My Disease and The Winner’s Circle
contests, language November 16th, 2008My husband and I attended a wedding yesterday at a ski resort. On the way to the ceremony venue, we passed this sign near the ski rental shop.
It killed me to see it hanging from a ceiling, because if it had been hanging on a wall where I could reach it, I’d have pulled out my lipstick and corrected it.
I know. I have a disease. Pity me.
It’s sep-A-rate, people! And “an pole?” An pole??? And why is “Rack” capitalized?! What’s so special about the rack? Please tell me this sort of thing bothers other people.
I mean, if you’re going to the trouble to make a giant sign, what’s the harm in running the text through a word processor or at least having two people check it for spelling? Drives. Me. Insane.
******* The Winner’s Circle *******
Today’s Comment Extravaganza winner is Bryan of Philly Today! My husband picked a random comment (#37) from yesterday’s post and his number came up. Congratulations, Bryan, on winning a Junk Drawer magnet. I’ll be in touch soon.
Babs Beetle joins Bryan in the winner’s circle by correctly guessing that the What’s That? Saturday mystery item is the stopper for a hot water bottle. Congratulations, Babs!
I’m pleased that only a few of you guessed correctly. It’s my goal to post an item that no one can guess. I’m getting wicked better at it!
Don’t forget — have your trigger fingers ready for the 10,000th comment! It might come sooner than you think.
Stumble it!
November 17th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
I really want to know what is wrong with the sign can someone tell me.
November 17th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Well I have the disease too. And agree with Lee about misplaced apostrophes! It seems that correct grammar is just not taught any more.
Jan’s last blog post..So, what does a Chiropractor do?
November 17th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
I also belong to the grammar/spelling Nazi club. I HATE when things like this are allowed to pass through printing and then installation without anyone noticing! Wouldn’t you think that a SKI resort would know how to spell “skis”?!?!?! Grrrr. I once went in a jewelry store who had not just a sign, but a BANNER hanging in front of the store that said “Jewlery Sale”! I HAD to tell them! I couldn’t let it go! I often wonder how people with successful careers in my company (or ANY company) can be so successful and not know how to spell or use correct grammar. Grrrr.
November 17th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Yes, I do this to the great annoyance of just about everyone! Copy editing is a lost art – books from respectable publishing houses have so many errors it makes you think the darn thing printed itself.
Broadway Matron’s last blog post..Manic Monday – Season
November 17th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Awww, leav tham alon. Thay was drnk win thay put thet sine togethr!
The Hawg!’s last blog post..The U.S. auto industry could use some change
November 17th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
hi Kathy,
Darn! I didn’t win! Oh well, I guess there’s always next time…
BTW, I didn’t read the above 55 comments that closely, but I’m surprise nobody picked up the you went to a “wedding at a ski resort”. Seems like there’s a good joke in the somewhere. Where the bride and groom wearing skis? Instead of a “run-away-bride” you’d have to worry about a “ski-away-bride”.
Ok, maybe I better leave the humor up to you.
~ Steve (aka the trade show guru and commenter #9770)
Trade Show Guru’s last blog post..Please help Will
November 17th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
too funny! I wonder if how many blasts they’ve had for this sign? It does demand your attention..
Deborah’s last blog post..My Work Desk
November 17th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
I have that disease. What really makes me see red is seeing these types of errors in my local newspaper. Don’t they have a professional proof-reader? Aren’t they supposedly educated writers? Yeesh!
Puglette’s last blog post..More Gratitude
November 17th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Dan Brantley — Oh, brother. Hmmm. Shall we give them points for consistency? Nah!
Regan — Oh, please do. But I bet your mom won’t let you take a camera. It might get stolen along with all the single skis, cuz I bet there’s some jerk out there with a pile of mismatched ones.
Jay — I know there must be some support group out there for people like us. The meetings consist of passing out sheets of copy loaded with mistakes. Maybe we shouldn’t call it a disease, but rather, a gift?
