bearing arms reduces violent crime rates. But the question is begged in order to get laws passed, etc. [cf. "Strict gun laws are about as effective as strict drug laws... It pains me to say this, but the NRA seems to be right: The cities and states that have the toughest gun laws have the most murder and mayhem." -Mike Royko, Chicago Tribune]

In Christian theology, one indicator of begging the question is when a writer prefaces his premise with "Clearly," as in, "Clearly, X, so then Y." More often than not, X is not really all that clear. In fact, it's probably fiercely debated, else everyone would already be on board with Y.

"Clearly" tries to convince you that everyone already believes it, so you should too, which will enable us to move on to my conclusion.

An example, would be citing John 5:24 and 1 John 5:11-13, to show that a Christian cannot lose his or her salvation and then saying, "Clearly, a Christian cannot lose salvation, so Heb 6:4-6 & John 15:6-7 can't mean that."

Although I agree that a genuinely converted and justified person will not become unsaved, the reasoning is faulty. Someone might just as easily go to Heb 6:4-6 and John 15:6-7 for a bit and then say, "Clearly, a believer can lose his or her salvation, so John 5:24 & 1 John 5:11-13 can't be universally eliminating the possibility."

So, back to terminology ... if a statement raises the question in your mind, say, "That raises the question ..." or "That brings to mind the question ..."

Otherwise, you're actually criticizing the other person's statement, accusing him or her of a logical fallacy and playing dirty, if intentional.

N.B. Begging the question is related to circular reasoning or making a circular argument, but not quite the same. An example would be fossil dating. That fossil is 30 million years old. How do you know? Because we found it in the 30 million year old rock. How do you know that rock is 30 million years old? Because of the dates of the fossils we found there, etc. Another example of circular reasoning would be to say that the reason drugs are illegal is because they are bad. And the reason drugs are bad is because they are illegal.

You ... you complete me.

"We don't go to church; we are the church."

You've heard this before, as have I, many times. I understand the point being attempted, but I have seen such a sentiment espoused by those with a very low view of the church (i.e., the local church).

It's worth noting that the Greek word for "church" (ekklesia) means assembly.

Most know the New Testament was written in Greek, but many don't know that the "Old Testament" used in the days of Jesus was the Septuagint, or LXX, a Greek translation of the Hebrew.

In the Septuagint, which the New Testament quotes, every time you see "assembly" in English in the Old Testament the word was ekklesia in the Greek Septuagint.

Sure, the church is the ekklesia, the "called out ones," but they are called out to be called together. The church is community, not a bunch of individuals armed with their Bibles needing nothing or nobody else.

“If the church is central to God’s purpose as seen in both history and the gospel, it must surely also be central to our lives. How can we take lightly what God takes so seriously? How dare we push to the circumference what God has placed at the center?”
- John Stott

Sadly, I know far too many who consider themselves spiritually mature, yet they have little to no commitment to the gathering of God's people for worship, edification, and encouragement.

It's ironic because they not only are failing in a very fundamental aspect of what it means to be a Christian, but they are also short-circuiting their own spiritual growth by not churching, which would give them a place to serve, worship, learn, encourage, and be encouraged.

In short, they are not being the church and they are thwarting their own sanctification and, therefore, the glory God would get from them if their lives better reflected His character.

Hillary was wrong. It doesn't take a village. It takes a church.

Be the church, of course, but you can't be the church without being with the church.

As the French say, that certain "I don't know what."

I keep on noticing the prevalence of Schadenfreude among my children. Yeah, they were not familiar with the term either. It's a German word referring to taking pleasure in someone else's misfortune. They love to see each other get in trouble or have bad things happen to them, but that's a post on depravity we'll save for another day.

But, for your learning pleasure, I share some other neat terms from the Fatherland, terms that tend to express an idea better than English might.

