Shakopee Valley News - writing - Comments

Gee whiskers...Typo! Yeah, I

ndouglas — Fri, 23 May 2008 11:11:55 -0500

Gee whiskers...Typo!

Yeah, I sorta went off the deep end with this piece and I'm coming across too academic. Oh well.

I'll fix it later. Thanks for reading.

I'm Ron Burgundy? -Anchorman

goldengopher — Fri, 23 May 2008 10:48:44 -0500

I'm Ron Burgundy?

-Anchorman

Here's another newish trend

Lori Carlson — Fri, 23 May 2008 10:12:38 -0500

Here's another newish trend that bothers me: the use of question marks at the end of sentences that aren't actually questions.

Here's an example:

"Perhaps a gallon of gas will become as expensive as a venti mocha from Starbucks?"

It's not a question. It's a statement! No question mark needed.

What's worse, for me, is

Ruth Anne Maddox — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:25:59 -0500

What's worse, for me, is someone pointing out grammatical errors while filling a blog with spelling errors and/or typos.

Did you really choose a coma over ellipses or did you mean comma?

Are you positive you paid attention to your writing when you wrote "Well, absolutely positive he payed attention in grammar class!"

Like you said, ellipses indicate you've left something out. And, speaking of leaving something out, didn't you omit one "T" and add and "M" in omitted?

Finally, what, exactly is "viewer discression?" As Google would ask if you typed in a misspelled word: "Did you mean: discretion?"

OK, that's enough reader abuse for today.

Along with the abuse of the

ReneeF — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:18:28 -0500

Along with the abuse of the two, to & too's is the confusion of there, their and they're and your vs. you're!

Another peeve of mine is the crazy, unnecessary use of apostrophes! Some people seem to think that to make any word a plural they need to add apostrophe - s.

Personally, I find myself using ellipses in email to signify trailing off from a thought without the definity of a period. Not really trying to hide anything - simply indecisive.

So, ndouglas, would he have "payed attention" or "paid attention"? And, did i just make up the word "definity"?

"Losing love is like a

bhall09 — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:45:38 -0600

"Losing love is like a window to your heart...Everybody sees your blown apart...Everybody feels the wind blow."

"It's a turn-around jump shot...It's everybody jump start...It's, every generation throws a hero up the pop charts...Medicine is magical and magical is art, think of
the boy in the bubble and the baby with the baboon heart..."

-Paul Simon

Lucinda Williams has a

writers bloc — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:16:22 -0600

Lucinda Williams has a talent for songwriting as a whole -- creating music and a delivery that more than complement her lines, they elevate them. Here's a section from one of my favorites, but you need to hear it for maximum effect:

"Some kind of savior singing the blues
A derelict in your duct tape shoes
Your orphan clothes and your long dark hair
Looking like you didn't care ... drunken angel

Blood spilled out from the hole in your heart
Over the strings of your guitar
The worn down places in the wood
That once made you feel so good ...
Drunken angel -- you're on the other side"

Gone savage for teenagers

jennyjean4 — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 08:37:58 -0600

Gone savage
for teenagers with
automatic weapons and
boundless love
gone savage for
teenagers who are
aesthetically pleasing
in other words
fly
Los Angeles beckons
the teenagers
to come to her
on buses;
Los Angeles loves
love
Screenwriter's Blues - Soul Coughing