Reformed Spelling & Grammar Queen? Nahhh…

So I was re-reading one of my blogs and – gasp – I saw two typos! In the same blog. I was immediately horrified and quickly hit the “EDIT” key to correct the mistakes. And now I’m wondering: to whom should I return my Spelling & Grammar Queen crown?

Yes, I take spelling and grammar seriously. Always have. Even in these days of texting and tweeting I make every attempt to check my spelling and grammar before pressing “SEND.” Someone might text “where u at?” (extra annoying), or “r u bak fr vaca?” and I will respond, “I am at work. Did you need something?” or “Yes, we’ve returned. We will call you later.”

It takes longer to text such complete sentences, but I think it’s worth it. I read fast and I don’t want to take time to decode and decipher messages. Yes, I’m a spelling and grammar snob. I admit it. First step, right? However, there doesn’t seem to be a support group for people like me. Maybe I should start a chapter. I can’t seem to help it, though. I pass judgment on people who don’t get the to/too/two thing or the difference between there, their and they’re.

I’m not quite sure why people write so badly these days. Are they lazy? Indifferent? Do they even know proper spelling and grammar? I don’t know the answer, but I have to say that it bugs me.

Am I perfect? Of course not, despite Vince’s assertion that I must think I am. (Ha. He’s SO funny, isn’t he?) I’ve decided that I must have missed an important class in grade school on the use of personal pronouns because I frequently mess up the “I” vs. “me” thing. This causes me to rewrite sentences entirely because I don’t want to be wrong or, even worse, corrected.

And were I to edit these blogs beyond superficially, I would have to haul out my red pen big time because I know I write sloppily. I leave subjects off of sentences, I misspell some words (most of the time on purpose, mind you!), use slang to excess and use shortcuts like ellipses to a fault. Oh, and I’m trying very, very hard to leave the word “very” out of my writing as well as my overuse of exclamation points after every sentence! It’s annoying! Really, I swear it is!

In business writing, I tend to be formal and precise. There are no “gonna’s” or “gotcha’s” to be found. I suspect, however, that I’m living in a world where we are becoming more and more informal and shortcuts like LOL and IDK and JK don’t even have to be explained anymore. Maybe it’s all because of Twitter? When you only have 140 characters per tweet, you have to use shortcuts. I am not, by the way, good at Twitter. Only 140 characters - are you kidding me?!

Oh, never mind. I’m not gonna win this one. Maybe I need to lighten up and go wit’ the flow, baby.

So…who do I turn my Spelling & Grammar Queen crown into? (LOL. Yeah…it’s buggin’ me! Very much!)

Let's you and I (me?) just fuggedaboudit, okay?