A Bulletin from the Grammar Police

Lately, a number of social media posts have begun to irk me.  It's not their content that bothers me, but the rampant mistakes in grammar and spelling that accompany them.  Don't get me wrong, I've had quite a number of mistakes as well.  Just look at some of my earliest posts, back before I had a computer.  I only had ten to fifteen minutes to type something out, so they were often short and laden with problems.  However, such is the nature of social media.  Mistakes happen, and they are corrected when they reach a level considered too bad to remain.  For any readers who don't know, I am going for my Masters in English.  This means that I am becoming qualified to inform others that they are making mistakes in grammar.  It could literally be my job to do so, especially if I get a teaching assistant position.  Yet, the past week or so, the mistakes are taking a toll on me.  It is becoming harder not to point out every single error I find.  If someone asks for advice, that is another matter.  I like helping people out when it is in a field that I feel knowledgeable in.  English is the most commonplace of those.  Many of the others are so esoteric (literally so, as many of these fields could be filed under New Age) that I rarely get the chance to use them.  Yes, I humblebrag about my expertise whenever appropriate.  If I find a minor misspelling or other error that changes the meaning of a post, I point it out.  But only if I know the person.  If it is a stranger or someone else I don't really know if I know, I let it slide.  I might be a tad upset about it, but I usually won't point it out.  This is extremely so in instances where English might not be the poster's first language.  I am involved in a few groups where this is true.  Sometimes, a post has errors that make it hard to understand.  Usually, I let those slide by as well.  I wouldn't want to offend the person by pointing out something they themselves might know is wrong.  I usually only bring it up if I can't understand the meaning of the post.  If I can guess the meaning, then I won't bring up anything about the errors.  However, there are limits.  Recently, a poster on a group I follow, but don't belong to yet, has been posting a series of somewhat funny ideas.  Practically none of them are correct.  Misspellings abound.  The grammar is so haphazard that the intent is hard to understand.  If I were a member of this group, I would be correcting this person's posts on a regular basis.  I think English is their first language, but it's hard to tell sometimes.  The grammar could be intentional, on some level maybe?  The other members of the group are starting to tire of these antics.  It could be the constant posting, but the errors can't be helping matters.    I try not to interfere, but such errors are starting to get to me.  Simple typos are fine.  The occasional wrong word is normal.  A flood of errors will send me over the edge.  I would be replying to such a post with a complete reedit of the contents.  Just because you're on Facebook doesn't mean you shouldn't try to write well.  Write right everyone.  Write right.

Well, That Was a Kickstarter in the Pants

I am still getting used to a life online.  One of these things are funding campaigns, such as those on Kickstarter.  Of course, I had heard about it for some time before I got my own computer.  I had even tried to look into it as a way to help keep the store going.  Unfortunately, I never really got around to explore the whole idea.  It was just too complex for me, especially since I didn't have a computer yet. I would hear about success stories from the news, but I never got around to figuring out how such things worked.  Then, last month, a company I liked, well, love, started a campaign to help publish a book to be sold in stores, instead of just as a digital download (PDF) or as a print on demand book (POD).  I had seen their promotions before, but I had never been as interested in the subject as I was with this one.  I wanted to be a part of it, especially with the additional perks I could get.  I would be privy to the early drafts of the book, which was already mostly done.  I could get a copy, the PDF at least, way earlier then I could get it otherwise.  This would include any bonus material that would be added if the campaign was successful.  As soon as the campaign went live, I started following it.  I wanted to see how things went before committing anything of my own to it.  The project reached 100% within one day.  Therefore, stretch goals were being added.  With each goal reached, I began to wonder when I should try to add my own to the project.  I needed to wait until I could add more to my credit card.  While I waited, early backers got to see the previews.  I was missing out, but I still had to wait.  Soon, the project reached over 300% of what was needed.  Still, I waited.  I wanted to make sure I had more than enough money, as well as deciding on the right tier for me.  I kept seeing basic previews, nice, but nothing compared to what the backers had gotten.  Finally, with a day left on the campaign, I made the decision to add my money to the project.  I was a bit busy though, so I had to wait a bit longer to check in.  I was so busy, that there was only a few minutes left.  The project had climbed above 400%.  The manager was running out of stretch goals to add.  With hardly any time left, I clicked on the button for the tier I wanted.  Not too high, as I would basically be getting the PDF version early and the opportunity to help look over the manuscript for errors or the need for extra material.  Not that great, but still a great boon for me, as this could be a way I could get noticed, as this would be great way for me to get into getting freelance work.  I have had these pipe dreams for doing this kind of work almost from the time I discovered this company.  I just never felt comfortable enough to find a way in.  This could be great.  So, I clicked the button, and I was instructed to start an account for Kickstarter.  For some reason, it never occurred to me that I would need to start an account.  I know, my naiveté was showing again.  By now, I had barely five minutes to do anything.  I panicked.  I had no way to know how much information was needed, or if I even had that information with me.  Also, I was wary about starting a new account with yet another website, one that I might not be using again, at least any time soon.  I closed out the site without pledging.  I had my doubts.  I went back to the site again.  They were counting down the time in seconds.  I left the site again before it went down to under a minute.  I admit, I chickened out.  I knew it would have been the right decision to try and pledge, but I had doubts.  On the plus side, I saved some money.  On the down side, I don't get to do something I really love.  I will have to wait until sometime next year to get my copy of the book, at about twice the amount I would have pledged for the PDF to get the hardcover, if it does come out to stores as announced.  By that time, I probably won't have my store any more, so it will be a lot harder to find it.  I don't know if I will have an easy way to get the bonus materials either, or even if I can get access to them.  There will be a period starting next month for others to join in and for original backers to make changes to their pledges, but I don't know if I would be able to get any of those perks that originally drew me in anyway.  For decades, yes that long, I have been looking for a way to maybe get into this line of work, but I had never felt that I knew the correct way to do so.  This project might have been a work around.  Now, I will just have to wait and see.  I should have trusted my gut and went through with the a soon as I could have and not listen to my self-doubt.  I used to be more daring, especially when I was younger, but doubt has so creeped into my soul that I rarely do anything without overthinking.  I have missed out on so much because I don't push myself.  I don't trust myself. I don't love myself enough to get what I want.  Not always, mind you, but often enough to feel miserable about everything.  I try, but I need confidence again. I need more.  I just not sure what.

