Do You Like Logs?

First of all, thanks to everyone who is reading this blog. I suspect my readership has increased, although you are a quiet mob. Post comments, if you can. It reminds me that people are out there reading my work, and encouraging me to continue. Better yet, subscribe. I don't know what that means, but it sounds exciting.

I love language, particularly English. It always amazes me that a patchwork quilt of grunts and clicks became such a beautiful form of expression. Language can induce laughter or tears. It can be informative or inflammatory. Needless to say, I love language.

Recently, in a effort to garner more readers of this online diary, I asked a co-worker a simple question.

"Do you like blogs?"

She looked back at me quixotically. "What are you talking about?", she asked.

"Blogs", I answered, "Do you like them?"

"Blogs...I thought you said Logs!"

The absurdity of the conversation left us both laughing hysterically at the ill communication. What a stupid question..."Do you like logs?" How would you answer that?

"I guess so, they're big, and heavy and wood."

The event lead me to think about how a simple mis-communication can lead to frivolity, arguments, break-ups, getting fired, etc. We had a good laugh at the expense of old mother language.

Song lyrics are often misunderstood and the results can be devastatingly funny. Last year, at Christmas, my wife and I hauled the kids up to New Jersey to visit the land of Herings. During the final leg of the trip, a familiar Christmas tune came on the radio, one I had known for years as a playful romp.

"What are they saying?", Robin asked. "Are they saying, 'it's time to lick the donkey'?"

The song is titled "Dominic the Donkey" and is a tarantella, a type of traditional Italian folk-song. Since about fourteen Italian people live in Kentucky, the song is not popular down in these parts. But in New Jersey, where almost every last name ends in a vowel, its a Christmas tradition.

The thoughts raced through my head about strange Italian families licking donkeys as part of their holiday celebration. It was too much, and we both laughed long and hard. Now and forevermore, the song is called "Time to Lick the Donkey". At least in my household, that's what it is called.

We've established a new holiday parody.

By the way, I ran on the cross-trainer yesterday. I exorcised for about thirty minutes before callings it quits. Then I went home and had a hearty bowl of pea soup.