• An sich - in itself
• Backpfeifengesicht - German compound word for a face that should be hit
• Besserwisser - "better knower," somebody who knows better or best and who does not hesitate to inform the others about it; akin to a "know-it-all"
• Dasein - existence or being there, an entity's potentiality¹
• Doppelgänger - "double goer" - a ghostly double, look-alike, or clone of a person
• Dummkopf - "dummy head"
• Fahrvergnügen - enjoyment derived from driving
• Freispiel - free play or free game
• Gemütlichkeit - connotes the notion of belonging, social acceptance, cheerfulness, the absence of anything hectic and the opportunity to spend quality time
• Gesundheit - health
  
• Heilsgeschichte - salvation history, God's positive saving actions throughout history
• Hinterland - remote area, back country
  
• Kaputt - out of order
• Kitsch - cheap, sentimental, gaudy items of popular culture, trinkets
  
• Schadenfreude - pleasure in someone else's misfortune
• Schweinehund - "pig dog," common term of insult
  
• Sitz im Leben - setting in life, context
• Spielzeug - play thing, toy
  
• Übermensch - overman or superman²
• Verboten - forbidden
  
• Verstehen - understanding
• Wanderlust - a strong need or desire to travel
  
• Weltanschauung - world view
• Wunderbar - wonderful
• Wunderkind - wonder kid, miracle child
• Zeitgeist - spirit of the time

See also nunchi, a Korean word for the innate ability to sense what would be the wrong thing to say in a situation (and presumably the ability to then not say it).

¹ - Dasein was famously examined by Martin Heidegger in Being and Time. It is derived from da-sein, which literally means "being-there/here," though Heidegger was not fond of this translation. Heidegger chose this term as a synonym for "human entity" in order to emphasize the critical importance "being" has for our understanding and interpretation of the world.

² - Übermensch was made famous as a concept by Friedrich Nietzsche, who declared the Übermensch as a goal for humanity, overcoming the herd, in his book Also Sprach Zarathustra.

Well, then I get all excited. I'm like Jojo the idiot circus boy with a pretty new pet.

I'm starting to get really whipped by exclamation point abuse. I share two recent instances.

1. My wife was perusing houses via the miracle of the Internet, not so much because we want to move, but it's sort of her hobby.

In one she sent me I found the following description noteworthy.

THIS HOME HAS ONE OF THE BEST YARDS IN [town]! SO MANY TREES! VIEW OF GOLF COURSE FROM JUST ABOUT EVERY WINDOW IN THE HOUSE! UPDATED POOL WITH A IRON FENCE! ABSOLUTELY BREATH TAKING! IT ALSO HAS AN AWESOME HOUSE ATTACHED TO IT TOO! AND THERE IS A THREE CAR GARAGE! KITCHEN HAS GRANITE COUNTERTOPS! NEW CARPET AND PAINT!

In case you're keeping score, that's eight (8) exclamation points in that terse bit of text. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that's excessive and trying too hard.

2. Today I got a note from school about my kid's "Winter Party," which included a solicitation from the Room Mom for some cag for the party, including milks.

This caught my eye:

"The milk is to be purchased directly from the cafeteria by the parent who wants to donate it just before the party!!"

I thought to myself, "Self, I can understand bolding the text, but is it really an exclamation? If so, does it need two (2) exclamation points?"

Anyway, what's up with that? One should be enough and I've seen three exclamation points, but rarely do you see two.

I have no idea to this day what those 2 Italian ladies were singing about. Truth is, I don't want to know. Some things are best left unsaid.

Every reader of this blog has been exposed to some Latin because the title Semper Reformanda is Latin for "Always Reforming."

It comes in handy at Providence Church because we embrace the "5 solas" of the Reformation: Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Solus Christus, and Soli Deo Gloria (id est, Scripture Alone, Grace Alone, Faith Alone, Christ Alone, to God's Glory Alone).

I never took Latin growing up and had to learn it while at Oxford University as a grad student. I began to compile a list of useful expressions.

So, as a public service announcement, I share with you 2 Latin lists. Mine is primarily concerned with ecclesiastical Latin, or that which refers to the church and theology.

Do you have any helpful Latin that might have been missed?

1. Neatorama's Latin You Should Know:

"Why do you need these Latin phrases? Well, like Latin teachers always say, Latin lives on in plenty of English words and phrases. But mostly, it’s worth learning a bit of Latin because omnia dicta fortiori, si dicta Latina: everything sounds more impressive when said in Latin."

