the view from here

Spring Fever 2010

Every year I come down with a case of Spring Fever -- it's like the flu, but without the aches, pains, respiratoy distress and malaise. So it's not like the flu. However, when I see these snowdrops making the tentative announcement of spring, I am just beside myself with excitement. 

A walk around the Arnold Arboretum indicates that spring really is on the way. These witch hazel blossoms attest to that. 

Red witch hazel blossoms' scent reminded me of a smell of a newly opened deck of playing cards. 

Winter was long, as it always is. Here in Boston, we seem to have gotten off with a less-than-severe winter. It lingered more than anything. But soon Spring will be here with its boughs bending from the weight of blossoms. I just have to sit tight and enjoy the parade.

Saying Goodbye to the R-word

I'm not sad to see the word "RETARD" go. It's never had acceptance in polite conversation and I'm glad that Down Syndrome advocates are making themselves heard. That being said, I'm not here to discuss political correctness or anything resembling moral rectitude. Others more learned and more accomplished than myself are doing just that.

But what about RETARD's confreres: IDIOT, IMBECILE, and MORON? These words are synonymous to RETARD in that they describe different levels in a defunct classification system of mental retardation. Surely, these words, though not as popular in usage, are just as hurtful in meaning? I suspect IMBECILE, along with CRETIN will be with us for some time -- these words aren't perceived as insulting, they're just French.

With the shelving of RETARD, we as a society will still need words to describe the STUPID among us, even as we refer to ourselves. Fortunately, English has a wealth of words to describe these poor UNWITTING offenders. Look at it this way, we're not losing RETARD. OK, we are. But by abandoning its use, we can embrace the panoply of words that more accurately capture the INANITY of daily life. The clerk who gave you the wrong change at the convenience store is a DOLT. The driver who cut you off in traffic is a KNUCKLEHEAD. The next time you're in line at the DMV you can fume about having to waste your time surrounded by CHURLS and OAFS. When you run out of gas on your way to a job interview, just rest your head on the steering wheel and say, "God, I'm such a BLOCKHEAD." 

Look, any NIMROD can launch the R-word as an insult. You just have to be thoughtless and cruel. And a little immature. It's time to stop using the R-word already. Don't be such a NUMBSKULL.