“Dinning” on St. Croix
This will not be a restaurant review, even though I have seen this word associated with places to eat twice in the past couple of weeks.
I saw it in the yacht club newsletter in reference to dogs on yc property. “Absolutely NO DOGS allowed in the dinning room.” (Have some of the huffy yc members been complaining about Biggie?) I sure hope not! Because he’s feeling hungry for some of that “Wild West Catering” grub! Maybe we’ll have to “dinn” out there one of these Wednesday nights. We’d love to take some guests to add to the fun and festivities!
Today I saw it on TWO DIFFERENT SIGNS for the same new “restaurant” at five corners. The signs said something about it being a dinning place.
It makes my blood boil (and you can see why I stopped trying to teach in the schools here - I might have gone postal) for two reasons: 1.) Someone who has started a food related business cannot spell a word related to food; and 2.) A person with a sign making business cannot spell a word properly on a sign.
I do not purport to being an English expert, but this is a basic spelling issue here. And many of the people we hear on the talk shows whine and moan that they can’t get a good job. Well, maybe if they got themselves an education…..
Helllllooo! People in many other countries would die to have access to an education. EVERYONE who lives in the VI has access to an education. There is NO EXCUSE for this inane crap! Except complete and utter LAZINESS!!!
I need a vacation from this place! Big time!
June 17th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
I loved a sign I used to pass on the Queen Mary Highway (back then Centerline Road), just before the West Airport Road, heading East, on the left. The sign said, Ark Welding, I loved that sign… yes, you do need to take a break from St. Croix, once you are away from it, all that is good will rise to the top of your psyche again. There is always something that I miss about St. Croix every day.
June 18th, 2008 at 6:11 am
Jah luv u mon. I like that sign on the way to your house. I’m glad someone does….
June 18th, 2008 at 6:51 am
It always amazes me how so many restaurants misspell the items on their menus - particularly Caesar Salad.
June 18th, 2008 at 10:38 am
Ark Welding! Love it! Anyone need their ark welded? Very cool, Trudi!
And I love all the handmade signs like “Slo crossin’” and “Jah luv u mon”. Very islandy. But intentionally. These others are just schtupid.
June 18th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Terry, Wreggie, Sandy and Trudi.
The four most perfect people created by God. I get down on my knees every day to thank the almighty for allowing you to enlighten us ignorant islanders.
Thank God you are here to save us. Your wisdom is what keeps morons like us Virgin Islanders from going astray.
I can barely wait for your next pearls of wisdom and the insight you provide us uneducated huddle masses.
June 19th, 2008 at 8:21 am
Did you mean “huddled”, dearheart?
June 19th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Jay, your theology is outdated. God didn’t create them, they are gods.
June 19th, 2008 at 11:02 am
Jay, lighten up already. The guy who wrote the Ark Welding sign was a friend of mine, a fellow welder. We laughed about it, together. I don’t think you are a moron, I don’t even know you…
June 19th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
From “Stuff White People Like”
The Problem:
What should you do when you find typos on a restaurant menu?
The Solution:
The presence of an improper apostrophe on a menu can ruin an otherwise delicious meal for a white person. Jane Black recommends asking for an extra copy of the menu, taking out a pen and marking all of the mistakes. When you are finished, you should then leave the restaurant with the hope that the chef will see the mistake and correct it before your next visit. This is considered the best solution since it allows you to use proper grammar while simultaneously avoiding confrontation (#128 in the book).
The other option is to simply recognize that the typos, while egregious, do not prevent actual meaningful communication on these menus. This would allow you to escape the tag of “elitist,” “pretentious,” or “banned from eating here for the rest of your life.”
June 19th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Pretty funny, Wreg, but typos are a different story.
Everyone makes mistakes. And the enjoyment of my repast is generally enhanced by being able to snicker or giggle about the “Black Angus Buger” that the guy at the next table is eating, or something to that effect.
One of the things that I often feel, is that we are SUPPOSED to expect less of the majority of the people here. That, to me, is being elitist. Akin to the southerners’ “bless their hearts….”
We, as former statesiders, now Virgin Islanders, are often chastised for complaining too much about the senators and others who are in positions of “power”, so to speak, when they continuously screw up and screw us!
I refuse to expect less of people because they have more melanocytes than I do!
June 22nd, 2008 at 7:09 am
Have you noticed that most sportscasters can’t speak proper English? Their grammar is terrible. And the grammar on road signs leaves something to be desired.
June 22nd, 2008 at 11:07 am
I did learn a big fancy new word while watching a boxing match once. Jim Lampley of HBO sports commented in the 9th round of a boxing match that “So far this has been a rather desultory event.”
I ran, got the dictionary and swore I would use the word whenever I could so there you go. I used it again and proved all sports casters aren’t stupid.
Maybe I didn’t actually prove the second but it is a cool word.
June 22nd, 2008 at 12:25 pm
We don’t watch or listen to sports, so I wouldn’t know about their grammatical deficiencies, Sandy. Thank goodness! It would probably drive me nuts. It’s always bad enough to hear George W. on the (fortunately) few occasions we have to listen to him speak.
I know I’m not a great speaker, so when I do open my mouth, I try to make sure something intelligent and intelligible comes out. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. But I’m not paid to speak, so whatever.
Wow, Wreg! Did you use “desultory” in the same sentence with “gymnasium”?
Good job, Buddy!
June 22nd, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Jay, I was put here on this earth to enjoy God’s creation and enjoy life. I am enjoying watching you writhe like a worm in hot ashes over the opinions of others.
Why do you care what we think? How do you allow our opinions to put you in such anger?
Let this be a warning to you oh miserable soul. Don’t pop a tube over what I think. My vote and opinion cancels out yours anyway.
I can believe I am trying to reason with an asshole…..was I still typing…I thought this keyboard was turned off….