2. Gunny's Latin List:

• A posteriori - from the latter
• A priori - from the former
• Acta non verba - actions, not words
• Ad hominem - to the man
• Ad infinitum - To infinity
• Addendum - thing to be added
• Affidavit - he asserted
• Agenda - Things to be done
• Agnus Dei - Lamb of God
• Alibi - elsewhere
• Alma mater - nourishing mother
• Alter ego - other I
• Amor vincit omnia - Love conquers all
• Anno Domini - In the year of the Lord
• Ante - before
• Ante Bellum - before (the) war
• Ante meridiem (a.m.) - before midday
• Antediluvian - before (the) flood
• Ars gratia artis - art for art's sake
• Ava Maria - Hail, Mary
• Bona fide - In good faith
• Bonum commune - The common good
• Carpe Diem - Sieze the day
• Christus Dominus - Christ the Lord
• Christus Rex - Christ the King
• Circa (ca.) - around
• Coena Domini - The Lord’s Supper
• Cogito ergo sum - I think therefore I am
• Communio - Communion
• Communio sanctorum - Communion of saints
• Confer (cf.) - Bring together, Compare
• Consensus non facit veritatem - Consensus does not make truth
• Consummatum est - It is consummated (finished, completed)
• Contra naturam - Against nature
• Contra mundum - Against the (thinking of the) world
• Cor Unum - One Heart
• Coram Deo - In the presence of God, Before (the face of) God
• Corpus Christi - Body of Christ
• Creatio ex nihilo - Creation out of nothing
• Credenda - Things to be believed
• Credo - I believe
• Cum grano salis - With a grain of salt
• Cum laude - With praise
• Cur Deus Homo - Why God Man (Why God Became Man), book by Anselm
  
• De facto - in fact
• De jure - by law
• Dei verbum - Word of God
• Deo gratias - Thanks be to God
• Deo volente - God willing
• Deus - God
• Deus nihil facit inane - God does nothing in vain
• Dies irae - Day of wrath
• Domine - O Lord
• Dominicae cenae - The Lord’s Supper
• Dominus - Lord, master
• Dominus illuminatio mea - The Lord is my light
• Dominus vobiscum - The Lord be with you
• Donum vitae - Gift of life
• Ductus exemplo - Leadership by example
• Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori - It is always sweet and fitting to die for one's country/fatherland
  
