Where is my to-do list?

On the blogger dashboard page was a youtube clip of a woman who has compiled a book full of to-do lists. I didn't find it too interesting to be honest, but in my whole avoid-presentation-text-writing routine I clicked the link to view the clip (Note that I am still in the avoidance mode writing this). And I have to say it was interesting! When the clip ended I even decided to watch a related clip of an interview with the writer/compiler for NBC 11, where the interviewer was in all states of exitement because she "wrote one, like, every day!". A to-do list, that is, of course. She didn't strike me as the genial multitasker to be writing a book on the side. Maybe it's good to mention that the compiler/writer not only has the predictable grocery lists, but also some favourite-songs lists and some very telling goals-in-life lists. She even received a list from a woman who wrote down all the good and bad thing about her husband because she was contemplating a divorce. Those are fascinating. If not for the fact that the woman who wrote that last list actually gave it away to be published! Total nut job in my humble opinion.

It made me remember all the to-do lists (or really, just personal notes sometimes in list form) I wrote. From the mundane (groceries, supplies) to the corny (new year's resolutions (never kept them in case you want to know)) and the practical (best way to organise the day, Liverpool-A'dam flight prices) to the wishful (things to do in Australia) and the somewhat deeper (what I want in life). That last one is still on my computer somewhere and resembles diary entries at least. Maybe I'll post one for you once. I vaguely remember a ramble about Chartreux cats. Might be fun :).

But the one I mentioned about Australia (and Sydney in particular) has graced the bottom plank over my desk for the past year. I thought I would scan and send that list to her (the compiler's) website, because she still likes to receive them. So I reached out to grab it...but it wasn't there! Not that it's such a big deal. I usually remember what I want to do that day or whatever anyway (hence my complete lack of diary. You know, the one with the dates and times to organise the day, not the poor-my-heart-out-blank-paged one). I can write the Sydney stuff down again right now. No, what I'm more interested in is where it has gone to? I certainly haven't thrown it away... I doubt my brother finds it interesting enough to even second-glance it. My mum would have NO reason to get rid of it unless she plans to book me a trip to do all those things but let's be honest: there's no way! And our cleaning lady doesn't even spend enough time in my room to clean the floor properly let alone get near my desk area, so I don't see her throwing it away. So where is it? Mystery of the week (-end).

That's it for now. The list-lady's website is todolistblog.com, in case you're interested. She has the clips on there as well. On more thing, a word of caution I forgot in the first post:

Why Phonology makes no sense

Like it says in the subtitle to this blog I don't talk about important worldly issues or try to convince you that "the best way to do something is this:..." or whatever else. Instead what you're probably gonna find here is mindless ramblings from me. I will not bore you about me and my day-to-day going-ons and issues --I don't think I ever will master the art of dayly diary writing. ever. for that matter-- but more of an overall picture of my thoughts on certain subjects. If I haven't bored you out entirely yet, here's an example which will ;) :

Linguistics. One of the obligatory subjects of the English course at Leiden University. Glazed over yet? Me too. Now don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of sounds, accents, dialects and the sort. Have managed to become quite skilled in a couple of them if I may say so myself. It's just, the branch of linguistics that deals with my-so-beloved sounds has gotten ridiculously out of hand. To specify even more: I'm not talking about the 'practical' Phonetics bit. Oh no, that's fine, fun even. No, what I mean is the 'theoretical' Phonology bit.
The reason I have an urge to share this is because this week I had to write my first (yes, third year student, you read correctly) linguistics essay. I choose the topic about 'the' four allophones of /l/. We have to explain the phonological rules of use for these said allophones and defend the use of this symbol 'l' for the phoneme.
All easy enough, but for one word: "phonological". You see, this is different from Phonetics in the way that it talks about sounds on an abstract level. Yeah. Whatever.
They spend the first two years teaching students the "Phonetic" rules of classification of sounds with its own set of terms, and then, in third year, they add a new system of reference that slightly differs from the first. Now we are taught that the lateral approximant (/l/) we all know and love is actually a sound which is phonologically classified as: [+ consonantal, + sonorant, +continuant, + anterior, + coronal, + voice] = [+ lateral] because the /l/ is the only sound in the English language that can be classified as such. And that is also the reason as to why the 'feature' lateral is redundant (there is no [- lateral] in English), so then we go back to the 6-featured classification. Talk about your vicious circle!
This is what I mean. It shouldn't be this ridiculously complicated to talk about sounds! Sounds are wonderful! They flow, they're real, they are the practical way to communicate, and most important of all: they constantly change! So why feel the need to 'classify' them if the way they are classified one minute is sooooo last minute the next.

Yup. Expect these kind of blah-stories from me and you won't be surprised/disappointed ;D
That's all for now. I'll see what I can do about the level of boringness for the next post. About that, I'll try to keep the blabbering up, but when you feel like it's been to long, please post a rant as to why.

PS: To post just click "koala grunts" below