Category Archives: English language

My eyes, my eyes!

Posted on November 8, 2008 by Cath@VWXYNot?

Call the grammar police! A potentially very awesome email just got ruined for me. Let’s dissect this marketing FAIL! Subject: “Whistler: over 40cm of new snow and more on the way” So far so good. I am interested to learn … Continue reading →

Posted in English language, rants, silliness, snow | 12 Comments

Self preservation or paranoia? You decide…

Posted on October 23, 2008 by Cath@VWXYNot?

(Long Post Warning). Here’s the text of an email I sent to a brand new (and very bright) graduate student recently. The student had asked me to “have a quick look at” a one page proposal for a small internal … Continue reading →

Posted in career, English language, grant wrangling, science | 14 Comments

Divided by a common language

Posted on May 8, 2008 by Cath@VWXYNot?

During my six years in Canada, I have had the pleasure of sending many forms, documents and letters, not to mention lots of hard-earned cash, to the following address: Consulate General of CanadaImmigration Regional Program Centre3000 HSBC CenterBuffalo, New York … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, English language, grant wrangling | 25 Comments

Random bullets of lazy posting

Posted on May 6, 2008 by Cath@VWXYNot?

I have discovered a new diet. It is called the Don’t Bring Any Food To Work, Forget Your Wallet, And Don’t Have Time To Find Someone Who Can Lend You Any Lunch Money Diet. 100% success guaranteed. May cause stomach … Continue reading →

Posted in drunkenness, English language, furry friends, grant wrangling, personal | 7 Comments

Quiet week

Posted on April 29, 2008 by Cath@VWXYNot?

Not feeling very bloggy, so just a quick question: When did people stop speaking about things, and start speaking to them? As in, “if you could just speak to the funding situation…”

Posted in English language | 9 Comments

Not hardly that one, Volkswagen XY NOT

Posted on March 28, 2008 by Cath@VWXYNot?

Here is a serial translation of my “About Me” text, brought to you by Lost in Translation via Brian Clegg at Popsci on the Nature Network. This version dragged the text on a tour of Europe, translating it into French, … Continue reading →

Posted in English language, meta, silliness | 10 Comments

The BBC strikes again

Posted on March 20, 2008 by Cath@VWXYNot?

Here’s an excerpt from one of yesterday’s football match reports: Stand-in skipper Cristiano Ronaldo was in brilliant form, shooting home from a corner before striking a sensational free-kick that moved through the air. Erm, OK. I admit that a free-kick … Continue reading →

Posted in English language, personal, sport, videos | 3 Comments

Continued silliness, and a limerick competition!

Posted on March 4, 2008 by Cath@VWXYNot?

I’m more often silly than not, And some of the feedback I got,Said to keep being ditzy –It seems that it fits me –So VWXYNot? Don’t worry, there will continue to be an interspersing of silliness amongst my more sensible … Continue reading →

Posted in competition, English language, limericks, silliness | 7 Comments

Signs of stress

Posted on March 1, 2008 by Cath@VWXYNot?

Oof! I’m glad that’s over. My thoughts on the great Canadian research funding conspiracy are on my other blog. Here are some signs my brain was over-worked this week: – I wrote dodgy limericks – I made up new words … Continue reading →

Posted in career, English language, grant wrangling, meta, personal, silliness | 8 Comments

Random bullets of questions

Posted on January 28, 2008 by Cath@VWXYNot?

Why does it so often happen that, after hearing a new word for the first time, I hear it again (and sometimes again and again) within the next few days? This week’s example: fiduciary. Heard twice from two completely different … Continue reading →

Posted in English language, personal, silliness | 6 Comments