• E pluribus unum - from many (comes) one
• Ecce Homo - behold the man
• Emeritus - veteran, worn out
• Ergo - Therefore
• Errare humanum est - To err is human
• Et alii (et al.) - and others
• Et cetera - and other things
• Et tu, Brute? - and you (too), Brutus?
• Evangelium - Gospel
• Evangelium vitae - Gospel of life
• Ex cathedra - from the chair
• Ex officio - from the office
• Ex opere operato - from the work performed/worked
• Ex post facto - from a thing done afterward
• Exempli gratia (E.g.) - For the sake of an example
• Exsurge Domine - Rise up Lord
• Extra ecclesia nulla salus - Outside of the Church there is no salvation
• Fama habet - Rumor has it
• Fiat - Let it be done
• Fiat lux - Let there be light
• Fiat voluntas tua - Thy will be done
• Fides quaerens intellectum - Faith seeking understanding
• Gloria in excelsis Deo - Glory to God in the highest
• Gloria Patri - Glory be to the Father
• Gratia - Grace
• Hoc est enim corpus meum - This is my body
• Ibidem (ibid.) - In the same place
• Id est (I.e.) - That is
• Imago Dei - Image of God
• In absentia - In (one’s) absence
• In aeternum - In eternity
• In loco parentis - In the place of a parent
• In persona Christi - In the person of Christ
• In toto - In totality
• In vino veritas - in wine there is truth
• Laudate Dominum - Praise the Lord
• Laus Deo - Praise be to God
• Lex rex - The law is king
• Lex talionis - Law of retaliation
• Liberum arbitrium - Free will
• Magna carta - Great Paper
• Magna cum laude - With great praise
• Magnum opus - (A/The) great work
• Mea culpa - My fault, my bad
• Missio Dei - Mission from God
• Modus operandi - Manner of working
• Modus vivendi - Way of living
• Ne plus ultra - no(thing) more beyond
• Nihil ex nihilo fit - Nothing from nothing comes
• Nolo contendere - No contest, I do not wish to contend
• Non Nobis Domine - Not Unto Us, O Lord
• Non sequitur - It does not follow
• Nota bene - Note well
• Omnia vincit amor - Love conquers all
• Onus probandi - The burden of proving
• Opere citato (Op. cit.) - In the work cited
• Opus Dei - Work of God
• Ora pro nobis - Pray for us
• Pacem in terris - Peace on earth
• Pater Noster - Our Father
• Pater peccavi - Father, I have sinned
• Pax Christi - Peace of Christ
• Pax et bonum - Peace and goodness
• Peccatum originale - Original sin
• Per diem - Per day
• Per ipsum - Through him
• Per se - By itself
• Per unitatem vis - from unity (comes) strength
• Perfectus - Complete, finished, perfect, excellent
• Persona non grata - person not pleasing
• Pietas - Piety
• post meridiem (p.m.) - after midday
• Post mortem - After death
• Post partum - After birth (bearing)
• Post scriptum (P.S.) - Written afterwards
• Prima Donna - first lady; egotistical one
• Prima facie - At first sight
• Pro - Before, in front of, on behalf of, in place of
• Pro bono (publico) - For the (public) good
• Pro rata - In proportion
• Pro tempore - For the time being
• Quid pro quo - Something for something (in exchange)
• Redemptionis donum - Gift of redemption
• Redemptor hominis - Redeemer of humankind
• Redemptoris missio - Mission of redemption
• Reductio ad absurdum - Reduction to the (point of the) absurd
• Requiescat in pace (R.I.P.) - Rest in peace
• Rigor mortis - Stiffness of death
• Sacramentum - Sacrament, sign of a sacred thing
• Salvator mundi - Savior of the world
• Sanctus - Holy
• Sapere aude! - Dare to know
• Scripturam ex Scriptura explicandam esse - Scripture is to be explained from Scripture
• Sed contra - But on the contrary
• Semper fidelis - Always faithful
• Semper idem - Always the same
• Semper paratus - Always prepared
• Sic et non - thus and not; yes and no
• Simul iustus et peccator - Being at the same time justified & sinner
• Similtudo Dei - Likeness to God
• sine qua non - without which not, that which is necessary
• Sola fide - Faith alone
• Sola gratia - Grace alone
• Sola Scriptura - Scripture alone
• Soli Deo Gloria - To God alone the glory
• Solus Christus - Christ alone
• Status quo - Situation as it is
• Summum bonum - The highest good
• Textus receptus - The received text
• Ut unum sint - That they may be one
• Veni, Vidi, Vici - I came. I saw. I conquered.
• Verbatim - word for word
• Verbum Dei - Word of God
• Veritas - Truth
• Veto - I forbid.
• Via Crucis - Way of the Cross
• Videlicet (Viz.) - Clearly, evidently, namely
• Vincit veritas - Truth conquers
• Vinculum matrimonii - Bond of matrimony
• Vita - Life
• Vita aeterna - Eternal life
• Viva voce - Live voice (something done orally)
• Volo, non valeo - I am willing, (but) I am not able
• Voluntas - Will (desire)

Won't you gentlemen have a Pepsi?

Though I don't see this blog as my locale for venting, I thought I would share some of my PET PEEVES and solicit some of yours in response.

Communication:

1. Waiting on hold to talk with a company who has waffled and derailed my day.
2. When anyone thinks their "don't remember" might trump my "do remember"
3. When someone insists we just "drop it" (or the ultimate "whatever") the moment a conversation veers into an unwanted direction, particularly when the other person started the whole discussion/argument.
4. Trying to talk over music that is too loud (e.g., in a restaurant or in a car).
5. Hearing profanity in a public place, particularly around my kiddos.
6. Hearing references to deity as exclamations and/or cuss words.
7. Having such a small brain that as soon as I hear someone's name I've just as quickly forgotten it.
8. Wanting to have conversation during the game. I'll pause the TiVo and we can chat, but this is the form of media whereby it transmits and we receive. Conversation should only be limited to the game and be along the lines of, "What in the world was that ref thinking?!" or "C'mon, this is why the game takes so long!" (when we have to change pitchers for each batter).
9. When people announce "I'm not a racist or anything," but then proceed to say something that sounds curiously like they very well might be.
10. Exaggeration or use of extremes & superlatives to describe or make a point. It seems things are either loved by everyone or hated by everybody. The words lose their meaning when used in place of more moderate language.
11. "Close talker."
12. "One-Upper."
13. Going to someone's house and trying to converse over an unwatched television that just has to be on anyway.
14. Greeting another man and receiving a limp-wrist handshake in the process ... creepy!
    