JD at I Do — Thank you, professional editor! Will you facilitate our support group meetings? You know, I had trouble with “skiis,” which didn’t look right to me, but I didn’t research it either, lazy butt that I am.
robert bourne — Have Sharpie, will travel. Yeah, don’t give me another place to watch for errors or I’ll never be cured.
Marlene — I hate, hate, hate the then/than error!!! That’s one I’d have no problems correcting with a pen and ruining the sign. They’d deserve it.
Karen — I used to get “separate” wrong all the time until I remembered there are two a’s and two e’s. I thought about the capitalized Rack in the same way you did. Maybe ‘rack’ deserves emphasis if that’s all they’re thinkin’ about. Boobs are quite important to boys, yes?
Joe — Sorry I made you go through this, but I consider it some kind of therapy for my disease. Sharing with others helps me cope.
absepa — Drives my husband crazy, too. Not the spelling errors, but me talking about them all the time. He barely notices, but I suspect he’s better off for it. Chester drawers? Awesome.
Jenny — I once got a letter of thanks for the my “roll” on a committee. I was disappointed because I don’t remember getting any rolls while I served. Do and wallah? I’m surprised you survived those atrocities. Keep up the good fight!
Beamer — I’m really glad the Ebonics movement never survived. I’d have had to move to another country with a language that is still respected. I did understand what you said, but now I need a cold compress for my head.
amber — You’re right! If someone was so inclined, they could make out pretty well.
eve — Sorry. But I must post about these things. It makes me feel better knowing others are as irritated with it. Join the club.
KFJ — I don’t get it either. Why wouldn’t you complain about it when it was time to pay the sign bill? It’s wrong, wrong, wrong! I wouldn’t part with my money if I didn’t approve it. Geesh.
Margaret — OMG. My sympathies. But aces for going to the trouble of fixing it. I could never let that go either. We must conquer all bad spelling!
Bill Womack — Heartbreaking indeed. (But very cool he’s “in” with the Queen’s calligrapher. Not many people can say that.) Now, on to the abuse. “Receive” is one of those toughies. I often have to say to myself “i before e, except after c.” Whatever works!
Babs beetle — Which is so funny! I chuckled to myself that you wanted to change it, but I knew you had it right! Good going! I forgot that I have bacon bandages and air fresheners to hand out as prizes. That’s what I’ll offer for the next contest, and also for whoever is the random commenter on this post. Thanks for the reminder.
Jeanie — I often see “follow up” used as one word, too. Sometimes I hyphenate it, sometimes not, but I always use two words. “Lock up” is the same. There’s no excuse for bad grammar or spelling in a published novel. They have editors, not?
Lee — I’m not perfect, either. But at least I make sure my spelling is impeccable. It says something about you if you’re constantly screwing it up.
Kara — Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoy it here.
brooke — Go back and read all the stuff under the sign above, and read all the comments. People here caught even more mistakes than I did.
Jan — I swear this is all caused by text messaging and email. Nobody cares anymore to write out whole words, and if they do, they don’t give a damn about whether it’s right or not.
mlm — I cannot figure it out. It’s not like it was a quickie sign handwritten on paper. Somebody paid money to have that sign made and hung with care. No excuse! Good for you for speaking up about the misspelled ‘jewelry’ sign. You’re my hero.
Broadway Matron — True, true. I feel like I’m in the minority most of the time, but it warms my heart to see so many others here have problems with it.
The Hawg! — If only.
Trade Show Guru Steve — Don’t worry. Plenty of other chances to win something. Yeah, I wondered why no one mentioned the ski resort. Kind of an odd place to have a wedding, but I guess they need to bring in money in the non-snowy months. It was quite beautiful, though. Really great vista behind the couple as they said their vows.
Deborah — Yeah, well. They might get a blast of sorts from me if I decide to write them about it. I’m a little chicken, though.
Puglette — It’s funny how, when I read the paper with errors, I can’t get past it. Ruins the whole article for me. Yeah, people. It’s important! Get on the stick!
