Friday, November 11, 2011

Please, won't you be my editor?

(Apologies to my beloved childhood "neighbor," Fred Rogers.)

Did you know that today's date is 11/11/11, which only occurs once every 100 years? Well, you do now. :)

For today's post, I tried to think of something doggie-like that would fit with the theme of the number one, but all I could think of was the color yellow. The truth is, it wasn't meant to be. That's because this morning, as I was looking over my blog, hoping to get some inspiration, I discovered a gross grammatical error in one of my older post titles.

It wasn't a dangling pawparticiple (or even a dangling preposition); that would be nothing to "sneeze" at. No, this was much worse. Well, why don't I just let you try and find it, here:

'In the throws of a mid-life crisis, Tigger decided to cover her pesky gray hair'...

Hint: I highlighted it.
FYI: If you click that link, you will see that I have already corrected the error. The word should be "throes," not throws.

Now, it's not like I wrote that post, no one read it, and I never saw it again ('til today). It just so happens that it's in my top 10 most clicked pages (who knew so many people google images of Ann-Margret with cats??), and I've seen the title like 264,511 times - completely oblivious to my error. Until today.

Disclaimer: Did you know that it's been scientifically* proven that after age 40, half of one's brain cells that control memory and eyesight go on extended vacation in The Hamptons (or someplace equally exclusive outside the US)? It's true. 
*I know it; therefore, it must be true. :)

So anyway, there I sat this morning, noticing yet another unsuspecting googler had gotten to see Tigger in a wig when - as if someone unseen had passed my tired brain a memo - I realized that after all this time and hundreds of clicks, NO ONE HAD tactfully TOLD ME WHAT A DINGBAT I AM. 
(Note: All caps yelling does not equal bitterness.)

If it seems like I'm making a mountain out of a molehill, you're probably right. It's just that in the future, when I make another grammatical mistake (the kind of mistake that cannot be classified as a typo, and will likely cause some readers to chuckle and/or wonder when/if I will ever get a clue), will you kindly drop me an email?

Would you want me to do the same for you? I really want to know!
So there. I have said my peace (not piece).
Thank you and carry on with your (not you're) great weekend! :)

Bonus: Mr. Rogers singing his song!

P.S. It's (not its) "death knell" not "death nail." And if you're (not your) crying, it's "bawl" not "ball." I might have messed those up, too, somewhere along the way. :)


  1. I'll be your editor, I'll be your friend; heck, I'd almost be your (not you're) housekeeper if you PROMISE to keep writing!!

  2. I think people who correct everyone else's grammar, typos, and spelling all the time come off like jerks. I'd much rather assume you're a terrific writer who had a little slip (my most common one is type "live" when I mean "life").

    But if you insist on being perfect, I can always sic my husband on you (one of those aforementioned "correctors").

  3. Oh my word...momma makes mistakes right and left, BOL
    Benny & Lily

  4. Who needs editors - we're dogs, right??


  5. Funny! No won toled you about it cuz no won noticed ;-)

    I recently used the word "throes" (correctly, I might add) in one of my posts' body, but that word never registered as wrong when I read your post title.

    And if you think being post-40 lets a few slip-ups through, just wait a few more years! I was a spelling bee champ as a kid, and now I find myself looking up words for spelling/correctness way too often! Many, many of my brain cells have taken a hike, that is for sure!

  6. I don't care about the spelling, typos, grammar... I just want to read what you have to say. Any old way you care to say it.


    Besides, as I grow older, I can't even find a red pencil. All my red pencils must be in the Hamptons with my brain cells ... Dang! I wish they'd taken me along!

  7. My first thought woulda been that you were being clever with a play on the word 'throws' for 'throes'...because of throwing something to the dogs. And that maybe I was the one slow on getting the joke.

    Personally? When I had a blog I always welcomed corrections. I felt embarrassed, but would rather know and correct than have it sit there!! We all do it...we think faster than we type.

    Bottom line, you are clever and FUNNY! Don't give it a second thought.

  8. ha! i completely feel your pain. i'm a copyeditor by day! i'm certain i've made various errors in my posts and titles, but i try not to think about it too much, because i think my brain might explode. i also, as you can see, prefer to type in all lowercase letters (simply to save time), and i feel like whenever anyone finds out i am a CE, they think i'm some kind of idiot.

    i would never be insulted if you or anyone else pointed out an error to me--i would welcome it, so i could fix it.

  9. I discovered I made a mistake using "then" instead of "than" in a post. A typo probably, but I had to correct it. lol However, I decided long ago that I wasn't going to stress out over my grammar on the blog because I would be so picky I would never finish a Plus I try to have a more conversational tone on the blog, so I doubt I would even notice another blogger's mistake. :)

  10. Thanks for the input, everyone. :) I just had to get it off my chest!

    @Peggy, I'd write for house cleaning. :)

    @Pamela - I agree that nit-picky grammar police are obnoxious. This one, though, was for me the blogging equivalent of broccoli in my teeth. :) (And the perfection thing is kind of a hindrance.) As for the husband correcting grammar, I know my husband doesn't read my blog too often or he'd have corrected this one already. He also likes to use really big words that I don't know. Macho complex, they have. ;)

    @Taryn - Spelling bee champ? That's awesome. Not convinced your brain is any more depleted than mine, but I think I might have to take up crossword puzzles just to be on the safe side. :)

    @Talking Dogs - I love it! I bet your red pencils are in the Hamptons!

    @Robin - Thanks. :) I guess throws COULD have been a pun :), but it would've worked a lot better with a dog (versus Tigger). :)
    I wouldn't normally sweat the small stuff (if I did, I'd be a shriveled blob), but knowing this one had been seen so many times was embarrassing. :)

    @Lauren - I used to do copy editing, too. Should I admit that? I know what you're saying about the head exploding. I remedy that by spending way too much time staring at my posts before they publish, which is why I was SO bothered that I let this get through. I need to take a chill pill!
    Anyway, henceforth, if you get my back, I'll get yours. :) But remember, I'm a dingbat so if I miss something, you can't be mad.

    @2browndawgs - I would love to be able to relax about it! It is such a time suck! :)

  11. Ha ha - I'm sure no one noticed it! Sometimes we just see what we want to see :) I have only once sent an email to someone about a typo (and it was recently!) and it was a "one web designer to another" type of email, because I think there is nothing worse than having a BIG TYPO right on my homepage! I sent it a couple weeks ago . . she has something like "enter your name and email blow".

    She thanked me for pointing it out - AND STILL HASN'T CHANGED IT!! The nerve! I hope I didn't come off as a jerk and will probably never do it again - I just thought it was pretty important! Oh well :(

  12. @Julie - I guess a little email blow doesn't phase her. (hee hee) PLEASE tell me if I've got blow on my blog!




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