Pet Peeve of the Week: The Difference Between "Seen" and "Saw"

I don't know if this is a common grammar issue all over the place or just where I'm from. I'm going to bet its everywhere. Now, I know that English is a stupid language. (This is a common thing found all over the internet but here's a link to the first blog I found. Hilarious, give it a read.) Anyway, the thing that baffles me is that people can't get their minds around the difference between "seen" and "saw." *disgruntled sounds*

The number of times I have heard "I seen that movie," I don't even know.

"I saw that movie," or, "I have seen that movie."
"David saw me at the park," or, "David has seen me at the park."

OR

"Have you saw that movie?" NO!

"Have you seen that movie?" Yes.

Now, I'm not an English teacher, so maybe I'm wrong, but how about we make a rule that "seen" can't be by itself? "Has" or "have" need to go with it. They're best friends, attached at the hip. But "saw" has no friends and should be all alone.

Or, I read this somewhere, and it made sense to me:
Think of the use of "seen" as talking about the past, but thinking about the present.
Think of the use of "saw" as talking about the past and thinking about the past.

I understand that this may be extremely confusing so let me put it this way:
"I seen you yesterday," doesn't even sound right!! Or is that just me? I understand that maybe some people just never learned it, or they never quite understood it, but I honestly don't think it's a concept that is too difficult. And maybe it's habit now. That's understandable as well. But bad habits can be broken. So let's break them before I start breaking things over the heads of these grammar murderers.

I will admit, I am an unofficial member of the infamous Grammar Nazis (although I hate the name. I would prefer Grammar Angels or something nice like that.) But someone has to be in charge of this stuff. You can't just go making your own rules about language. Wait, that's not a hundred percent true. If you know what you're doing (kind of) there's possibility for some creativity in language. But it's a different thing if you're doing it on purpose, right? Do I sound like an a**hole? Yeah, probably a little bit, but that's just how much this grammar mistake rattles me.

This doesn't mean I don't make grammar mistakes myself. I do it all the time. But I'm also constantly looking up the proper way to say things because I don't want to write posts like this and have people call me out on grammar mistakes that I've made.

I don't have anything to say to sum this up. Just stop doing it, okay? Just stop!

Paranoid: Things I'm Constantly Worried Will Kill Me Part 3

Yes, there are more.

11. Living upstairs. "What?" you say. You don't know how reliably that floor has been built. It could give away at any time and then you're falling to your death, impaling yourself on your downstairs neighbour's large, pointy, unnecessary statue that takes up half their living room. Or you just hit your head and die, whatever.

12. Eating fruit. No, I'm not just making things up at this point. A lot of the time while I'm sitting there, munching an apple, all I can think about is "what if there's some kind of bug in here and I eat it and it claws at my insides and infects them and I die?" The possibility of choking is, of course, there as well but I'm hardly concerned about that.

13. Standing on anything that is not solid ground. Okay, I'll get on that chair and make one wrong move and then tip over and grab onto the curtains but then the curtains rip and I fall and smash my head off the window sill and then again off the floor and then death happens. Skateboards? Jesus Murphy, no. The most dramatic imagery I ever imagined in my life was when parents would say, "don't do that, you'll crack your head open," and all I could see was my head like an egg against the edge of a bowl. ALL parents said something like this, so you're ALL to blame for my intense fear of falling.

14. Gas pumps. This one sucks, because I work at a gas station. But really, one mis-flicked cigarette ash lands in the wrong spot on the ground and BOOM! we're all dead. Or, the people who leave their car on while you're pumping because, "it won't start again if I turn it off." Yeah? Well it won't start again if it's in two billion little pieces after the whole place blows up either. I like being whole. I got super upset after losing the most minuscule piece off the end of my finger (you can see it if you squint, I swear.) "Oh, but those signs that say no smoking and turn off your car, what about those?" you just said accusingly towards your computer screen. No one listens to signs in the real world, dummy.

