grammatically random posts.

Wait. I say this ALL the time: anyone reading what I post on the internet must think my clients are INSANE to pay me to edit, because my syntax and grammar are...not exactly AMA style. I say things like "I cannot brain, because insomnia." There is no style guide in which that is anything but a shambling horror.

Really, I get paid to make things very precise, and in that context, it's important as hell. (Well, I don't know why references have to be SO exacting, but whatevs.) But otherwise -- I'm pretty sure my posts make me sound like a crazy person who never quite met up with a grammar textbook.

L. B., Steph. (2014). I thought this shirt was clean: a study of the effects of laundering on fur deposits in common fabrics. Annals of Household Animal Fur Research, 53, 234-257.

Ahem.

L.B., S., etc.

APA at my school - much like Hil, I have to check the manual Every Single Time because MLA is what I learned in school. Thankfully, no bibliography/reference pages at work. (Seriously thankfully now that I think about it. Like, I should go light a candle or something levels of thankfully).

Epic! I am going to the post office tomorrow, after work has stopped eating me. (After today it goes back to normal, rather than insane, which will give me the chance to do things like work out and go to bed at 11. And go to the post office!)

"I cannot brain, because insomnia."

That sentence makes perfect sense, because evolving language.

Really, I get paid to make things very precise, and in that context, it's important as hell.

E-zactly. On paper, that I'm being paid to make look professional (or turning in for a grade), super-proper grammar, accuracy, etc. Here, FB, talking in person (depending on audience), I say "whatevs," and "supposably" (I only say that one ironically, with Chandler freaking out in my head), and I abuse hyperbole like a mofo. The importance being that you know "Can't brane," is not correct English, and if you use the wrong 2/to/too it's on purpose.

eta: Cool, Steph! I look forward to playing with your rejects.

The importance being that you know "Can't brane," is not correct English, and if you use the wrong 2/to/too it's on purpose.

What's both funny and enraging is when non-Buffista friends on FB think they're busting me for posting something like "I haz a sad." I mean, REALLY? You've read everything else I've posted, you know what I do for a living, and you've heard me speak in person, and you STILL think that I unknowingly made some egregious error?

But then I have to remember that not everyone lives on the interwebs and recognizes lolspeak.

Sorry for moving my post and making some of y'all look crazy. I had meant to post it in Natter originally cause that is where I've generally posted CJ's educational woes.

And all your editorial geekery makes me giddy. I'm not an editor but had to work within AMA style for college and I'm so glad I don't have to conform to any style guides anymore. But I really appreciate those who know those details.

I might talk about my struggles with citations, but at this point, it's a moo point. You know, like something a cow might say.

I actually don't have to do much in the way of fixing the references -- before I get a manuscript, some magic has already taken place to style the references and check them against MEDLINE. I still have to wrangle nonstandard references, but for the most part references are the easiest part of what I do.

Lawyers would cite:

Stephanie Lastname, I Thought This Shirt Was Clean: A Study of the Effects of Laundering on Fur Deposits in Common Fabrics, 53 Annals of Household Animal Fur Research 234-57 (2014).

Sadly, despite 29 years in the field (including law school), I had to check the Blue Book to come up with that.