(no subject)

[lizzybennet]

I have a shameful secret to admit.

My professors often make this remark on my essays: "You're using passive voice". Passive voice. I get dinged for it all the time.

I assumed that it meant I was too wishy-washy in my statements. Too "passive". For example, instead of saying "I think sometimes he probably...." I should say more firmly "I know that he..." So, that's what I started doing. Making bold, firm statements.

Still getting passive voice comments on my paper.

I finally googled "Passive voice".

Oh....I've had it all wrong. No wonder! This is something I can easily fix. I feel extremely silly for not having realized this much, much sooner. What will my dad say! (btw, Chris thought this whole turn of events was hilarious and has been making passive voice jokes all weekend. We're a couple of dorks, lol)

In other news, there really isn't any other news. Life has been plodding along pretty uneventfully.

I finished reading "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" We rented and watched "Blade Runner" last night, too. I really enjoyed the book. The movie, not so much. It always amazes me when a book is so slaughtered in movie form. Why? It seems so senseless.

Harry Potter fans, check this out. I'l be anxious to hear what you think! Personally, I'm pretty surprised. I personally never speculated about Dumbledore's sexuality.

Comments

[jediwonderboy.livejournal.com]

Ahhh... passive voice. The bane of many a college term paper.

Well, since I spent 75% of my college career eradicating passive voice (English degree), feel free to throw anything my way that you'd like decimated... er... PROOFREAD to get rid of that pesky problem.

When you write just think that what you're writing needs to be "doing", and not things that have been "done", hence passive voice, showing particulars in the past.

[jediwonderboy.livejournal.com]

>>has been making passive voice jokes all weekend. We're a couple of dorks, lol)


I have actually DONE this... only a select few people truly appreciate comedy genius like that. ;-)

[mysteena.livejournal.com]

lol!

[mysteena.livejournal.com]

I will take you up on your generous offer! I've been reading back over my current paper (comparing the War of the Worlds with British Imperialism) and it is riddled with passive voice. Whoops. The paper is due on Friday, so should be able to fix passive problems in time :)

[julieo.livejournal.com]

dude, you make me smile. :) i love it.

i was surprised about the dumbledore thing too. but, i should probably read the article before i give an actual opinion. :)

[mysteena.livejournal.com]

I've been thinking about it a lot this morning (can we say "no life"...) and I've decided I don't mind so much. She didn't work it into the books, which is as it should be since they are for kids. If she wants to use her position as a powerful and well respected author to advocate for gay equality, that's her prerogative. Still, it was quite a shock, wasn't it?

[texastea.livejournal.com]

Well, I had to Google it, too. Thanks for the new obsession! RE Dumbledore; it annoys me, but that's about it. I guess in the grand scheme of things, there are much bigger deals for me to get het up over.

[mysteena.livejournal.com]

Yeah, we have more important things to think about than a fictional wizard's sexuality. Thanks for putting it into perspective :)

[hopeness.livejournal.com]

Someone on my friends' list (who happens to be gay) said he felt it was utter BS and I have to agree with him. "Outing" a character after the fact? She must know that the majority of the fanfic written about HP is slash. She's just using her books to show her support of homosexuality, and it's kinda cheap.

[mysteena.livejournal.com]

I agree with you. I think she was right not to put it in the books, since they are kids' books and sexuality really hasn't had any place in them. But after the fact, to just announce it like that out of the blue? It just seems, like you say, cheap.

[themenow.livejournal.com]

Agreed. Kind of like, "um...was that really called for?" Seriously, has anyone truly actually thought about Dumbledore's sexuality? I didn't.

[texastea.livejournal.com]

Yes, and now I feel creepy thinking about him being sexual at all. It's like thinking about Mr. and Mrs. Santa doin' it.