(under construction)<\/p>\n
Week 1 – Material Week 2 – Custom Week 3 – Dally Week 4 – Tinker<\/p>\n
material.100713.Monday<\/p>\n
\u201cMaterial\u201d is one of those words in English that challenges second language learners. To those whose mother tongue is English, it is also a puzzle in how, at times, to use it properly. \u201cHow material is the subject of healthcare to the government shutdown?\u201d \u201cHow material is drama to her writing?\u201d \u201cThe wrong kind of material weakens the quality of an engine.\u201d In these three sentences, we see material used, but the concept it carries is different in each. We could use two dozen different sentences and the sense of how our word \u201cmaterial\u201d is used would vary. Care must be applied when using this word. Use sense in what material is included!<\/p>\n
material.100813.Tuesday<\/p>\n
\u201cRaw materials\u201d are what we begin with to build homes, offices or highways. This is the primary noun definition of material. A secondary meaning is cloth or other fabric. Data such as ideas, notes, sketches and such that may be worked up or elaborated upon is another substance source to build something. Attorneys use this word as an adjective to describe a certain type of witness that is important to their case, as in \u201che is a material witness.\u201d Many think of material as the object of their actions as to acquiring \u201cmaterial pleasures.\u201d In whatever way we use material, it is important to our daily activities!<\/p>\n
material.100913.Wednesday<\/p>\n
\u201cRock, paper, scissor\u201d we have all heard or used this little game to make choices. The items named are \u2013material\u2013 to playing the game. These materials objects are important to the choices that are made. Also, we see that \u2013material\u2013 is used in another way when it is referring to the elements of a discussion or the subject of a communication. Materials are also necessary if we want to make something like a quilt. Items like cloth, thread, batting and needles are basic to the process of making a quilt. Likewise, sand, gravel, asphalt or concrete are basic materials to be used in building a road. Again, iron, steel, wire and bricks are items used to construct buildings, bridges or monuments. Let\u2019s be selective in the materials we use to make things!<\/p>\n
material.101013.Thursday<\/p>\n
\u201cI have an idea!\u201d \u201cHow much does that truckload of steel rebar weight?\u201d In these two sentences, we see how material is used to express two different concepts. The first sentence expresses the content of a thought or the material substance of reasoning. The second gives us the physical impact of material to be used in a project. Both sentences express the condition or state of how \u201cmaterial\u201d is to be used. Physical material such as, fabric, wood, machine parts or data can be listed as items to be included in something that is to be formed into a new substance. In another vein, things that satisfy our needs for comfort, pleasure or wealth are materials that contribute to our sense of material value!<\/p>\n
material.101113.Friday<\/p>\n
From my childhood, I remember part of a silly poem that gives input to how our word \u2013material\u2013 applies to relationship. It goes something like this \u201csugar and spice and everything nice\u201d is what girls are made of and boys are \u201csnips and snails and puppy dog tails.\u201d As silly as these two phrases might seem, they do give insight into the characteristics of both sexes. To have good relationships, we must have a least a basic understanding of what makes men and women tick. Some people think that \u201cunisex\u201d is how we should understand people. Unfortunately, life is not that simple and without understanding the differences and how each part thinks, it will cause difficulty in the relationships we have. Take time to understand your partner. It will improve your relationship! Return to 2013 Index<\/a><\/p>\n custom.101413.Monday<\/p>\n Seldom do we think of what is \u201ccustom\u201d and what is not. We know about custom made cars, clothes, shoes, etc., but do we think about our general family habits or the fees we pay to travel abroad? All of these ideas are part of custom as collective actions that are accepted. We have social conventions that we do and consent to or affirm as expected actions. Duties that we pay for foreign goods are an expected expense. Uniform practices within a people group become unwritten law. In many ways, custom is part of our daily lives and hence it is part of who we are. So, be aware of your customs!<\/p>\n custom.101513.Tuesday<\/p>\n Our custom on this day is to give definitions. Custom has 6 noun and 2 adjective definitions. Our primary meaning is \u201ca usual practice or habitual way of behaving.