15. Those big trucks that are carrying like 20 cars. What if one just came loose and crushed you while you're driving behind that thing? I don't know what is possibly more terrifying than a car flying from 15 feet in the air directly at your face. Maybe like an airplane falling out of the sky but whatever. Just put those cars on a train and save me the anxiety, okay?!


I think this is the end of the Paranoid saga. If you haven't read parts 1 and 2, you can do so here.
Also, I'd like to hear what you're afraid of. Leave a comment. I looove comments.

10 Artists Who Made My Year

These days, the internet makes it really easy to find awesome music. It's actually a little overwhelming at times. There's a lot of amazing stuff out there and not enough time to listen to it all. However, we all manage to find our favourite artists. Although the following artists may not count as my favourite of all time, here is a list of the artists I've enjoyed the most over the last 12 months.

10. Train

I saw Train in concert a little more than a year ago and it reminded me how good their oldies are. I rediscovered Meet Virginia and that was enough for me. Pat Monahan can be kind of a jerk in real life but he makes up for it by having an amazing, original voice (although he's kind of creepy looking, isn't he?) It was nice to see them raise from the musical darkness. They're pretty mainstream but alternative enough that they're pleasing to most people, so a good background music choice for sure.

My Fave: Calling All Angels

9. Zac Brown Band

I'm not really sure what kind of person could possibly dislike this band. Zac Brown has an amazing voice, and their songs are undeniably catchy. A good band for a day on the boat or sitting lakeside.

My Fave: Keep Me In Mind

8. Every Avenue

Up and comers in the alternative rock world. I honestly discovered this band by walking up to the Alternative section at HMV and grabbing the first cool looking CD I saw. I've since seen them play live and developed an enormous crush on the lead singer.
My Fave: Clumsy Little Heart

7. Jack Johnson

This is funny because I used to kind of hate this guy. Something to do with his song Sitting, Wishing, Waiting that rubbed me the wrong way. Now though, I love his laid back tunes, and his albums are my go-to easy listening/background choices.

My Fave: From The Clouds

6. Paramore

You can't deny that Hayley Williams is the female face of alternative rock/pop rock/whatever you'd like to call it. And she's only 23. Not that there are too many female faces in that genre. Paramore is definitely one of my favourite bands of all time, and I never get sick of listening to them. It's really awesome to see that a lot of their songs have made it into some mainstream playlists. I think it's a good time to mention that at one time my younger brothers would never admit to liking a girl singer (I KNOW, right?) and Misery Business was definitely the first female-vocaled song they admitted to enjoying.

My Fave: For A Pessimist I'm Pretty Optimistic

5. Neon Trees

I don't even really know what to say about Neon Trees. They have a female drummer (which seems to be a rising trend, yay) and they're just awesome. That's it. Awesome. They're different from a lot of stuff that's out there right now, and in a very good way. The new album, Picture Show,  is a big change from Habits, but I think they're headed in a good direction.

My Fave: Moving in the Dark

4. Patrick Stump

Fall Out Boy will forever hold the number one band place in my heart. Say what you will, but FOB introduced me to an entire genre of music that I hadn't really listened to before, and my life is a lot better because of it. That being said, Patrick's solo stuff is nothing like FOB, so get that out of your head. However, it is excellent in its own way. There's nothing like it right now. And he plays every single instrument on the album himself. No computers. That doesn't happen very often these days. Oh, did I mention that his is the voice that angels sing with?

