Vince, I have been reading you faithfully for something like twelve years now and I've always found your command of language nothing less than exceptional, so please know I say this with both surprise and real respect: "cheers" is not a verb, and "cheersing" is neither a verb nor a word at all! "Cheers" is an exclamation or interjection that is said while toasting. So rather than "cheersing" someone, "making a cheers," or "doing a cheers," (even typing that makes my skin crawl), you are simply toasting someone or making a toast.
In the context you used it, you could probably say "toasting champagne glasses together," but even more accurate would probably be "clinking champagne glasses together."
I'm truly sorry to be that guy, but this has been slowly driving me insane for years now and seeing my favorite writer on the internet make the error was simply too much for this English teacher's heart to bear.
Dear Rich, I'm sorry, you must be a Substack Platinum subscriber to critique Vince's grammar. Also, any noun can be a verb or a gerund! Pants is a noun. But if someone pulls yours down one could accurately say you got "pantsed". Verbing nouns has a long history. Google is a noun. But I just googled "cheersing" and it returned 940,000 search results. What is and is not a word depends on popularity and utility. "All words are made up", as Thor said. in In these expansive linguistic times, especially on these editor-less fora, where readers are expected to know what getting milkshake-ducked means (also a newish noun later verbed), I think we should allow writers as much artistic license as possible. Vince has an MFA. He can make up any words he wants. Cheers
Apropos of nothing, my girlfriend asked me last night if Napoleon was going to be terrible. I wasn't sure, but now that I've watched the trailer... hoo boy does this look like a steamer. I've been saying for a while that Ridley Scott has been God awful for 20 years, and this may be the one that finally convinces people.
Isnt it bonkers that a prestige HBO drama about Johnny Depp’s curiously strong genes getting rammed by a singer who used to release music anonymously for free on the internet that also had Eli Roth/Jane Adams/Hank Azaria turned out to be gross AND boring though?
I'm assuming you didn't mention the fresh basil added to your tomato sauce because it's so obvious everyone would assume you added it. Throw it in with about 15-20 minutes left to cook.
Vince, my mom learned how to make tomato sauce (red gravy, red sauce, whatever you want to call it) from the godfather. Hers has wine and sugar. It’s amazing.
If I'm using canned tomatoes and the whole deal with braised meat, I use wine. Or a little splash of balsamic at the end, especially if I'm using it on pizza. With fresh tomatoes I just go straight tomato.
The Idol had that floaty quality of a salvage job, where it kept making half-hearted passes at story and theme, but never completed any of them. The best parts were when Jane Adams, Eli Roth, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph had enough of everyone's bullshit.
Supposedly Spielberg is working on another Napoleon project, this one based on Kubrick's abandoned film. Yes, the one where Kubrick compiled a collection of index cards for *every day of Napoleon's adult life* and color-coded it by who Napoleon met with that day. The one for which he devoted *an entire room in his mansion* to books on Napoleon. (Imagine how much work he put into the movies he *did* make!)
Anyway, hoping this goes better than the last time Spielberg finished a Kubrick project. (Although A.I. does have some great bits in the mess.)
Normally I would say Spielberg's would be the Volcano, but Ridley seems like he's all but script blind these days (maybe always?). He'll shoot the absolute shit out of whatever is in front of him. Sometimes that works out great, sometimes not.
Vince, I have been reading you faithfully for something like twelve years now and I've always found your command of language nothing less than exceptional, so please know I say this with both surprise and real respect: "cheers" is not a verb, and "cheersing" is neither a verb nor a word at all! "Cheers" is an exclamation or interjection that is said while toasting. So rather than "cheersing" someone, "making a cheers," or "doing a cheers," (even typing that makes my skin crawl), you are simply toasting someone or making a toast.
In the context you used it, you could probably say "toasting champagne glasses together," but even more accurate would probably be "clinking champagne glasses together."
I'm truly sorry to be that guy, but this has been slowly driving me insane for years now and seeing my favorite writer on the internet make the error was simply too much for this English teacher's heart to bear.
Cheers!*
*to your mom
Dear Rich, I'm sorry, you must be a Substack Platinum subscriber to critique Vince's grammar. Also, any noun can be a verb or a gerund! Pants is a noun. But if someone pulls yours down one could accurately say you got "pantsed". Verbing nouns has a long history. Google is a noun. But I just googled "cheersing" and it returned 940,000 search results. What is and is not a word depends on popularity and utility. "All words are made up", as Thor said. in In these expansive linguistic times, especially on these editor-less fora, where readers are expected to know what getting milkshake-ducked means (also a newish noun later verbed), I think we should allow writers as much artistic license as possible. Vince has an MFA. He can make up any words he wants. Cheers
Apropos of nothing, my girlfriend asked me last night if Napoleon was going to be terrible. I wasn't sure, but now that I've watched the trailer... hoo boy does this look like a steamer. I've been saying for a while that Ridley Scott has been God awful for 20 years, and this may be the one that finally convinces people.
The music choices in that trailer are not inspiring confidence.
Isnt it bonkers that a prestige HBO drama about Johnny Depp’s curiously strong genes getting rammed by a singer who used to release music anonymously for free on the internet that also had Eli Roth/Jane Adams/Hank Azaria turned out to be gross AND boring though?
That fifth and final episode is just sitting there in my queue waiting for me to play it in the background while im downing fools in Smash Bros
I'm assuming you didn't mention the fresh basil added to your tomato sauce because it's so obvious everyone would assume you added it. Throw it in with about 15-20 minutes left to cook.
Yeah, I just happened not to have any this time, but I would definitely add it if you've got it.
Vince, my mom learned how to make tomato sauce (red gravy, red sauce, whatever you want to call it) from the godfather. Hers has wine and sugar. It’s amazing.
If I'm using canned tomatoes and the whole deal with braised meat, I use wine. Or a little splash of balsamic at the end, especially if I'm using it on pizza. With fresh tomatoes I just go straight tomato.
The Idol had that floaty quality of a salvage job, where it kept making half-hearted passes at story and theme, but never completed any of them. The best parts were when Jane Adams, Eli Roth, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph had enough of everyone's bullshit.
I feel bad for Da'Vine Joy Randolph, because she shredded in that show even though it sucked.
I did appreciate that Randolph’s whole character was basically the exact reaction of every youtube critic
Supposedly Spielberg is working on another Napoleon project, this one based on Kubrick's abandoned film. Yes, the one where Kubrick compiled a collection of index cards for *every day of Napoleon's adult life* and color-coded it by who Napoleon met with that day. The one for which he devoted *an entire room in his mansion* to books on Napoleon. (Imagine how much work he put into the movies he *did* make!)
Anyway, hoping this goes better than the last time Spielberg finished a Kubrick project. (Although A.I. does have some great bits in the mess.)
I was going to bring this up, Hollywood works in 2s, the gauntlet has been tossed we need a Dante's Peak to this Volcano.
Can we truly know which one is the Dante's Peak and which is the Volcano until we see them, though?
And isn't it more likely Spielberg's will be the Volcano of the pair? lol
Normally I would say Spielberg's would be the Volcano, but Ridley seems like he's all but script blind these days (maybe always?). He'll shoot the absolute shit out of whatever is in front of him. Sometimes that works out great, sometimes not.
Yup, it's a fuckin' toss-up until we see them both.