There comes a time in your life when you realize that all the answers are not on the World Wide Web, nor are they even in existence. I reached that point this week. Note to self: it's very difficult to do a research paper when there is not enough research on a desired subject. Obviously, I'm going into the right field. The subject of research for the week is stop closures. (Can you tell I'm in love with this stuff?) Think about someone who stutters. (We call this "disfluency.") Have you ever noticed that this person might have abnormally long pauses in between consonants? Say the word "udon." (This is a type of Japanese noodle. It tastes delicious with teriyaki sauce.) The sound /d/ is what we call a "stop." This means that there is a stop to the flow of air when you make this sound. Try it. Feel how your tongue pushed up against the roof of your mouth? (This is the alveolar ridge.) Feel how the air stops flowing out? You've just constricted your airway to form the pressure required to create a burst of air that inevitably comes with correctly phonating the sound /d/. Now place your hand in front of your mouth while saying the word "udon." (If you're hungry at this point, you can pick up some udon noodles at your local grocery store or make a little trip up to Doc Chey's in Atlanta.) Feel how the air seems to stop when you say the /d/? Try it a little more slowly. Isn't this the coolest thing ever? (If you don't think so, you are obviously cut out for much different things than I am.) Anyways, there are only 39 results for "disfluency" and "stop closure" in my library database, and I'll bet at least half of them are nowhere near what I want more information on. I feel like I am moving up in the world now that I can beat the system.
In other news, I am graduating from an unspecified university in an unspecified month in about 6 weeks from now. Yesterday I went to speak with one of my professors about his research and my plans to earn a doctorate degree. He was ecstatic. (Good sign, right? Hopefully he will be willing to write me a good letter of recommendation despite my slightly sub-par grades.) There you have it. I plan to get my PhD by the age of 27 and go on to change the world, one stop closure at a time.
Finally, as per my mother's request, I will explain the concept of "nice notes" to the rest of you out in cyberspace who do not have the lovely pleasure of living inside what we affectionately call "The Bubble." A "nice note" is a note of niceties (or other sentiments) written during a weekly church meeting and handed out afterwards be a specified committee to the person to whom it is addressed. They can be anonymous and can really say whatever you'd like them to say. (But I have to admit, my attempts at anonymity have been failing recently.) A few of my favorites have said things like "I've been to your house" or "you bring pain to my heart every time I try to invite you to do something." Breaking hearts since '92. But still writing nice notes.
