A large percentage of my email is from physicians. If you thought their handwriting was bad you should see the typed version. Massive abuse of spelling, grammar, and punctuation. This might be why they hide behind bad handwriting.

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oatmeal:

I have to say spell correction improved my ability to spell immensely. Seeing the same things underscored repeatedly cured me.

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It's the so-called "professional journalists" who keep abusing it

Um, aren't there editors to pick up on that? Or is this blogger "professionals"?

I have to say spell correction improved my ability to spell immensely. Seeing the same things underscored repeatedly cured me.

Yes, that does help me a ton, thank you Apple! However, they don't do that on the iPhone. Only for typo errors (OK, would it be "typo's" or "typos"? I just sat for a few minutes debating. It is not "typo is" which is the common contraction for a 's. But the ' is cutting out "graphical error", right? so?

(he works for an arms control non-profit here in Washington)

Sparky, that has sparked my interest. I like my job and I'm good at it. But part of me is wanting to do something that has more impact. Peace. HUGE impact. Green power is another avenue I've thought about. No clue what I would need to do to get into that world, or how much it would pay, and if I'd have to go back to school.

but if I'll get hugs on every update I would clog this thread within two days.

If you are worried about clogging up the thread, do you have a LiveJournal? Not that I am suggesting you not post updates in here, since we are all very concerned and want to hear the updates. But maybe the LJ would be a bit more, I dunno, cathartic for you? You could make posts and click "no comments". You could post so only you could see what you wrote, like a diary. Or you could make various group lists and specify which people could see the post. Either way, I think what you are going through is HUGE. And since you say there aren't many folks locally you can talk with, it might be helpful. I think something this big, you can't keep bottled in. Emotionally, or psychologically.

And with that. {{{ SHIR }}}

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Shir, I wish there was something I could do. Be careful.

I've had a bracing day so far. I awoke to a power outage and the realization that I have no idea how to turn the annoying beeping of UPS. Then I got a call from the wonderful good Samaritan who found my wallet, which I didn't yet know was missing. Apparently it fell out of my purse as I was getting into my car leaving the restaurant last night. I met her and retrieved my wallet, which was missing the cash and, oddly, my ATM card, while still containing all my credit cards and my driver's license. I called the bank about my ATM card, but I imagine the rest will be okay. I just can't remember if I tucked a check in my wallet. Also, of course, I have no cash. Tomorrow I'm going to have to cash a check. How quaint.

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Um, aren't there editors to pick up on that?

There are a lot less editors than there used to be. Certainly in book publishing many books barely get a pass through a copy editor. And there's much less editorial oversight in newspapers than there used to be.

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And there's much less editorial oversight in newspapers than there used to be.

Hmm. Begs the question. As the internet is the information highway, speeding knowledge around. Will it also speed the demise of proper grammar? As we race to the bottom in so many ways in our society, will spelling and punctuation be something folks say in 50 years "Oh, I remember those things. Crazy. Why'd they use them?" or would it look like "o ize membr dem tings. CrAzY! Yd day uz dem?"

ION, today is still bright and sunny outside, yet 30º colder. So glad I went out yesterday to enjoy the great outdoors!

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o ize membr dem tings. CrAzY! Yd day uz dem?

And now I'm flashing back to Tep's lesson on the politics of sub/dom grammar or lack thereof.

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typos. Never, ever, ever, ever, ever use an apostrophe for a plural. Ever. Just don't. (Actually, there are a very few exceptions for things like abbreviations and lower-case letters, but that's according to certain style manuals only -- if you have trouble remembering things like this, screw the exceptions and just remember not to use apostrophes for plurals.)

typo's is correct for possession (Typo's last post on green energy gave me a lot to chew on) or contractions (that typo's making my head hurt). A plural is not a contraction. It just isn't. You're not removing "graphical error", you're pluralizing the word "typo".

Alles klar?

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o ize membr dem tings. CrAzY! Yd day uz dem?

Only if LOLcats develop opposable thumbs.

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Alles klar

no. It's those bloody exceptions that kill the brain. Ahhhhhhrrrggghhhh.

At least, my lovely Buffistas, you can feel some victory on the Education of Omnis Audis, that I am using multiple commas when giving a list. Even after for the last one, prior to the 'and'. Probably still doing it wrong, but eh.

Only if LOLcats develop opposable thumbs.

clearly you do not text message with folks. Its creeping into instant messaging too! And if it bugs me? Who, as we can see, is not very grammar/spelling proficient! Then it has to be bad.

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