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| James “Kimo” Rosen is a retired professional photographer living in Kapa'a with his best friend Obama Da Dog, Rosen also blogs as a hobby... This blog appeared as my column "Kimo's world" in the 01-13-14 edition of the Kaua'i garden island news; http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/guest/channeling-andy-rooney/article_7e47aabc-7c12-11e3-a686-0019bb2963f4.html |
Channeling Andy Rooney
Andy Rooney the former 60 minutes commentator who always had the last word on the show is my hero and mentor. He was my favorite writer, columnist and satirist of all time. I used to watch the CBS show, "60 minutes" religiously only for the last 3 minutes with Andy Rooney. He was off the wall, always had a point, and always made me laugh. I miss Andy Rooney.
If I could have spoken with him, I might had started my conversation with his famous refrain,"Did you ever wonder." Did you ever wonder why you are actually talking to me?
Andy Rooney was the reason I watched "60 minutes." Most of the shows anchor's are well advanced senior citizens and without Rooney the show has pretty much sealed it's fate.
Rooney was blogging before blogging was even a word, or people knew what blogging was. I call Rooney the original blogger, the guy who blogged before it became a word. Mr. Rooney had the best job in the world.
If Mr. Rooney could write an essay from beyond it might begin;"Did you ever wonder why they say people "pass away?" What have they passed, footballs, baseballs or maybe just a little gas?
I am currently reading a book of essays I purchased at the Kapa'a library's annual book sale by Andy Rooney. The book is titled,"Uncommon Sense" and only cost me fifty cents. I am hoping to channel Andy Rooney with my own thoughts and words on the usage of the word zero. Here goes;
"Did you ever wonder why" sports commentators always announce the score as 14-Oh, instead of 14-zero?. I was always taught as a child that 'Oh' is a letter not a number. When talking numbers one should use zero, not Oh.
I had a hard time explaining this to my students in Japan when I was teaching English as a second language back in the day. The students always wanted to say Oh, in lieu of zero? They watch American movies, sports and TV and often hear Oh used to represent zero.
It's never the other way around, nobody ever says, zero boy, or Zero man, it's always Oh boy, or Oh man.
Oh is oh, and zero is zero. With that said, others insist on saying the score is 35-zip. Zip seems better than Oh, just because Zip begins with a Z, just like zero.
Many will call the score 35- nothing. I still like nothing better than Oh, but not as much as zip when representing zero.
Zero is one of the few words in the English language that begin with Z. The only letter with less words are words beginning with X. My pocket dictionary show only six pages for the heading" XYZ." Why are there so few words beginning with X,Y, and Z?
Whether it's nothing, zip, or oh, zero is what I was taught to use in elementary school. The teachers drilled me that Oh was not a number and when I would accidentally say Oh instead of zero I was made to stand in the corner.
Thinking back on that teacher she was a big zero , a big zip, a big nothing, or should I say in spite of it all a big Oh?
Did you ever wonder why they say rest in peace? We miss you Andy, RIP.
James “Kimo” Rosen is a retired professional photographer living in Kapa'a with his best friend Obama Da Dog, Rosen also blogs as a hobby; http://www.dakinetalk.blogspot.com/
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/guest/channeling-andy-rooney/article_7e47aabc-7c12-11e3-a686-0019bb2963f4.html
P.S.
How you can open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew. This is worth the 50 seconds to watch!
http://www.mirabeauwine.com/how-to-open-a-bottle-of-wine-without-a-corkscrew/
Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared from Facebook...
26 comments:
"I write you from chilly northern Virginia, and ‘Iokepa were immensely entertained by your memorializing Andy Rooney (we both were enormous fans as well). The words, rhythm, syntax are remarkably on the money – but oh my…where is the voice, the intonation, the face?! Thanks for sending it and warming our day."
Inette
Yeah, I liked Rooney too. I read your article before...from your blog maybe?
"Nice work, Kimo!"
via email,"I LOVE it!! I use zero."
via email,"I LOVE it!!! I use zero also as my mother insisted on proper usage of English words where possible. As younger users of what could be considered the slaughter of the Queen's English by we Colonists, we spoke da kine, slang, bad English, and drove her crazy! Loved it and am sure she felt we were all destined to grow up zeros. Shalom my Friend." :-)
Via email,"Terrific!"
You know I'm a fan of your work but I thought this one could have been less repetitive.... You go though, Kimo! I always look forward to your articles
You know I'm a fan of your work but I thought this one could have been less repetitive.... You go though, Kimo! I always look forward to your articles
I love it James. Kudo's. . When I read it, the voice WAS I my head. So, I heard your thoughts. . PS too bad I can't foresee your future as well. I can reveal you will be filled with sunshine.
24 minutes ago via mobile · Unlike · 1
Mahalo Wynne, When I read it to myself I try and sound like Andy. He really did make 60 minutes.
Ami, I wish I had a copy editor. TGI doesn't like to edit, however I am never offended if someone can make me look better. Do you know any good editors on island that would work pro-bono?
2 minutes ago · Like
Ami, I wish I had a copy editor. TGI doesn't like to edit, however I am never offended if someone can make me look better. Do you know any good editors on island that would work pro-bono?
2 minutes ago · Like
I like your distinctions about the different ways to say the # 0.
via facebook,"Pro bono, with 'your' grammar…????????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
via facebook,"I'm about to go to bed, after working all night, again. Damn it, Jim. It's going to take me half an hour to calm my laughing down..."
The reason there are so few words beginning with the letters x,y,z is obvious. They are at the end of the alphabet and almost all the words were already taken.
Ron (Martini) Good One!
In my Holiday Alphabet Book for Adults, I found good words beginning with X, Y, & Z.
Harmony, I am referencing your book right now and see that you are correct!" X stands for X-rated," "Y is for Yummy Christmas treat" and" Z ois for Santa's zipper!" Great book!
http://www.lulu.com/.../paperback/product-21192594.html
That's ridiculous that they don't do any editing. No wonder I frequently find mistakes in the paper! ... Sorry, I don't do that kind of writing so I don't really know of anyone. ... After reading the comments, I'm thinking that another reason I didn't connect to the article is that I didn't watch Andy Rooney, so I don't have a point of reference
Ami, they obvious do edit, however with the columnists they do not want to change their thought process, columnists are treated different. I know the lady who was Art Buchwald's ( a famous satirist national columnist) copy editor and she told me he did not know where to end sentences, start paragraphs and in the days before spell check was atrocious, she in my opinion made Art Buchwald what he is, however the concept is why he made the big bucks! She worked for Kauai magazine when I was their VP of sales and marketing.
(Commment in newspaper)"Writers are fascinated with words. As a writer I love Kimo and Obsma's column. Kisses to all. Kimo, I had a heck of a time getting here. Bettejo
(comment from newspaper)
"Thanks Kimo, you reminded me of the recruit in basic that went "oh" instead of "zero" in a commo class and the attention he got from the Drill Sgt's. Great memory in hind site."
via Email,"no channeling Andy Rooney."
"I STOPPED READING YOUR COLUMN"
Thanks, Kimo, for referencing my book!
(comment from Garden Island news)
"Kimo I miss Rooney for his way he could make you reflect & laugh at the same time. You just did the same here in print but Rooney rocked it in video... Maybe The Garden Island should have a video column where we can hear you talk story."
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