Monday, January 01, 2007

On New Year's Resolutions and Why You Are Gentle Viewers

First, I have no New Year's Resolutions that are different from any other day, let alone year, so now we can move on as to why you are Gentle Viewers.

Recently a friend mentioned that she wanted to call her Gentle Viewers something and I suggested Gentle Viewers because, well, it's always worked out nicely for me. She said she didn't feel like it would be hers so I assured her Gentle Viewers, like everything I do that is cool, it was stolen.

A quick Google of 'Gentle Viewers' shows me, me again, a comment I left and MANY references to Buffy The Vampire Slayer, but that is not from whence I lifted Gentle Viewers, no.

I stole it from Miss Manners, Judith Martin, and then corrupted it for my own evil purposes.

From the page: "Have you ever wondered what Miss Manners’ famous salutation of "Gentle Reader" actually implies? A writer in the June 1934 issue of The Atlantic Monthly distinguishes the gentle reader from the ordinary one; ironically, it is the gentle reader who has a fierce love for books:

An ordinary reader sits up at night to 'finish' a book. A gentle reader becomes so much a part of his book that he dreads the moment when it will be finished. An ordinary reader would think you mad if you suggested that he read the same book twice. A gentle reader, if he loves a book, loves it more and more on the second, the fifth, or the twentieth reading.


And, Allah so willing, THAT Gentle Viewers is you,

and The Thing of the Moment.

Happy New Year, Gentle Viewers.

(Mary Travers! CALL ME!
*Making the little phone gesture with my hand*)

3 comments:

  1. I'm not sure how gentle I am...but happy new year, nevertheless!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm so honored to be your Gentle Viewer, JKirlin. So honored..

    :)

    ReplyDelete

Jen White