Published 07/04/02 in issue #22 of The Hook

LETTER- Childish cliques

Thank you for providing me with so succinct an example of what it is that increasingly discourages me from enjoying The Hook. I thought perhaps Matt Farrell's first-issue essay that smacked of "us v. them" ("true" Charlottesvillians v. outsiders) was an anomaly, but each issue somehow, somewhere, continues the tradition.

The most recent issue was beautifully obvious about who it considers to be worthwhile readers, thanks to the inclusion of an inexplicable inside joke around the word "limn."

Those of us who do not know someone on staff at The Hook who could explain it were left to wonder what was so funny about including the same word once in every article. Granted, I can't actually say that The Hook's cliquishness is much worse than, say, any other alternative weekly paper in town. But no matter who propagates it, it's childish and unappealing.

I'm wondering if I have to wait for a third weekly paper to be the one to appeal to a broad base of area readers. Please prove me wrong.

Lisa Pfaffinger

Charlottesville

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LETTER- What's with all the limning

Hey, what's with all the "limning" in your last issue?

My fellow waitresses and I must have counted upwards of 10 appearances of the word last week. What about next week's super-secret hidden-overused word being "rectum"?

That's the funniest word ever.

Mendy, Sasha, Missy

Miller's restaurant

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LETTER- You limned; I laughed

Ha, funny. The word popped into my head as soon as I read your warning. When I first [read about it on cvillenews.com], I felt vindicated.

I still think it would have been funnier if you hadn't mentioned it and just catalogued the responses from English majors wondering about the recent addition to your "style book."

Next week... "manicured lawns"?

Thanks for the smart paper!

Catherine Potter

Charlottesville

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