Into an Endless Night, Wide Awake

As I have mentioned many times before in this blog, I suffer from insomnia.  In fact, it happens on a fairly regular basis, and it has been happening to me much of my life.  Just last night, I barely slept three hours, and that's just after sleeping barely four hours two night previously.  I'm not sure what is causing it, but both nights were similar.  I would try to fall asleep, only to start feeling some pressure, and then having to get up.  I tried many of the same techniques I've used over the years to fall asleep. I even used one technique twice the first night, even if it was not too easy to do.  The weirdest thing is that I rarely have two really bad nights so close together.  After not sleeping well the first night, I would be so tired that I usually don't have a problem falling asleep the next few nights.  This time though, I had two really bad nights with a barely better night between them.  I admit, I might not have been doing enough to help me fall asleep.  I worked out a little harder than us on the first day.  This normally leaves me extra sore when I increase my load like that.  It also leaves me running hot for a few hours.  Both can keep me awake.  I was online a little later than I should have been, playing games.  That light could have kept me up a bit the first night, but I cut way back the second night.  There were a few more reasons, but I won't enumerate them right now.  I am just still too tired to compose too much.  I'm usually better by the afternoon, but not really feeling it today.  Things should get better once the temps start going back down.  There is a certain temperature that is all but guaranteed to help put me to sleep, but I am not sure exactly what it is. I will end this post with a random thought.  Frito-Lay is coming out with Cheetos flavored popcorn, in both original and flaming-hot varieties.  Readers might not know or remember this, but Lays had a Chester Cheetah cheese-flavored popcorn for a few years, before they took it off the shelves in the past year or so.  I loved it.  It reminded me of another brand that I had as a kid.  I am a little wary of this new batch, though.  The older product had just the right amount of cheese, but this new one might have way too much.  Just look at the powder on your fingers when eating Cheetos.  Sure, my popcorn had the same thing happen, but never as bad as Cheetos.  I don't even think I've had Cheetos in over a year.  I do try to eat healthy, -ish, most of the time.  I want to like this new popcorn, but I am afraid as well.  I don't even know if it will be available around here.  It could just end up another product that I like not being sold anywhere near me, or just stopped production entirely. Until next time, wish me sleep.

