Oxford Is Losing It

"Mmmm...Sacrilicious..."

This quote is from the episode "Homer Loves Flanders," this instance coming after Homer prays to receive tickets to a football game. In response to his prayer, Ned Flanders comes offering him a ticket, to which Homer turns around and yells, "Oh Lord, why do you mock me?" To which Marge replies, "Homer, that's not God, it's a waffle Bart threw up there." One of my favorite quotes that slips into my everyday vernacular.

So, the reason this quote gets attention is once again from my school career. This time, it was definitely a concerted attempt to quote the Simpsons by my Music 201 professor. We were discussing Shakespeare. And I know, the first thing that comes to your mind when I say Shakespeare is the Simpsons, right? Let me explain. Dr. Howard, my Australian professor, said that Shakespeare added an estimated 1500 words to the English language. The only other person to come close, he said, is Matt Groening, creator of the Simpsons. He went on to say that words like "D'oh," "Cromulent," and "Craptacular" were added to the dictionary thanks to Mr. Groening. He then said that "Sacrilicious" is one that made it in there as well.

Now, as you all guessed, I was sitting there knowing exactly what he was talking about and laughing myself silly with it. But, when he said "sacrilicious," I was taken by suprise. I've never heard anyone but me say that word outside of the Simpsons universe. But apparently, other people are freaks like me. No big point, it's just nice to know that there are other freaks like me out there...somewhere...


P.S. 1,000,000 bonus points to anyone who can tell me what the definition of "kwyjibo" is.

Literature Never Dies

"Shut up, Updike!"

This quote comes from Krusty the Klown after John Updike laughs at him. This after John Updike wrote most of Krusty's "auto"biography. It's not everyday that a fictional clown can make fun of a writer like John Updike.

The reason for this quote comes again from my academic pursuits. As a part of a humanities class I'm enrolled in, I must research a figure from our class discussions and find out what people thought of him or her in his or her day and also today (think Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, but with less leg warmers and phonebooths, and more internet research and audible "whoa"s from me). I decided on Geoffrey Chaucer, author of the very famous "Canterbury Tales." And he's a writer. Like Updike. It works, ok?

While researching this, I stumbled across this interesting entry: "Geoffrey Chaucer Hath a Blog." That's interesting, mostly because I didn't know guys who have been dead for 600 years could have access to the internet. Apparently the after-life has better internet service than Qwest. And, after reading a few entries, it seems our man Geoff has an affinity for the city of Las Vegas. You know, those dead poets are always looking for a good time.

So, if Geoff and I can have blogs, who's to say everyone shouldn't have one? I mean, really! Geoff actually writes in Old English, which is difficult enough to read anyway.