DO ENGLISH TEACHERS HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR

DID YOU EVER DANGLE A PARTICIPLE? I could have named this post a number of things. It also probably should be split into two or three posts. But I named it like I did, and it will cover a few things English, so bare, uh bear with me and we will see what comes out.
I was not a strait, I mean straight A student. Heck, I was rarely a A student in any thing. And if I ever knew what a dangling participle was, I have forgotten, but I do know that I never did actually learn how to correctly diagram a sentence. Or even understand the reason for doing so. I read a lot. I mean really a lot. I have yet to see a sentence in a book that is diagrammed. I did learn something about subjects and predicaments, I mean predicate's, noun and professional nouns, more commonly know as pro nouns, verbs and advertising verbs, or adverbs for short, and prepositions and propositions. I didn't always understand all them thar things, but we durn sure studied them. But I did learn a few things about using the English language, proper spelling of, and usage of, words like bare and bear, their and there, and others of their ilk. And when to use them and why they were spelled different. I also learned when to use and not to use a preposition. I don't remember all the rules that apply to this English rule, but one of the most over used prepositions in the world where I live and work is the word AT. Usually used in a question. Where are you at? Where are you parked at? Where would you like to meet me at? Drives me up a wall. Or would if I knew where the wall was at. And it was actually possible to be driven up a wall. Well, you get the point. I hope.
Now, how does an English teacher of today teach English. Like, you know, really teach, you know, English. If their, uh, there is any word or phrase, more over used than the preposition at, it is the words like and you know. Drives me down the other side of the wall. Know what I mean. Feel free to correct my incorrectness.
Guess I better end this post and get my tongue out of my cheek before I chew it off. And That's The View From The Ditch Bank.

TIMES AND SEASONS

TIS THE SEASON OF THE YEAR: There are many seasons. Spring, summer, fall and winter. Others are the holiday season, Thanksgiving and Christmas. For others there is the football season or basketball or baseball. For me, though, I tend to think of seasons in the terms as first listed. I live in an area that the local Chamber advertises as having 4 gentle seasons. Well, I guess. Although it can get very hot in the summer, and extremely cold in the winter, both of which we have recently experienced. But what brought all this to mind was yesterday. Yesterday evening, to be specific. I was driving to work, minding my own business and thinking my own thoughts, when there happened upon my senses a smell that I equate with fall, and the Southwest. I was passing a parking lot of a local business when that smell came wafting in the car window. You know the one. Roasting chili. Aww, is there any thing that says the Southwest in the fall any more than the smell of chili roasting. The temperatures are cooling off, the daylight is getting shorter, and life is slowing down, but the smell of chili in the roaster just caps off the perfect season. Yep, I like all seasons, except maybe football, but the fall is the best one for me. And here, in the advertised CHILI capitol of the world, Southwest New Mexico, nothing says fall like roasting chili. Maybe they roast chili the world over, but to me, where ever I might be, that smell would bring me right back here. To the Southwest. And THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK.