Another Book Meme

1. Go to the nearest bookshelf
2. Pull down the 3rd book from the left on the 2nd shelf
3. Go to page 87
4. Type out the first full paragraph
5. Choose your favorite word


The paragraph:

'Yes,' said Prue, in her considering way, answering her mother's question, 'I think Nancy did go with them.'

Favorite word from the paragraph: if "considering way" were one word it would be that, but I guess it has to be the name "Prue"

6. Now it's up to your LJ friends: what book is this?

epistemological/linguistic question

When someone says something you didn't hear or you weren't sure you heard correctly, and you say "sorry?" or "excuse me?" to get them to repeat or clarify, would you say you are in fact apologizing at that point, or are those words filling some other social or technical purpose?

Also, is there another similarly polite way to tell someone you couldn't hear them that is not an apology?

I suppose "could you repeat that?" comes to mind, but I'd welcome other ideas.

new user pic

Thanks to Michael Wayne, I now have a new user pic. it's not square. it's odd how strongly I notice this.

I'm wearing black wings but you can't really see them with the close cropping I applied... but I like the picture anyway.