November 17th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
I could barely read that sign without wanting to scratch my eyes out. Things like that drive me CRAZY…apparently “Works” is special, too.
This is why everyone should snowboard.
November 17th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Well, I do bring my cell phone. And I know how to get pictures I took on my cell phone on the interwebs.
I hate those guys with the mismatched skis, thinking they’re so great. These are the type of people who steal poles, too.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Totally with you on that one! Maybe one error can pass as a typo, but a gazillion of them is just plain lazy and/or stupid. It IRRITATES me!!!
Also, the plural of ski is skis, not skiis. And lock up should be two different words, not one.
Jeesh!!!
I’m going to start carrying my lipstick around for impromptu corrections! Good idea!!
; )
November 17th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
my 1,000th comment was last week. feeling a little loseresque right now. guess i’ll go poke myself with an pole.
muskrat’s last blog post..a princess needs a prince like a fish needs a bicycle
November 17th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
I’m with you, that grammatical error stuff just drives me nuts. One thing that always confuses me is referring to something as ‘an historic something’. It seems like it should be A historic thing. Guess I failed to show up the day they taught that grammar lesson. 🙂
Carol’s last blog post..Mystery From The Kitchen Drawer
November 17th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Yes, and lock up is two words. There was just so much wrong with that sign!
November 17th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
Love your blog… and yes, that kinda thing drives me insane as well… by the way,,, I have left you an award over at my blog… come by and pick it up!!!
November 18th, 2008 at 5:27 am
Its just got to be a law of nature or something like that, that means sign writers must be bad at spelling, grammar and punctuation.
Ian’s last blog post..New toy
November 18th, 2008 at 6:04 am
I have a story about horrible signs!!!
I was 19, and going to go get a tattoo. I know, right, don’t do it! But I get to the tattoo parlor, the only one in dinkyville, where I live. And their big sign out front is of the classic heart tattoo, with the banner and dagger… the whole picture is LOPSIDED. And the letters aren’t even the same size!!! If you can’t make a decent sign, what the hell makes you think you should be a tattoo artist? You can take your time on the sign, AND get as many do-overs as you want!!!
We walked in, said “Which one of you made the sign out front?” “Okay, well, we want the other guy who works here then.”
Can’t wait to come back on Wednesday!
Eryn’s last blog post..Purry Logic, a furry review and giveaway!
November 18th, 2008 at 6:51 am
Angi — Random capitalization makes me crazy, but less so than unnecessary apostrophes. Everyone should snowboard, except for me. I can die as easily on one ski as I can with two.
Regan — Be on the lookout. You know, I still haven’t submitted your phone photos from Canada to the unnecessary quotations blog. One day.
Ferd — If you correct a sign with your lipstick, remember to get a picture of it. My favorite color is Cocoa. What’s yours?
muskrat — You’ll be joining more loseresque people who don’t win the 10,000th comment. Of course, if you time it just right, it could be you. Take a look at the number. It’s coming up fast!
Carol — I hate “an historic,” too! The supposedly correct way sounds so WRONG.
Jodith — And I’m ashamed I didn’t catch all the errors myself. I must be slipping.
Joey — Thanks for visiting and for the award! BTW, you’re right. The frog is both cute AND creepy!
Ian — The general public is allowed to screw up, but sign makers? Makes no sense.
Eryn — Awesome! And good for you for speaking up. So what tattoo did you get?
November 18th, 2008 at 6:54 am
Ha ha, I thought it was pretty funny even without the grammatical errors, but that just makes it more money. I like your take on it, this actually is a hilarious blog!
November 18th, 2008 at 7:40 am
Kathy, my head indeed “EXPLODED”. Thanks a lot. How silly will I look today walking into the office with a collapsed cranium. It’s a good thing I’m not too vain.
That quotation website is fantastic. I read the whole dang thing.
Vivienne’s last blog post..Giving Thanks
November 18th, 2008 at 8:02 am
I’m living proof that a person can be a writer and suck at spelling. And I’m wondering if by Rack, they mean a woman’s.