My Fave: Allie

3. Rise Against

There are certain bands that you need to be in a certain mood to listen to. For me, Rise Against is definitely not one of those bands. I can listen to them anytime, anywhere. I know they aren't for everyone, so this isn't the stuff I'd be playing at parties. But for me, this is the kind of band that you get something new from every time you listen. The lyrics are fantastic, and that's what I care about most a lot of the time.
My Fave: Paper Wings


2. The Cab

These guys are all in their early 20s but their music is amazing. They're on their way to being a huge hit, I can tell. Catchy music and catchy lyrics and an excellent vocalist. Can you ask for anything more in a band? No, I think that's you need. Onward with the alternative rock takeover or something! I keep hearing new things in their songs that I love. Not to mention, I heard one of their songs on Sirius Hits so I guess that's as good a sign as any. The only thing I wish would change is the lead singer's long greasy hair, but you can't have everything, folks.
My Fave: This City Is Contagious

1. Marianas Trench

I've loved MT since the very first "ooo ooooooooo ooo" in Shake Tramp and I've been wowed several times by their excellent live performances. I used to compare them to Hedley but in light of Hedley's complete and terrible sell-out I've put Marianas Trench nearer to the top of my Top Bands list and thrown Hedley in the garbage (well attempted to. I can take them back out, but I'm getting off topic now.) Josh Ramsay is a genius both lyrically and musically. Example: He produced Call Me Maybe. I don't need to make any more of an argument for him now, do I? His voice is excellent. It sounds good live, and it sounds good no matter what it is he's singing. Aaaand all four band members can sing. They have lovely harmonies which in my opinion make a lot of their songs sound very original. It does annoy me that they've become a mainstream hit and I have to share my love of them with a bunch of annoying fan girls. (Just kidding, kinda.)
My Fave: Perfect





Of course, I do not own any of these images, YouTube vids, or the tracks themselves.

Sweatpants In Public

Most of the time, I have a strict dress code for myself: No sweatpants in public. (This has obvious exceptions ie. at the gym or the hospital. But I avoid the gym at all costs and I try to stay out of the hospital as well so this doesn't apply often.) However, lately I've been venturing to Tim Hortons while wearing sweat pants. Perhaps this is because I've found the best sweat pants ever? (No.) Or maybe I've become comfortable with myself and I don't care what other people think. (No.) Or maybe I'm just lazy and don't care. (Probably.) Either way, I've been thinking about the two sides of this argument: To sweatpant in public or not to sweatpant in public?

Note: PJ pants are not sweatpants and those should stay at home in all cases. See People of Walmart Dot Com please.

To Sweatpant

Who cares what you're wearing? Clothing isn't a crucial part of our lives. It's not necessity and so why should we focus so much time on it? Why should anyone else care what I'm wearing? Besides, these sweatpants are designer and they cost more than your car.

Not To Sweatpant

Everyone judges you by what they see (at first, anyway.) So if they see you wearing the same sweatpants you were wearing last night, they are going to get a negative opinion of you. (They're going to think you're disgusting.) They don't know how much those pants cost. It's all about first impressions. Isn't that the point of fashion?
And don't even get me started on the issues I have with guys walking around in sweatpants. I know that many ladies agree with me when I say that there's no way everything is under control in that situation.


So what's your opinion? Are you for or against public sweatpants? Take a second to take the poll on the side of this page.

An Afterthought On Yoga Pants

While I was writing I got thinking about "Lulus" and how girls seem to think that yoga pants can be used as regular pants and can in fact be a dressy article of clothing. This is ridiculous and I strongly believe that you should never wear yoga pants to a formal occasion. Yoga pants are a piece of exercise attire so its like a dude wearing his spandex bike suit to a classy dinner. Think about that for a second.

Pet Peeve Of The Week: You Look Sad

"Why So Sad?"

This statement drives me absolutely crazy. When I'm at work or shopping or whatever, I'm not walking around with a huge obnoxious smile on my face. But that doesn't mean that I'm "sad." No, it means that I'm not bursting with excitement or happiness. I'm just content. I'm normal. And I don't need people (it's usually strangers, right?) to point out that I look sad.

People say that I look "sad" or "unimpressed" a lot of the time. But the fact is, I'm not. This is just my face. See?

