"Tom Sherman" <sunsetss0003@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:fkmvfk$6b1$1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Edward Dolan wrote:
>> "JimmyMac" <jimmymac_4@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
>>
news:527075d8-ed7c-4539-bba8-c21685e97687@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>> On Dec 21, 6:00 pm, "Edward Dolan" <edo...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> [...]
>>>> Ed Dolan continues to think that Jim McNamara is not at all a bad
>>>> writer,
>>>> but he needs to guard against his tendency to profligacy. That is
fine
>>>> with
>>>> some other forums, but not Usenet.
>>> PROFLIGACY??? ... The trait of spending extravagantly or dissolute
>>> indulgence in sensual pleasure??? Not sure which I am being accused
>>> since neither seem to describe my lifestyle.
>>
>> You use 3 or 4 words (adjectives) where 1 or 2 would suffice. I am
>> somewhat prolix too. Tom Sherman has got it about right. I continue to
be
>> amazed at how a mere engineer can write such good English....
>
> Well, I write engineering re****ts for a living.
Yes, I think that is the only way to ever become a good writer - to write
what others are going to read. I have read fine literature for most of my
life but that will not make you a good writer. You have to write - period!
The more you do it, the better you get.
A good small liberal arts college will require you to write original
compositions every day. But I am a product of a large state university
(University of Minnesota) which only required that you know how to take
multiple choice tests upon which you are evaluated and graded. I have
often
thought that most teachers are too lazy to ever want to read student
compositions as it is very hard work to do that.
I like to watch the city and county government meetings on the local TV
and
I am always impressed by how smart the engineers are. They are the only
ones
who seem to know anything. They have reams of re****ts and papers to
present
and they also know how to talk intelligently about whatever is under
discussion.
Mr. Sherman seldom makes any mistakes in his messages and the very few
mistakes that he does make are the kind that only literature snobs like me
would ever notice. Mostly, these newsgroups are made up of total slobs who
do not care what their messages look like. This is a big mistake as you
are
judged by how you appear, whether in person or in writing.
Mr. Sherman is the best writer I have ever encountered on these cycling
newsgroups. He is not as inspired and as original as some others, but he
is
uncannily correct. Correctness counts for a lot with me, but it is not
everything. I appreciate anyone who writes honestly from the heart.
I will make allowances for folks that I think are working class. After
all,
they have enough problems in life without trying to compete with
dilettantes
like me. But if I think you are educated and are still behaving like a
slob,
then I will take you to task. You will be expected to live up to your
education.
Regards,
Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota
aka
Saint Edward the Great - Order of the Perpetual Sorrows - Minnesota
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