Prefers Her Fantasy Life’s last blog post..I See Bald People
November 18th, 2008 at 10:11 am
Ooh! Ooh! My absolutely “peeviest” pet peeve! CAN’T ABIDE misspelled signs!
wiregems’s last blog post..What I Made Yesterday, 11-16-08
November 18th, 2008 at 10:19 am
OH my… that sign is terrible. I can’t stand to see misspellings like that, I would have been helping you correct them!
November 18th, 2008 at 10:59 am
I think I should introduce you to someone I know who can tell across the room that something is a millimeter off. It usually has to do with graphic design and other stuff on the computer screen but sometimes translates to picture hanging. “I don’t see it!” “A little to the left, NO, that’s way too far. 3/10 of a mm to the right. NO too far again…”
TheSnackHound’s last blog post..Me and the Giant Apple
November 18th, 2008 at 11:07 am
Oh, yes, I agree about the mistakes on the sign. Such things irk me to no end!
Sherry Martschink’s last blog post..Did You Love Lucy?
November 18th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
That sign is REALLY funny.
I would have wanted to fix it too!
I would have NEVER guessed that was a stopper for a hot water bottle!!
meleah rebeccah’s last blog post..He’s Growing Up Way Too Fast For Me…
November 18th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
I wonder how many skiers split their skis up like this, have a few too many brewski’s and the forget that they did it an assume someone DID steal just one of their skis. Wouldn’t suprise me.
Bruce’s last blog post..The Perception Trilogy – Part 3
November 18th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Airsoft — It is a weird sign, isn’t it? I guess I should give them some credit for watching out for their customers.
Vivienne — I’m so addicted to that site and a really great lady runs the thing. She gets interviewed about her blog all the time, I believe even making it to a blurb in The New York Times. Keep your eyes peeled and send them in to her. She gets a lot of submissions, but she’ll get to yours eventually.
Prefers Her Fantasy Life — I don’t know anyone, writer or not, who’s a perfect speller all the time. But I trust if you’re making a sign, you’d get it right!
wiregems — Seriously. It’s a sign! Put some thought into it!
Kathy — Would have been awesome. Could you see us, one of us on the other’s shoulders, fixing the damn thing? That wouldn’t look too strange, would it?
TheSnackHound — God, maybe we should introduce them to the sign makers. They need someone with a good eye or two.
Sherry Martschink — This probably won’t be the last time I post a bad sign, so beware if it makes you crazy.
meleah rebeccah — I stood and stared at it a good long while, realizing I was going to have to let it go. Couldn’t reach it, but I could blog about it, which is some consolation.
Bruce — Tons, I’d imagine. And then maybe grab two that don’t even match, leaving two other people to think theirs were stolen. I’m sure it’s happened.
November 18th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
I SO have your disease – genetically inherited from my Mom, an English major. But she’ll go so far as to comment to the store owner/waiter/whoever. She once saw a sign that said “Ears pierced while you wait” and she went in and said “what are my options? To leave my ears here???”
My present to you: you don’t have to comment on my comment. xoxo 🙂
Happy Hour Sue’s last blog post..Thoughts from The Womb
November 18th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
I would pity you, but I think you’re completely justified in going insane over that sign, lol
I would have done the same thing…
Daily Blissings’s last blog post..TT4: 13 Things Sending Me Crazy
November 18th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Ha! I’m still trying to figure out what a ski-so is….
When I go to the ski hill, I rent the equipment and I never lock them up on the Racks. I was always afraid of theft, but here in Canada no one is locking their equipment. It seems that stealing skis is almost unheard of. I take it then that lots of skis go missing in US locales?
Tim’s last blog post..Spam-a-Lam-a-Ding-Dong – Spametry Lives On
November 19th, 2008 at 4:01 am
He probably thought that the best way to get ppl to read the signboard was to make as many mistakes as possible 😉
Perky’s last blog post..I Used To Be a Whole Lotta Fun
November 19th, 2008 at 4:02 am
That kind of stuff drives.Mom.crazy. One of her nieces is a journalism sophomore and her emails and blog posts are full of urban lingo, misspellings and grammatical errors.