\u201d Custom also is \u201cduties or taxes imposed by a government on imported and sometimes exported goods.\u201d We also understand that \u201ccustom made\u201d means made to order. Many times, custom is repeat actions by people that by common consent and long-established practice have taken the force of law. It is wise to know what your habits are. Check your habits for customary practice!<\/p>\n custom.101613.Wednesday<\/p>\n \u201cIt is the custom for a free man to act in a reasonable manner.\u201d In our example, we see custom used in its most usual form as social convention. It is common for word usage to give us signs or indicators of its intended use. This is often necessary because a word will have multiple meanings. The adjectives, adverbs and modifiers will guide us to its proper meaning. By habit, we may sometimes misuse or misunderstand a word. When we correctly observe the signals used with the word, we can properly understand its meaning. There are signposts in the sentence; use them!<\/p>\n custom.101713.Thursday<\/p>\n In many ways, we think of custom as an established way of doing things. This pattern or manner of interacting with others has an impact on many of our daily activities. Peer pressure is one of the signs of that interaction. We will adhere to the customary way something is done because it is acceptable to our peer group. Not doing so will incur negative feedback from our close friends, family and associates. Custom then carries with it much power to influence. Our custom then should be to win friends and influence others in a positive way!<\/p>\n custom.101813.Friday<\/p>\n Observing various people groups, it is interesting to see how they interact and the customs they have in relationships. In western cultures, many relationship customs are similar; however, in Mideast and Eastern people groups, customs and traditions become dominant at times with little tolerance for variation. The expression \u201cWhen in Rome, do as the Romans do\u201d works well. When traveling outside of one\u2019s own region, observing local customs will improve your chances of finding new friends. It is wise to seek counsel from a local advisor!<\/p>\n Return to 2013 Index<\/a><\/p>\n dally.102113.Monday<\/p>\n \u201cPlease don\u2019t dally. We need you here right away.\u201d We have heard these words or used similar thoughts to express concern. \u201cDally\u201d is a simple word, yet it has some subtle meanings. For instance, when you have responsibilities and you find things that interest you and then you delay in carrying out those responsibilities, that can be \u201cto dally\u201d or be slow in action. Again, we see this in the following sentence \u201cThe two of us dallied over our coffee that morning.\u201d Dally here implies a slow and leisurely pace of action. The use of \u201cdally\u201d can be positive or negative depending upon its use. If quick action is needed, don\u2019t dally!<\/p>\n dally.102213.Tuesday<\/p>\n Dally has three basic meanings. 1. to flirt or play at love, 2. To deal lightly or carelessly with someone or something, 3. To waste time or loiter. This is an action verb and we will find several synonyms with like meanings. Words like dillydally, hesitate, tarry, dabble or trifle will quickly come to mind. We have seen children that \u201cdally\u201d over their homework. They will waste time playing instead of doing homework. To dally is to deal carelessly with one\u2019s responsibility. Nike\u2019s ad \u201cJust Do It!\u201d is good advice!<\/p>\n dally.102313.Wednesday<\/p>\n A way or sense in which dally can be used is to think about something as in: \u201ctoy with\u201d and idea. The use of dally in this manner is to deal lightly or carelessly with some proposed action. With this thought, we see some signs. These words could describe that thought: dawdle, idle, putter or dabble with. These sign words give the sense of moving slowly to do something or decide something. There is even a hint of a lack of seriousness in the need to make a decision or take an action, as in \u201che \u2018toyed\u2019 with the notion of moving to South America.\u201d Dally has an element of indecisiveness in its meaning. Don\u2019t dally, go for it!<\/p>\n dally.102413.Thursday<\/p>\n \u201cDally \u2018round the flagpole, boys!\u201d Oops! That should be \u201crally \u2018round the flagpole, boys!\u201d However, those two expressions do reflect distinct differences in impact. \u201cTo dally\u201d gives us the indication of shallowness of action, where \u201cTo rally\u201d means a pulling together or bonding together to accomplish a purpose. Dally means intent to loiter or waste time without a clear intent or call to action. There is even a sense of teasing to the meaning of dally or even to flirt with. In this sense to toy with or flirt with lacks any kind of serious intent. Dally with your decisions and you will flirt with disaster!