Honestly, that is just the way my face looks when I'm not smiling. I am not sad. In fact, I'm happy because I really love this scarf. If I walked around smiling all day people would think I was crazy. And my eyes get super squinty when I smile so I don't always like to smile in pictures.

But here's my real issue. What if I am sad? What if I am having a horrible day? Thank you for pointing it out. I know that no one really wants to hear reasons that I'm sad, so I'm clearly going to say, "Nope, not sad" even though my heart feels like it's being stabbed with an icicle (or something, I dunno) and I can barely hold back tears.

What if I just said, "Yeah, actually..." and burst into a story about all my life problems?

I'm a pretty private person. I don't like to tell people when I'm sad, or even when I'm happy, for that matter. I don't even like informing people that I'm a private person. This is maybe why I try to put the least amount of emotion on my face as possible most of the time.

You'll notice that right after you tell me I look "sad," that I don't want to talk to you anymore, and now, even though maybe it's not being shown on my face, I am mad.

This may not seem like a super reasonable pet peeve. People are trying to be sympathetic, blah blah blah. But the fact is, I get this all the time and it does get irritating. Its kind of upsetting in itself that so many people think that I'm a grumpy or unimpressed or sad person just because they think that I look "sad."



By the way, look for my Pet Peeve of the Week from now on! I have a lot of them! I'll try to post every Thursday, but I will make no promises.

My 8 Favourite Television Characters Of 2012

I recently developed an obsession with watching television comedies. And I mean like, watching them nonstop, all the time, entire seasons at a time. I was really behind on my tv shows okay? So, here they are: My favourite TV characters of 2012 (From comedies. And not all the new comedies they're starting this TV season. They all look terrible.)

8. Schmidt (New Girl)

"Damn it! I can't find my driving moccasins anywhere!" 
Well dressed, always classy. Schmidt is the ladies man of the apartment, kind of. But he's very particular about everything he wears. Please see "The Douchebag Jar." But when it comes down to it, Schmidt is charming and sweet, and he says all the most ridiculous things, so I love him.

7. Kenneth Parcell (30 Rock)

“I grew up on a pig farm, sir, where all the animals - even the birds that cleaned our teeth - were workers, not pets. I never even had a dog, ‘cause as my mom would say: “You can’t eat love.” And as my mom’s friend Ron would say: “The donkey died. You’re the donkey now, Kenneth.”

Everyone at 30 Rock loves Kenneth. He will do anything for NBC and the people who work there. This country boy came to the big city because he loves television, and it's obvious. Kenneth sees the world in a completely different way (The World Through Kenneth's Eyes Clip) and it seems like a much happier place. Kenneth's stories of his childhood really make him one of the best characters. Plus he's adorable, so how could you dislike him?

6. Gloria Pritchett (Modern Family)

"I'm nice and I put on the sugar jacket."

Everyone thinks of Gloria as the hot gold digger, but if you pay attention to what she says, she's one of the funniest characters on Modern Family. And her accent makes everything sound just a little bit (okay, a lot) sillier. English, clearly, is her second language, so she makes mistakes from time to time. And here is where the greatest laughter potential lies.

5. Dalia Royce (Suburgatory)

"Hoe just died. Sucks."
Dalia tells it like it is. And behind all of the designer clothing and expensive make-up and sugar free Red Bull (WITH a straw) she can actually be sweet and thoughtful. But as if she's going to admit that, byotch. Dalia is Tessa's (that's the main character, if you're not familiar with the show) guide to life in the suburbs, and she exemplifies every suburban cliche there is. Which, of course, is funny.



4. Abed Nadir (Community)

"I thought you were like Bill Murray in any of his films, but you're more like Michael Douglas in any of his films."
Abed is amazing. Not only does he break the fourth wall of television, but he has an imagination rivalled by no one and I love it. He thinks his life is a TV show (I don't have to tell you why this is funny, I hope.) Also his social awkwardness and robotic voice make for hilarious scenes. Abed single handedly adds that something-something to Community that sets it apart from the other shows on NBC. Just look at his Claymation Christmas Special or the Dreamatorium. There's just no one quite like Abed.


