We've been friends for a long, long time, and I feel like our relationship is one for the history books. I've studied you, used you and even tutored students in the finer points of all things you. Sure, we've had our rough patches. The editing class I took in college made me cry daily, but I choose to blame your snarky sister Copy Editing for my distress.
You're a stickler for following the rules, and I respect that. I too am a goody-goody and can appreciate the necessity of keeping writing on the straight and narrow. I wanted to celebrate you, Grammar, so here are some of my favorite things about you.
The Interrobang, or genius in punctuation form. Combining exclamation and interrogative points into one snazzy typographic solution. I love it. Who wants to type "!?!?" to ask a question with shock and awe? Not me.
The Oxford Comma, recently fired from the Oxford Style Guide, will always have a place in my heart. Sure, it's not Associated Press style, which is how I have to write in my professional life, but I will always seriously love the serial comma. In the song "Oxford Comma," the band Vampire Weekend asks "Who gives a flip about the oxford comma?" Well, I do, boys. So there.
You're vs. Your
Their vs. There vs. They're
Where vs. Wear
It's vs. Its
will go far in this life.
So, thank you Grammar, for all that you do. You're doing good, and I hope that you're well.
P.S. Love this note you sent all of us!
image 1, 2, 3, and 4
LOVE this post!! I'm also quite glad to know that mag editing made someone else feel horrible. As much as I loved that class, it killed me. It was like a giant BLOW to the ego. Just when I thought I was conquering something, I'd get shot down again. I'm still a little bitter!
ReplyDelete