When will we reach the big 30000 posts

[keithgood838]

Hi Marian
Congratulations from me also on your 4600 postings.
William Ivory, the writer of the BBC One's newest
comedy-drama, The Invisibles, is obviously a Matt Monro fan.
Each episode features Warren Clarke's character
stealing away, portable player in hand, to snatch some time
with Matt's marvellous melodies. And each time he is
frustratingly interrupted and denied his musical fix.
We have all been there. The cameos made me wonder
how my fellow Forum members preferred to listen to music.
My indolent modus operandi involves assuming the
horizontal position, MP3 player on the bedside table,
with interruption-busting cordless headphones fully operational.
Do you think fellow Forum members would care to confess
their guilty, music-listening secrets?
Keith

P.S. Marian, the reference to The Invisibles, above, is an example
of where commas are required with titles. Forgive me for not being
more explicit in replying to your query; particularly in view of all
the occasions on which you have rushed to my rescue. A phrase,
or an aside, included in a sentence should be enclosed within commas.






£t

Many thanks Keith.
I guess we keep returning to how we were taught at school, but I now know what I've been including incorrectly and unnecessarily all these years, thanks to you.
Marian

[Marian]

Many thanks Keith, both on my score for postings and the explanation of where the commas come. That's clear now, thanks to you.

I've not watched The Invisibles, but great to hear of Matt's musical involvement, even if he's not heard.
I mainly listen to Matt's CDs while I'm using the computer, but like to listen to
my old vinyl albums when preparing a meal, ironing etc. He helps me forget the monotony of the task.
Marian

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Well, Keith Harry is generally watching television with the sub-titles on, and playing CDs and often taping at the same time. while I'm playing my CD player or listening to a radio programme from a nearby room, while on the PC, we meet at meal times.

[keithgood838]

Hi Marian
Referring to the full stop element of your query; it is
a pitfall for many authors. I hope this manuscript extract
clarifies matters:

ABBREVIATION and CONTRACTION

These are the terrible twins of the textual family,
capable of causing continual confusion and embarrassment.
So let's put a clarifying constraint on the misunderstood
siblings before an ASBO becomes inevitable.
Although not identical their close similarity causes them
to be misidentified:

A contraction ends with the final letter
if spelt out in full, e.g. Mrs - Missus
An abbreviation does not therefore
it takes a full point, e.g. Co. County.

There, simple resolution of long-running socail problem.

Keith


Note. Mrs is a contraction of mistress; however
we have used the colloquial missus to preclude
any marital misunderstanding

[ROBERT M.]

I alway's listen to my CDs through my DVD Home Cinema, superb "surround sound" quality, coming through 5 speakers

[Marian]

Thank you for your interesting explanation of the difference between Abbreviation and Contraction Keith. Were you ever an English teacher?
Marian

[keithgood838]

Hi Marian
Not a teacher of English, rather a lover of it. In roughly
forty years of writing, mostly in verse, the language has
never failed to provide the perfect rhyme or pithy phrase
for which I was groping in the darkness of my ignorance.
It is uncanny. I do not pretend to know all the answers,
however I flatter myself in thinking that I know most of them.
Well, I should do after all this time. So if any other Forum
members have any queries...?
By the way, the rules relating to abbreviation and contraction
do not apply to American English. Thanks for taking such an interest.
God bless
Keith

[keithgood838]

Hi Lena and Harry
You both fully exploit modern entertainment technology.
I envy your expertise. My thoughtful missus bought me
a player of old LPs and singles as a birthday present. I use
it to listen to Matt et al, on a sunny day on the patio, on a
lounger with a book and a beer. Bliss! Not quite Edward Fitzgerald:

'Here with a loaf of bread beneath the bough,
A flask of wine, a book of verse - and thou.'

Certainly not on a miserable, wet bank holiday Monday.
Happy listening,
Keith

[keithgood838]

Hi Robert
Wow!
Yours 'sounds' the ultimate listening pleasure;
that surround sound treasure seems a joy forever.
Keith

[keithgood838]

Hi folks
The Royal Philharmonic Society has commissioned
10 poets to write about listening. Each day a new poem
will be available at www.hearhere.org.uk from today,
26 May. For some unaccountable reason yours truly
wasn't one of the commissionees. Just a joke.
Keith

[ROBERT M.]

Hi Keith.

You get the same surround sound in "modern" cars nowadays, as most cars now have 5 or 6 speakers, positioned around the interior. I know Jeff/Paul likes to listen to music while driving

[keithgood838]

Hi Robert
Compared to you I'm still in the audio dark ages.
My car is a fairly modern Toyota but comprises two
speakers only, one each for the driver and front
passenger. Anyway I tend to listen to radio 2 while
behind the wheel. I must say I like the intimacy
of headphones, and of course they eliminate what
might be noise irritation to other people. However,
the prospect of wallowing in Matt Monro surround sound
'sounds' very appealing.
Happy listening,
Keith

P.S. Well done Hull, who seemed to come from nowhere.
Glorious goal by Windass, not-so-glorious name?

[ROBERT M.]

Yes Keith, Matt does sound glorious coming from 5 speakers

Hull City were only mid table early in the new year, but they put a great run together, jumping to 10th, 8th, 6th, 5th, 3rd, 2nd, then back to 3rd. It was a great goal though by windy-ass

[mariana44]

It looks very much as though we are going to hit 30,000 today---all our guesses were wrong--as it has come sooner than most of us predicted.

[john]

When I went to bed last night we were 19 away, so I was expecting by the time I signed in this morning we would have reached it, but still a few more to go.