People don't always write the same way they speak. Except the kindest way to look at the example P-C gave us is to assume that the author had to come up with something, anything in 15 seconds. (Admit it -- everyone had to finish an assignment while walking into class at least once during school.)

Sometimes people who are great speakers in person don't write well because they over-explain in their writing. They're afraid without feedback they can't clarify if they see someone is confused, so they tend to be redundant and awkward.

People also write without rereading what they've written. By the time you get to the end of the sentence, you've forgotten what you said at the beginning, and if you don't reread, it's easy to repeat yourself.

My Aunt J could use a little health~ma. Her latest pap smear came back with an off reading, I'm not sure exactly what it is, but she's going to see another gyno for a second opinion and he's going to do his own pap smear.

~ma to your aunt, askye. If it makes you feel better, EVERY damn time I get a pap it comes back weird and I have to get another one. And I'm fine every time.

much, much ~ma to your Grandma. Poor lady. No one needs oral surgery AND a bad fall in such proximity to each other (time-wise). ~ma for the askye clan.

People also write without rereading what they've written.

I work with a woman who doesn't proof read. Says she doesn't have time. The stuff we write is used as the legal basis to deport someone. It really should make sense.

a new post to report on my adventures this afternoon:

1) I not only cried at my therapist's office, I made my therapist cry too.

2) I had stuck a check in my wallet to pay my therapist, and then stopped at the bank to deposit a birthday check I'd gotten. Sure enough, when I got to therapy, there was the birthday check in my wallet, waving at me, yelling, "you fucking dumbass."

((((Nora)))). Not a dumbass. Had other things on your mind.

(((Nora))) You're definitely not dumb. That could happen to anyone.

{{{{{Nora}}}}} Not a dumbass at all.

Not dumbass at all.

As for editing. I try to read what I have written out loud. It makes such a difference in picking up errors. I try to encourage my kids to do this too. They hate it, but at least so far K-Bug has realized that it is a good way to self-proof.

Yep, reading out loud is one of the most important proofreading techniques that I teach my students. Seems to help a lot.