Category Archives: grammar

things to do. and a grammar update.

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still more unpacking to do.   plenty of unpacking.  and storage to shop for.  never can have enough storage.

right now I’m taking a bit of a breather at the coffee shop – drinking a very pretty coffee.  no picture to show – the camera is still missing.  then I’m off to find a Christmas palm tree.  I have purchased lights, hung stockings and other various decorations, wrapped the presents I’ve found – I think that’s pretty good progress.  I have another hour or so until the stores actually open.  there is no 24 hour Walmart here.  and I have to get home in time for my Thai lesson.  or, rather, in time to clear a spot for my Thai tutor and I to sit…

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because I know curious minds are wondering just what it is I’m doing with my capitalization and comma quandry…

I’ve decided to capitalize almost all proper nouns.  the first word of a sentence may or may not be capitalized as it may or may not be a proper noun.  and I’ll throw a comma in almost every time I feel 100% confident it’s called for.  or try to.

i will overcome all obstacles

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so, we’re moving tonight.  instead of Saturday.  we found this out last night.  I’ve got tons to do, but not as much as it feels like and, of course, there’s tons of time to be blogging!

but I will not let this little move and possible lack of internet interfere with my holidailies posting.  somehow I will make sure it gets done.  I will fill you in on all the minutia.  I’m nice that way.

for those of you on the other side of the international dateline (is that a proper noun?  because if it is it should totally be capitalized, but since I’m not sure, oh well…)  anyway, for those of you over there we’ll be moving Thursday evening instead of Saturday.  any and all who saw the disaster we left the morning we left the U.S. might be worried that a sudden move up could spell disaster.  it won’t.  really.

outing myself and attempting to change my ways

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Some of you might be thinking I don’t use capital letters in my posts and comments because it seems to be “the thing” to do.  Others might think it’s my literary voice coming through.  Neither of those are the correct assumption.  The truth, the shameful truth, is I have purposefully not used capital letters in the hopes that you would not notice my complete and total grammar suckage.  Or if you did notice you might be tricked into thinking it was just part of the whole no caps, literary voice thing.  It’s also the reason for my love of the dash.  I am consistently confused about comma usage – and colon or semicolon usage.

I know there are rules for those sorts of things, and I should learn them.  But I don’t want to.  I want my lack of good grammar to be seen as quirky and cute.  However, I’ve now been called on the carpet for it.  I know you’re wondering who would have the gall?  The answer to that question is my dad.  I haven’t asked his permission to post the following quote from what is a very lovely email, but I’m doing it anyway.  And the only change I’ve made is adjusting C14′s name.  (I’m more than certain the last sentence I typed is incorrect.  I could be wrong about that.)

By the way, we love you and yours and pray for you and them daily. (NOTICE THE PROPER PUNCTUATION.) I know C14 aspires to be an author. Help him out with proper grammatical construction before you free him for poetic license.

If he were the only one questioning my grammatical abilities that would be one thing.  But just the other day, a Thai friend told me that she had been instructed to never ask for grammatical help from an American.  They are awful at grammar.  I know that’s a generalization.  I know some amazingly grammatically correct Americans (I even married one), but the thought that I could possibly be reinforcing this generalization has made me rethink my no caps and willy nilly grammar approach to blog posting.  I feel the need to at least attempt to change my lazy ways.

So, from here on out, I pledge to use many, many more capital letters and to do my best to get a handle on proper grammar.

I should probably carry a copy of Eats, Shoots and Leaves with me everywhere I go. And maybe start working on a few Shurley Grammar jingles.

For those of you out there with superiour grammar abilites, I welcome feedback. (Think constructive criticism.)  But I don’t like being called stupid.