And most thing I wear cost less than $50, and usually more like $20, because I am a broke ass bitch, and spending more money to tailor something than it cost seems like insane troll logic.

Except! If you can spend $40-$70 to end up with something that looks custom, you are way ahead of the game! Especially considering that even the $200 whatever would need the same alterations.

Note that I don't actually follow this, but it does make total sense to me.

Oh wait! Not beginner... it should be tyro, dilettante and enthusiast.

YES! I would totally take those.

Juliebird, you just made me laugh, though that may not have been your intention! I went to a small-town Christian Academy too, and my education is woefully incomplete. My biggest complaint is not English - although I taught *myself* that - it's math. I learned *nothing* of mathematics past algebra. I truly believe that I would not have failed calculus and I would be an astrophysicist now if I had gone off to college with either a college-prep background in math, or the awareness that I simply didn't know what I needed to know and I needed a tutor, stat. Instead I thought my sudden shocking failure in all my math classes meant I was really not all that smart after all.

I know the Bible, though! I won the Bible study awards every single year, marinating in the irony of being the only atheist in the school.

ZK, heh, I'm glad I made at least one person laugh (I think that's the best reaction I can hope for about a rant that's been stewing in me for years). I just hate that even now I still find myself staring at a word and wondering if I just made up the spelling for it. Spellcheck gives me confidence issues.

Annoyingly, spelt is a word in American English anyway. Get crabby about learnt, or dreamt, or something, spellchecker.

Today is wear chainmail to work day, if you're keeping track.

Spelt is two words! It's also a kind of grain.

Annoyingly, spelt is a word in American English anyway.

It doesn't recognize quinoa either. And I've just learned that quinoa is not actually a grain, and thus I can eat it.

Chainmail ... some days I could really use that. Or full plate armor. (veteran of public transit)

Today is wear chainmail to work day, if you're keeping track.

I have no chainmail either! Can it be polka dot day instead?

I sense black latex day right around the corner.

One shouldn't wear clothing that makes noise to the theatre. (Ha. Spellcheck doesn't like theatre.)

I just got promotional email from AARP. That is so NOT ON.