Restrooms:

1. Installing a toilet paper roll so that the tissue unwaps from the under side of the roll.
2. Using the TP down to the last few squares without fetching a new roll.
3. In public restrooms, a tightly wound roll that is nearly impossible to unwind without each individual square becoming detached.
4. Restrooms where the exit requires me touching a door handle, thereby putting me in danger of contracting the AID.
5. Restrooms where they have the hot air hand dryers, thereby ensuring that I will have to wipe my hands on my pants to effectively dry them.
6. Automatic paper towel dispensers that give you just a sheet at a time, requiring me to flail my arms about in an erratic fashion to get more.
7. I'm a high kicker, but with my height it can still be a whippin to have the urninal handle too high. This, of course, can make the kick flush, while necessary, a risky proposition, particularly if the ground is less than dry.
8. The stall door that won't stay shut, requiring one to keep a foot or hand on the door while handling up on one's business.
   

Driving:

1. Taking forever to leave a parking space while others are clearly waiting for it.
2. Slowing down to enter the left turn lane.
3. Driving behind a SUV, van, or panel truck to where I can't see what's going on in front of me.
4. Not signalling, particularly when I'm waiting on the car to pass by on the cross street and then it turns right beside me. If he/she would have signalled, I could have gone.
5. Being asleep at the wheel and not taking a right on red or those who don't know that rule.
6. Being asleep at the wheel and not having the car in gear (standard transmission) to be able to go when the light turns green. I'm pretty confident it will turn green ... eventually. Put the thing in first gear now.
7. Having time consumed merging down to one lane in a construction zone only to see there's STILL no construction in progress.
   
8. Folks that change lanes at the last minute to jockey for position when it means they are now in the lane that could turn right on red, but they prevent a line of us from doing so since they are planning to continue through the intersection.
9. SUVs parked askew so that they ooze over into another spot, thereby rendering it useless except for a motorcycle.
10. Discourteous drivers who advertise affiliation with Jesus through bumper sticker or fish.
    
11. Teenagers who drive grandpa's car so they can park in the handicapped spots.
12. Paying $2.499 for a gallon of gas instead of just paying $2.50.
13. Paying $2.50 (or more) for a gallon of gas.

English Language:

1. Though it has become popular as of late, hearing that something makes one "nauseated" vs. "nauseous."
2. Hearing "incidences" vs. "incidents."
3. Saying, "I could care less" when one really means, "I couldn't care less."
4. In football, they now "defense" (a play) instead of "defend" against it.
5. What's with the pluralizing proper nouns? The popular media loves to talk about the "Bill Gateses and the Troy Aikmans and the George Bushes of the world."
6. The use of "Guys" to refer to a group that either includes or is exclusively female. Everyone nowadays is a guy, even a group of women is addressed as "guys" (even by another woman).
7. Needing to add "-ate" to some words to make them sound more important or whatever (e.g., orientate instead of orient, commentate instead of comment).
8. Wrong use of words that sound alike, but are spelled differently and mean something else (e.g., your/you’re, there/their/they’re, to/too/two, here/hear, principle/principal, past/passed, weather/whether).
9. An overuse or misuse like (e.g., "Like, you’re crazy, man," or "I was like, 'oh, my,' and she was like, 'un huh,' etc.).
10. The misuse of the apostrophe, which is not used with a personal pronoun (e.g., the dog lost its bone, not "it's"). The apostrophe shows possession (e.g., "Harley's bone was lost), but that is not needed with the possessive pronoun. The apostrophe also is used in contractions, being used in place of a letter or letters (e.g., it replaces the "i" when "It is a nice day" becomes "It's a nice day"). It is never to be used to pluralize words (e.g., "orange's" for sale).
11. The way email has somehow enabled us to abandon any and all English language convention, capitalization, spelling, and punctuation are all optional.
    
12. Sticking an extra "s" on words (e.g., "that's besides the point", "in that respects", etc.).
13. The inadequacy of the English language to distinguish between the second person singular versus plural. Fortunately, in Texas we have both "you" and "y'all."
14. That point is "moot," not "mute."
    
15. "Raise" is a transitive verb; it takes a direct object. "Rise" is intransitive. You rise from bed. You raise your glass.
    

Children:

1. When they're loud when you want them to be quiet and quiet when you want them to sound off.
2. Talking up a storm and shutting it down when you give them the phone to talk to Nana.
3. Caring so much about what other kids have.
4. When they have a really good trick, but won't perform on cue.
5. Hearing of their hunger less than 20 minutes after leaving the restaurant and their uneaten, yet paid for, meal.
   