3. April Ludgate (Parks and Recreation)

“No, I didn't win. But, at least I didn't make any new friendships.” 
Deadpan comedy continues to be one of my favourite forms, although I really don't know why. Regardless of the reason, April is totally deadpan and I think it's great. But there's more to April than her emotionless, monotone outer coating. April cares a lot about the rest of the employees in the parks department, and there are a surprising number of "awww, that's sweet" moments involving April that make your heart all warm and fuzzy and stuff. Plus, I associate greatly with April's dislike of people and things. So this is why I love her.


2. Dr. Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory)

"That's no reason to cry. One cries because one is sad. For example, I cry because others are stupid, and that makes me sad."
I know everyone loves Sheldon. How can you not? He's annoying at times but he's also adorable. Some might say, "Oh, why not Leonard?" No. I hate Leonard. Don't even go there. Sheldon's naivety to social norms and his classic pranks make him, in my opinion, the most interesting character on the show. And everyone loves learning a new word when they're watching TV right? Okay, maybe that's mostly just me. Bazinga!

1. Liz Lemon (30 Rock)

"I believe that all anyone really wants in this life is to sit in peace and eat a sandwich."
Liz Lemon is all I ever hope to be and more. It took me an unbelievable amount of time to pick a favourite quote, because so many things Liz says are things that I myself often think about and strongly believe (see sandwich quote above.) From Night Cheese to shotgunning an entire pizza, Lemon is my kind of girl. She's crazy, she's hardworking and she is a complete dud in the relationship department. What more could you possibly want in a lead character on any show, am I right?





Honorable Mentions: Leslie Knope (Parks and Recreation), Lily Aldrin (How I Met Your Mother), Chris Traeger (Parks and Recreation), Luke Dunphy (Modern Family), Annie Edison (Community).

Dumb Band Names

Some bands have killer names. Some bands maybe should have thought twice:


Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. This is stupid. We get it, you flipped through the dictionary and randomly chose these words. (Or did you? I'm a little skeptical and feel as if there could have been some cheating going on. A "red jumpsuit apparatus" sounds like it could be an actual thing.) Seriously though, people can't even spell apparatus.

Panic! at the Disco. Thank you for adding unnecessary punctuation to a world that can't handle the punctuation it already has.

Foo Fighters. Regardless of what the meaning of "foo fighter" is (Google it) the word itself sounds ridiculous, and so I deem this band name dumb.

Hot Chelle Rae. That doesn't even flow, dudes. And when I first saw it I really, seriously thought that this had to be a girl singing.

Cobra Starship. Two things that really don't seem to go together. There's a lot of imagery here. I'm seeing snake aliens. And now your band name has interested me more than your music does.

Fountains of Wayne. Who is Wayne? Why is he in fountains? What are you guys talking about? On that note, where did you guys go? Nevermind, that's for another post.

311. What? Should I say "three hundred and eleven" or "three eleven" or "three one one?" I don't want to have to read instructions on how to say a band's name.

twenty | one | pilots. In the words of Liz Lemon, "Nope, hipster nonsense. I'm out."

Hoobastank. What's that even mean? I don't even want to know. I feel like it might be something dirty.

Limp Bizkit. Let's look beyond the Urban Dictionary definition of "limp bizkit" (DON'T type "Limp Bizkit" into Urban Dictionary. DON'T type "Limp Bizkit" into Urban Dictionary. DON'T type "Limp Bizkit" into Urban Dictionary.) I don't even have to explain why this is a stupid name. Changing a couple letters to make a lame word like "biscuit" in an attempt to look cool (the coolness level is still questionable) does not mean your band name will be awesome, clearly.

Billy Talent. Old people think this is one dude. But it's not one dude. It's terribly misleading, and so, dumb.