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I recently encountered something that surprised me.
Use of this verb brings to mind something that purportedly happened to Noah Webster, he of dictionary fame.
Variations of the incident exist, and to different lexicographers.
Ever the defender of precision of verbiage, he was giving dictation to his secretary, who happened to be perched on his lap at the time.
Webster’s wife suddenly burst through the door.
Upon viewing the situation and drawing the inescapable conclusion, she exclaimed, “Why, Noah, I’m surprised!”
“No, my dear,” Noah corrected, setting the secretary down. “WE are surprised. YOU are astonished.”
The fact the dictionary went on to completion is a tribute to resilience.
Tomas Pueyo, age 40, born in 1982, reported an informal Twitter survey he conducted on the issue of immortality.
He found that under a third of those polled (over 300) didn’t want to live forever. If, given a choice, under 30% would choose immortality.
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