I think I’m coming down with a blog post.

 

I love how big box stores, grocery stores and others now want to offer me wipes for the handle of my shopping cart. If they had any wipes at Best Buy (which they didn’t) I’d take it to the person who created this sign and try to wipe off the stupid. They have turned the word “healthy” into “heathly” (maybe they’ve read Wuthering Heights too many times — no, I doubt it) and “sanitizing” into “sanatizing”.

Hey, at least they got the Best Buy colors right.

Field of Dreams

A huge “thank you” to the alert husband of an alert blog reader. He captured the following homophone fiasco outside Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. This is the home of the minor league baseball team, the Cedar Rapids Kernels. It looks like they have a lot to be proud of, out there in eastern Iowa. Field of Dreams, indeed.

Except when it comes to spelling.

This is funny on so many levels. I will resist the urge to over-explain.

Suffice to say that the needed word is berth not birth. Defining Wild Card, however, is a much more complex undertaking because it has different meanings depending on the sport. I think it means they secured a spot in the playoffs, but only because they had a better record than the other teams who didn’t get there during competition during the regular season. That’s a dubious distinction in my book. Why they would include it, with a misspelled word, on an otherwise stellar placard, is beyond me.

It’s Scripps National Spelling Bee Day!

Tonight’s the night!

Tune in to ESPN at 8:30 for the final round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. I can hardly wait!

And, if you’re the one tweeting about the Bee, it would behoove you to spell correctly correctly.

Pet Peeve #9

Those of you who know me know I am not a fan of “verbing” nouns. It makes my list of top ten pet peeves, but it’s not number one.

Here’s today’s transgression:

Now, I’m looking to all the journalists and journalist wanna-bes out there. Are you now captioning photos? Please tell me you are writing captions.

By the way, I thought baseball players didn’t come out in the rain because they tend to melt or some such nonsense. Where are the guys with the tarp?

Fun Word of the Day

I was reminded today of a word that I love, but I don’t get to use as much as I would like: susurration. This is a great word because, unlike ersatz, it sounds like what it means: a soft murmur or a whisper. If your house happens to be haunted, the ghostly susurrations may make the hairs on your arm stand up from time to time! I love this word.

What made me think of it? I’m house-hunting, and I’m finding that a lot of houses in the area I’m looking have optional lake club privileges. There are lots of little lakes with club houses and swim teams (and web sites) which are there, ostensibly, to make these communities more attractive.

Looking at one website, I noticed they offer a periodic newsletter by email:

I might have to “suscribe” just to see what other wonderful errors I might find.

Ersatz vs. Erstwhile

If you want to stump someone while playing hangman, one of these two words ought to do it.

Ersatz. The unlikely combination of letters, the fun sound of this word and its definition make it a great addition to anyone’s vocabulary. Ersatz is an adjective meaning “being a usually artificial and inferior substitute or imitation”. “Ersatz eggs” would be a great way to describe powdered vs. real eggs.  (“Ersatz” may also be the sound you make while trying to spit out powdered eggs.)

Erstwhile, meanwhile, can be used as an adverb (meaning “formerly) or an adjective (meaning “former”). The erstwhile chef was unsuccessful at passing off powdered eggs to her clientele.

Have fun!

A Very Special Dinner

I hope your Easter dinner was enjoyable. It likely consisted of the traditional ham, possibly turkey, prime rib or (my favorite) filet mignon. Venison is a popular choice ’round these parts.

If you chose wild game, however, I hope you didn’t have to get it on safari.

Happy Easter Everyone!

I know I’ve been gone for a while, but I’m trying to change from my steady diet of apostrophe-related problems. Today we have a “do”ozy.

Easter has been a long time coming this year, it seems. Whether it’s late in the calendar or the fact that spring has taken a less-than-firm stance, this year Easter is a welcome milestone.

When I went to pick up lunch today, I almost lost my appetite as my local pizza joint chose this way to mark the day:

[Step back, shake head, blink a few times, grab cell phone, snap photo. Sigh.]

It’s due to, kiddies, not do to. And, no matter what Strunk and White says, due to is one of those combinations of words I generally seek to eliminate. There are many better word combos, and once people start using due to they find it hard to stop. Addictions to due to  are alarming. The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. It is completely acceptable to substitute because of or even from, if it works. Don’t be shy, give it a try!

The Experimental Bartender

Dear Bartender,

Coming up with those new drink concoctions must have been fun! You should wait until the hangover subsides before you write the new drink menu. It’s “special”.

Toma(y)to, Toma(h)to, Tomoato?

A new entry into the combative world of pronunciation:

Now, is it a vegetable or a fruit? I feel certain there is a blog out there that attempts to bring closure to that issue. Oh, let’s call the whole thing off.