Gandalf and Grayson’s last blog post..WW: Grayson Gazes
November 19th, 2008 at 6:28 am
Congratulations Babs! But, darn it! I missed it, and I have a feeling I might have had a chance too…hmmm
And you are not the only one driven crazy by misspelled signs. I’m surprised you didn’t notice “Skiis” Oh, I cannot stand how it looks…so don’t feel like the lone ranger.
Annie
Annie’s last blog post..If I was a Handywoman, I wouldn’t need a Handyman
November 19th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Kathy! Two Things!
First, I proclaim you the Queen of all Blogging! Your Link Tutorial is Brilliant! You should write “Blogging for Dummies.” Is that an unneccesary use of quotes? Who cares!
Second, I read your Twitter update at lunch. Long Live Windy the Walmart Bag! May forever she wave, LOL!!!
Chris (Casey)’s last blog post..More Fun with Floors!
November 19th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Happy Hour Sue — Oh, that’s great! I love her! And you’re getting a response because that’s another disease of mine. I think there was only one post I didn’t respond to all comments on.
Daily Blessings — Join the club. There are lots of us with the ailment. Feel good about it. The language needs us!
Tim — We’re all thieves here. I’m moving to Canada.
Perky — If it was — It Worked!
Gandalf and Grayson — She must want to jump off a building then. A journalism major?!?! Oh, I need a cold compress now.
Annie — Don’t forget. You can win for the 10,000th comment if you’re around when it happens. I’m thinking this weekend or early next week. I’m still ashamed I missed ‘skiis,’ but something told me it was one of those words that’s OK with two i’s. Maybe I was just thinking of ‘skiing?’
Chris (Casey) — Hey! I’m glad the tutorial worked out. I have to remember that little Jing tool. It’s really useful when trying to explain numerous steps in an application. Did you also see the bag video? She’s really twisted up in the tree and her top arm is wrapped around a branch like ten times. Babs was right. She’s probably going to disintegrate rather than fall out.
November 19th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
I’m with you, Kathy. Things like that bug me to no end…
kev’s last blog post..Quality #6 I Look for in a Woman: Doesn’t Fall for Nigerian E-mail Scam
November 20th, 2008 at 2:15 am
Ugh, that sign is physically painful. The worst part is that it most likely got through AT LEAST 2 people (sign writer & sign maker) who didn’t notice!
Jess’s last blog post..More Etsy
November 20th, 2008 at 4:17 am
Another mistake they’ve missed out ‘and’ in ‘another ski (and) a(n) pole’ or think they tried ‘another ski and pole’ where they missed ‘d’ in the ‘and’. Whatever. The idea of it is not bad after all. In which place did you see that?
November 20th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
i, to, am aflicted with this desease butt am trying to cure myselve from it. my hope is that my tenndency for ypos will move me in teh right derection.
isabella mori’s last blog post..a watchful eye on wordless wednesday
November 21st, 2008 at 6:12 am
kev — I knew it would and it makes me proud to know you.
Jess — I don’t doubt it. Maybe three.
Tim — I agree, it’s a good idea. I saw it at Blue Mountain in Palmerton, PA.
isabella mori — Your comment made me cry.
December 6th, 2008 at 3:19 am
Just found this via google, been reading a few articles and really like your blog… The articles are pretty well written =P
Keep up the good work =P, I’ll try to keep checking back…
Cake Recipes’s last blog post..Pound Cake Recipe : Combining Sugar & Butter for Pound Cake Recipe
December 7th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Cake Recipes — Glad you found your way here! Yes, do come back, but next time don’t bring cake recipes. Bring cake.
June 23rd, 2009 at 3:23 am
Thanks, it’s so good to see there are others out there who care about this kind of thing.
Sometimes I just want to yell at people for having stupid, embarassing typos on their ads, menus, shop signs… you name it. But you are not alone!