I've been 'branded' a GN

[sigh]

I fear my carefree life of blogging is done...kaput...over before I've barely begun.

My few readers are doubtless wondering what has brought this on.

I'll tell you...careless comments, that's what.

Who would have guessed?

I try to keep my 'grammar nazi-ish' tendencies in check, really I do. While I can't help noticing mangled and hemorrhaging English usage at every turn, I try to avert my eyes and pass on, pausing only to assist those I know and love or those who call out for help.

But occasionally I forget myself. In an unguarded moment, when challenged to spot a typo, I carelessly admitted to noticing such things. I blame it on a natural love of words and past training/employment. I try to keep it hidden, squelching the urge to leave red notations in my wake (except for my children's writing, that is).

But that's all it took. One thoughtless comment...and now look what's happened. I've been gleefully claimed as a personal "Grammar Nazi!"

Now everyone is going to be reading her blog, eyes on the sharp lookout for mistakes. And I shall be found wanting in my titled role, revealed as a rank amateur grammarian before the entire www community...Bill Gates and everybody!

Even worse, my own writing will be subjected to greater scrutiny. People will come here expecting to find all my i's dotted and my t's crossed. Boy! are they in for a surprise! They'll find posts riddled with errors that any self-respecting Grammar Nazi would never allow...tense changes, mixed metaphors, dangling participles, you name it.

Stuff happens.

Typing fast and not bothering to proof my musings is partly to blame. Worse yet, sometimes after polishing a portion I totally miss some glaring error - like verb/noun agreement. Hey, it worked perfectly in the original draft...I just forgot to check far enough back is all. An honest mistake...could happen to anyone, right? While I can give all sorts of reasoned excuses, I'm downright embarrassed by the number of typos and errors that somehow manage to slip into my posts and comments. The little buggers just leap in! Honest!

So I have two choices: become uptight and paranoid about my future postings for fear of revealing my own ineptitude through countless mistakes, or lightheartedly pooh-pooh my newly acquired 'honors'.

I choose the latter.

Pshaw, I say...in my very best 'Bertie Wooster' imitation.

What's more, I offer this meek disclaimer: I really only admitted to grammar nazi-ish tendencies. What unnamed persons read into innocent, unguarded comments really isn't MY responsibility, right? While it's true that I did offer to help out, the person claiming me has little need of my vastly over-rated skills. Her blog is a treat, with well-turned phrases and insightful observations. (An occasional error pops up, but I suspect she's afflicted with the same little leapers that plague me.) I go there for an enjoyable read, not to work! Besides, I rarely carry a red pen when I am going to be nine miles from anything.

There.

Am I off the hook now?

I didn't think so.

Drats...

[muttering]

...where did I put my red pen?

(source)

[Thanks for the honor, Suzanne....I'm delighted and highly amused!]