<\/p>\n dally.102513.Friday<\/p>\n The chemistry of a good relationship does not include the ingredient of \u201ctoo dally\u201d except in the sense of occasional flirting. Like any chemical ingredient, there is balance for the things that go into any relationship. The primary meaning of dally is to flirt or play at love. Flirting can be a good component, but if it is overdone, it can be a source of weakness in the interaction of relationship partners. As the saying goes \u201ca little goes a long way.\u201d As in any formula, the ingredients require proper proportions and added at the right time. Dally a little, but not for long and your relationships will last!<\/p>\n Return to 2013 Index<\/a><\/p>\n tinker.102813.Monday<\/p>\n Many of us when we see the word \u201ctinker\u201d think of a person who putters around with machines or other apparatus or appliances to make them work. However, this word means a lot more than just an aimless fussing around. It can also be used as a name for a fish, someone who is unskillful, a dabbler. For those of Scottish or Irish background, it brings to mind a gypsy-like person who is forever on the move. The sense we get from tinker is someone or something that lacks focus. Don\u2019t tinker with it if it is working right!<\/p>\n tinker.102913.Tuesday<\/p>\n In recent weeks, we have seen our Washington politicians struggle with debt and healthcare policies. One might say, \u201cThey have been tinkering with the economy to find a suitable fiscal policy.\u201d Tinker is both a noun and a verb depending upon its use. With five noun and four verb definitions, pinning down the exact meaning can be a challenge. A person who makes minor repairs to pots, pans and appliances is one meaning. Another is a clumsy or unskillful worker, a bungler. This latter meaning is closer to what our example statement means and is probably closer to the verb form \u201cto putter aimlessly or uselessly.\u201d We are in deep trouble when politicians try to tinker with and patch up our economy!<\/p>\n tinker.103013.Wednesday<\/p>\n \u201cTinker, Taylor, Soldier, Spy\u201d is the name of a recent highly acclaimed espionage movie. An old spy is forced out of retirement to find an inside leak within the British intelligence organization. Because of his past experience and varied background, he is asked by MI6 to find the mole who has \u201ctinkered\u201d with the organization\u2019s security system. The movie moves through several stages but eventually turns up the mole. Within this movie we can see the complexity and signs of tinker and some of its meanings. This word has diverse uses from the \u201cJack-of-all-trades\u201d to one who can \u201cpatch-up\u201d an organization that needed repairs. Look for those signs of aimless tinkering!<\/p>\n tinker.103113.Thursday<\/p>\n The usual sense most often associated with tinker is to fuss or putter with something. Not often do we think about the impact of this kind of activity. In the frontier days, a tinkerer was a very useful person. He would travel around an area looking for work doing odd jobs as a \u201cJack-of-all-trades\u201d to those who needed his skills. He performed a needed service during our country\u2019s westward expansion. Today, the tinker\u2019s skills are rarely needed in our present \u201cdisposable\u201d modern community. It is easier and cheaper to junk it and buy a new item rather than tinker with it to get it to work. Today, to tinker is senseless since it is easier to go to Walmart and buy it new!<\/p>\n tinker.110113.Friday<\/p>\n A common admonition of today is \u201cif it isn\u2019t broken don\u2019t fix it.\u201d That advice can also be taken for any relationship as in \u201cdon\u2019t tinker with it.\u201d There is a proper way to mend a broken relationship. It is called dialogue. Talk about relationship problems until you come to a common agreement as to what the issue is and search for appropriate solutions. To tinker with a relationship means to wander aimlessly around sticky issues without a serious intent to resolve them. Don\u2019t just tinker; focus on real issues!<\/p>\n Return to 2013 Index<\/a><\/p>\n Go to Alpha Index<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" (under construction) Week 1 – Material Week 2 – Custom Week 3 – Dally Week 4 – Tinker material.100713.Monday \u201cMaterial\u201d is one of those words in English that challenges second language learners. To those whose mother tongue is English, it … Continue reading
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