The Mystery of the Mystery Novel Series

Please forgive the rambling nature of this post, as I only came up with a good idea a few minutes before I was supposed to write this thing.  Some weeks it is tough coming up with a topic.  While getting as much possible done before writing this blog post, I was going over one of the catalogs my store, Booknotes, has access to.  It was about some of the books scheduled to come out in February.  While I was going over the mass market paperbacks, I noticed that one of the mysteries had an unusual premise.  This series, whose second title comes out in February. is about a rabbit rescue worker, and her pet rabbit who she has a telepathic bond with.  Considering that I have a "thing" with rabbits, I couldn't believe I missed the first book of this series.  On the other hand, a rabbit rescue worker and her telepathic pet?!  Even for unusual premises, this one is out there.  To be honest, I don't read too many mysteries.  The ones I do read are prone to have a strange twist to them, frequently a subtle supernatural one.  I guess you could call them cozies, you know, nothing too violent but with enough romantic twists that would make them perfect for Hallmark movies, if not for that 'supernatural' thing.  [As an aside, while I do watch many of these movies, whoever heard of a murder mystery with a G rating?  The two things don't really mesh that well, most of the time.  Still, Hallmark has dozens of them.]. Many such mysteries have gimmicks that can be hard to carry deep into a series. Just look at all of the Hannah Swensen books.  There will twenty-five different dessert themed entries come February.  Soon, Joanne Fluke will have to delve into the mysteries of more obscure pastries to come up with a new title.  And the field for coming up with new series is getting tough.  The imprint behind two of my series, Midnight Ink, was folded last year by its parent company, Llewellyn, who wanted to focus more on its New Age and Occult nonfiction titles.  This news came up so suddenly on me, that it had already closed by the time I found out about it while trying to find out when the next books in my series would come out.  Furthermore, in case anyone has missed a major recurring theme in this blog's posts, I have aspirations in becoming professional writer.  However, I don't really want to become a mystery writer.  Yes, I do have a few ideas that could work as mysteries.  Yes, parts of my online work, Dada, over on my literary blog, The T. H. Weingarten Miscellany, could be though of as mystery, even though not a single murder occurs, fortunately.  Trust me, one could have.  Still, I don't think a rabbit lover like myself could have come up with something as weird as a telepathic bunny.

The Dawning of a New Year

Here's hoping this new year will be better than the last one, especially considering how the last day of the old year turned out.  As I mentioned last week, I was threatened by the coming closure of my store, Booknotes.  However, I found a way to keep the store open, for now.  That still didn't help out with the rest of the day.  It started at midnight, literally.  I had problems falling asleep.  While I've frequently had insomnia much of my life, the problem has been compounded by a strong light from a neighbor's home that Is thing directly into my bedroom window.  It is so bright, I could almost read by it.  I can definitely see some color with it.  I don't even need to turn on light in case I need it.  I didn't fall asleep until almost 2:00 am or so.  I woke up about 6:30 feeling awful.  I had a few issues getting ready to leave for work, but it ended up being only a few minutes off my regular time.  Unfortunately, I needed to get to the bank before I could open the store. For some reason, there was a hang-up, and that made me almost late in opening and I had a few major things to do.  Before I could do any of that though, I had to check on a book the I had back-ordered at the distributor.  It was going to be shipped out early, meaning I had to make sure there was extra money in the bank to cover the additional costs.  Then, someone had to go online to check on the menu and prices at a local restaurant.  We had gotten a gift card for it at Christmas and Tuesday would be the last best time for using it at a time that was good for us.  This cut into the time I needed to confirm some information I needed to create the store's new releases whit board.  This made me about thirty minutes behind schedule.  I actually had to work on the board while going online, alternating when necessary.  Yes, the included playing games.  Tuesday is the day that I set up for getting my biggest bonus in Candy Crush Saga and that hour of extra powers is crucial at times. At least we didn't have anyone come in. Just before lunch got picked up (this after ten minutes of wrangling the order correctly, after some changing of minds), I managed to finish the last puzzle I wanted to work in one magazine, while I finished reading the fitness magazine that I had started over the weekend.  Lunch was okay.  The portions were bigger than expected, including the bonus rolls.  I tried a few bites of something new, but hated it.  I wolfed down the rest, but I couldn't eat it all as parts were seasoned incorrectly.  After calling back, the restaurant confirmed that others had mentioned the same problem and would be emailing a gift certificate to make up for it.  Not sure it if or when it will be used.  For the next hour after lunch, I did some busy work to use up some calories, before I went online again.  I had nothing else to do, as I had the radio off because of the bowl game.  I don't like listening to sports on the radio, and the reception is so bad, it is nearly impossible to get my favorite station back if I try to tune to another.  I alternated playing games while double-checking the year-end inventory count.  I didn't have a single problem for the first half of the recount, then a hit a snag.  It took me over fifteen minutes to check my totals for one column.  I kept hitting the wrong keys.  I also managed to lose a game I was playing because of the added distractions.  Anyway, I kept having to start over columns of figures, while getting the store ready for New Years.  I might have been late in taking out the trash, but I managed to finish inventory but I couldn't finish rearranging some books.  So, instead of leaving a little early to do some last minute shopping, I actually left slightly later than usual.  This meant getting home late, only to find out that I didn't record my show.  Turns out, I may have accidentally erased the programming when I had to recalibrate the clock that morning.  Peg it to my sleeplessness. This also meant dinner was over thirty minutes lat as well, although that was somewhat helpful given my big lunch.  The rest of the night was spent playing games (and again losing in one of my favorites), marveling at others' posts on social media, and trying to find something to watch on television that wasn't New Years related.  After ringing in the new year, I waited about thirty minutes before going to bed, to make sure all of the pyrotechnics were over so I could sleep.  Yes, that light was on again, but I fell asleep somewhat sooner.  After such a bad day, the new year cannot be much worse.  Yes, it could be.  Don't want to tempt fate.