about $300 per year (now it is more than $1,350),and the class offerings were diverse. Subsequently its cost went up and the quality,or at least diversity of classes,went down.The curious thing is,my Community College French teacher told me "you deserve to go to the U.W., but you'll never learn French;I'll pass you just so you can go to the U.W." Para 7:While I attended the Community College my personal journal or diary thrived.I wrote frequently,detailing activities,observations of nature,and thoughts.I also started writing letters to people,a habit still with me,though the journal is long since discontinued.It was always a pleasure for me to page through my earlier journal entries,and observe how my writing ability was clearly progressing.I'd write at my best level,then a few years later would look it over and sigh at how poor it was.Even now I make some little improvements,although of late the most dramatic change is in content,editing and even page-design--not in grammar or syntax, vocabulary,etc.My handwriting remains bad as ever. Para 8:As for speech,I have much more work to do before I'll rest content.My voice is adequate up close or on the telephone,but is strained easily when raised to address a crowd, especially outside.Although words flow forth as rapidly as I can say them,often they are crude, tripped,or somehow far from ideal.I especially dread talking about a subject,and failing to elucidate in logical priority the pertinent issues.For example,in discussing food,I might easily go off on a tangent about salads,while neglecting to discuss more important factors such as nourishment.Still,I've never been the least bit tempted to join Toastmasters or the equivalent. Similarly,I've not taken courses to improve my writing.The writing has improved as I've worked with a variety of editors,as well as done much editing of others'work. Para 9:I take great joy in excellent conversation.Alas,both speech and writing are on a decline as computers ascend.It is appalling.Young people too often,like,you know,um,can't talk too good.An effective orator or writer can get more accomplished,can derive greater pleasure from life,and play a major role in leading and persuading.This fact makes it especially irksome that so many experts are lousy communicators.On the other hand,certain slick talkers are shallow. Wouldn't life be simpler if we could assume that effective speakers knew what they were saying, and were trustworthy;while clumsy speakers or poor writers were an unknown quantity? Para 10:Even as our bodily health fluctuates,so does our mental activity.Sometimes great speakers make hilarious mistakes,and writers,too,can blunder.I am always amazed at how many mistakes I make.Oh,it is a joy to catch errors before they go to press.But it is also humbling and discouraging. Para 11:When I've looked at recent computer-generated documents,I've noticed various trends.There is an entirely new vocabulary prevalent among computer users.That is not worrisome.But there is also a frightful range of poor design and graphic layout,clumsy grammar and childish vocabulary.It hurts to behold such.Classic traditions,familiar conventions,and basic good manners,are often being blithely ignored by many young nerds and computer jocks.It begs for oversight by mature,well-grounded editors. Para 12:I am hypersensitive to language use.Just as Joy,my sister the architect,is about buildings.I bug her "you can't leave well enough alone!"She could retaliate by calling me a hypocrite,since I cannot help noticing verbal and written sins about which most folks remain happily ignorant. Para 13:An author could go on indefinitely about language,and I will cease after making one final point.Today,what with e-mail,fax machines,cellular phones and pagers,theabout $300 per year (now it is more than $1,350), and the class offerings were diverse. Subsequently its cost went up and the quality, or at least diversity of classes, went down. The curious thing is, my Community College French teacher told me "you deserve to go to the U.W., but you'll never learn French; I'll pass you just so you can go to the U.W." Para 7: While I attended the Community College my personal journal or diary thrived. I wrote frequently, detailing activities, observations of nature, and thoughts. I also started writing letters to people, a habit still with me, though the journal is long since discontinued. It was always a pleasure for me to page through my earlier journal entries, and observe how my writing ability was clearly progressing. I'd write at my best level, then a few years later would look it over and sigh at how poor it was. Even now I make some little improvements, although of late the most dramatic change is in content, editing and even page-design -- not in grammar or syntax, vocabulary, etc. My handwriting remains bad as ever. Para 8: As for speech, I have much more work to do before I'll rest content. My voice is adequate up close or on the telephone, but is strained easily when raised to address a crowd, especially outside. Although words flow forth as rapidly as I can say them, often they are crude, tripped, or somehow far from ideal. I especially dread talking about a subject, and failing to elucidate in logical priority the pertinent issues. For example, in discussing food, I might easily go off on a tangent about salads, while neglecting to discuss more important factors such as nourishment. Still, I've never been the least bit tempted to join Toastmasters or the equivalent. Similarly, I've not taken courses to improve my writing. The writing has improved as I've worked with a variety of editors, as well as done much editing of others' work. Para 9: I take great joy in excellent conversation. Alas, both speech and writing are on a decline as computers ascend. It is appalling. Young people too often, like, you know, um, can't talk too good. An effective orator or writer can get more accomplished, can derive greater pleasure from life, and play a major role in leading and persuading. This fact makes it especially irksome that so many experts are lousy communicators. On the other hand, certain slick talkers are shallow. Wouldn't life be simpler if we could assume that effective speakers knew what they were saying, and were trustworthy; while clumsy speakers or poor writers were an unknown quantity? Para 10: Even as our bodily health fluctuates, so does our mental activity. Sometimes great speakers make hilarious mistakes, and writers, too, can blunder. I am always amazed at how many mistakes I make. Oh, it is a joy to catch errors before they go to press. But it is also humbling and discouraging. Para 11: When I've looked at recent computer-generated documents, I've noticed various trends. There is an entirely new vocabulary prevalent among computer users. That is not worrisome. But there is also a frightful range of poor design and graphic layout, clumsy grammar and childish vocabulary. It hurts to behold such. Classic traditions, familiar conventions, and basic good manners, are often being blithely ignored by many young nerds and computer jocks. It begs for oversight by mature, well-grounded editors. Para 12: I am hypersensitive to language use. Just as Joy, my sister the architect, is about buildings. I bug her "you can't leave well enough alone!" She could retaliate by calling me a hypocrite, since I cannot help noticing verbal and written sins about which most folks remain happily ignorant. Para 13: An author could go on indefinitely about language, and I will cease after making one final point. Today, what with e-mail, fax machines, cellular phones and pagers, the