Random Cag:

1. Hangers... how they get all tangled with each other in the closet so that a whole bundle fall to the floor when you just want one.
2. Sitting by the air conditioner or under the fan and then complaining about being cold and shutting off the ac or fan.
3. REALLY needing to get to sleep and not being able, a problem that seems to increase in intensity with the degree of need for rest and with the decrease of amount of sleep I'll be getting.
4. Tossing dirty utensils into the side of the sink where the disposal waits to gobble them up when no one is looking so they can make that unpleasant grinding sound when said disposal is activated.
5. The racket of trying to get everybody wearing bicycle helmets. Somebody's making bundles of money on that unnecessary industry. When I was a kid, we skinned up knees and elbows and whatnot. I'm in the vast minority here, but I think wearing a bike helmet is for sissyies. Even my girls don't wear them.
6. Movie rental places saying that we've seen the end of late fees and then charging me a late fee (relabeled as a restocking fee).
7. Non-conformists who conform together in their non-conformity.
8. When people enter through the exit door(s) and vice versa.
9. Heinously immodest clothing, particularly on those who should have ceased wearing such 50 pounds and/or 20 years ago. Do we really need to see undergarments or your rib or pelvic bones in everyday life?
10. People who are making a longer, rather than shorter, visit to my home who park in the driveway.
It's such a whip to gather up all my cag, make my way to the vehicle, only to realize I have to go back in to inform the driver of my need to use the driveway. Then the person has to find the keys, etc. It's a whippin. Just park in front of the house like the good Lord intended.
11. Reading a book that has endnotes instead of footnotes, which means I'm constantly referring to the back of the book to see if that note is of any benefit/consequence.
12. Having to peel stickers off my books (e.g., price tag, "sale" marker, etc.).
    

Computers:

1. I'm whipped by web pages that require you to change settings, download anything or read a tutorial.
2. Popups or loud music or other cag on web pages with no obvious or convenient way to disable that just annoys and/or delays page loading.
3. Having to restart the computer after making any seemingly insignificant changes.

Ecclesiastical:

1. "Arminians" are those who embrace a theology bearing the name of Jacobus Arminius (i.e., those who are not Calvinists). "Armenians" are people from Armenia.
2. It is the book of Revelation, not RevelationS.
3. Being treated as though I haven't actually studied and been trained to be a pastor/preacher.
4. Folks with their minds so made up that they are incapable of discussion or learning.
5. The inability to disagree with others in Christian love and not be mad at or hate them, that is taking it as a personal offense when disagreed with and/or seemingly criticized.
6. People who seem themselves as the standard of righteousness, particularly when they see the sins they don't struggle with as supreme, but the ones they do as trivial.
7. Seeing any one particular translation of the Bible as so vastly superior to others, particularly with disregard for objective standards of evaluation.
8. The false dichotomies, that is presenting an "either/or" choice when one doesn't need to be made or when both can be chosen (e.g., Christians should either be pro-life or care about the poor; Christians should just go save souls rather than talking about theology, etc.).
9. The straw man argument, that is presenting a false representation of a view with which you don't agree to win support for one's view (e.g., presenting Calvinism as a theology that doesn't believe in missions/evangelism since it adheres to the biblical doctrine of predestination, neglecting to mention the many great evangelists who disprove that theory (e.g., William Carey, George Whitefield, Charles Spurgeon, Jonathan Edwards, John Calvin, etc.)).

Dining:

1. When my food order gets cagged (e.g., contaminating an otherwise unsullied burger with the tomfoolery known as vegetables and condiments, when requested to keep them far away).
2. When someone touches the salt or pepper shaker with really greasy or BBQ fingers.
3. Kids slooging the utensils and such at a buffet.
4. Restaurants that don't provide free reloads on drinks (e.g., White Castle).
5. When some goon takes 4 (or more) of the 8 pieces of the new pizza just out on the buffet.
6. People with fast metabolisms assuming that heavy people are such merely because they eat a great deal.
7. The curse of the male waiter and all his disinterestedness and inattentiveness, both of which scream that he'd much rather be somewhere else since this job is so beneath him.
   
8. Asking for a Coke in a restaurant and hearing, "Is Pepsi okay?" because it's not.