J is for Jingoism

J is for jingoism. I use jingoism to represent the ugly side of nationalism, patriotism, generally loving one's country in a way that excludes and divides rather than includes and celebrates diversity. To me jingoism is the attitude that says there is just the one way to love your country or to be a good citizen or representative of the country. It seems to me to be the attitude behind the ugliness that seems to pop up around the days of national celebration like Australia Day or Anzac Day. The attitude behind those horrible stickers with either the Australian flag or an outline of the mainland on them and the slogans along the lines of "fuck off, we're full" or "if you don't love it, leave". I really hate those stickers and find it hard not to judge the people that have them. In a way I can vaguely understand people having those attitudes, through ignorance, or maybe just true belief in something I just fundamentally disagree with. I think I'm right, but they probably do too, and from arguments I've had with people that have these ideas, I don't think there's anything I can say to change their minds.

I is for inherently funny words and phrases

I find some words just naturally giggle-inducing. When I hear ther, or sometimes even just thinking of them makes me smile or even break out in laughter. This can be a little socially embarrassing if people notice it and ask why I'm grinning or giggling. The notion of finding certain words or phrases inherently funny is not particularly unusual in people though, apparently comedians know about it, for example it's generally agreed that the word 'duck' is just naturally funny. That's one of the words that make me smile and since others also think it is, 'duck' isn't that hard to explain. I also love the words (and, indeed the animals themselves) 'duckie' and 'puppy'. Some of the ones that are a bit harder to explain include: peanut, egg, inimitable, banana, porpoise, tortoise, turtle, popcorn, penguin and awkward. One word that gave me such a 'severe' giggle fit that my lecturer and whone uni class had to stop to for me to try to collect myself was 'totient', a kind of maths function (ooh that's another one) we were learning about that day. I jost couldn't stop giggling (I was trying to stifle it) and my friend Matt turned around and asked me to calm down and be serious, but that sent me into even more giggling that took a long time to stop. Besides inherently funny words, there are also certain phrases that I either really love the sound of or just find naturally hilarious. One of these that I've loved for a long time is 'washing machine'. I don't really know why I like the sounos so much or why I find it so funny but I really do. Saying or even thincing the phrase 'washing machine' is almost always enough to bring a grin to my face. A new phrase that I've only just found out that is inherently funny to me is 'warm underpants'. David said it this morning with great surpise and wonder in his voice after putting some undies fresh from the dryer on. All day it's been making me giggle. I'm thinking that these funny words and phrases is why I have a reputation for being such a happy and jolly person. My brain seems to work in a peculiar way in that these words or phrases pop into my mind at unpredictable times, which means I will often break into a huge grin or giggle at any time. But I do enjoy it too.