Friday, April 17, 2009

a rant and some schadenfreude

FYI: You lose weight. You lose a child. You do not loose these things. Loose is another word entirely.

Is it just me, or is this particular misspelling becoming more and more common? It seems like I see it everywhere, and it makes me crazy. I've even seen it misspelled on some poor child's grave marker, which just about made me sick: did no one proof-read that thing before permanently etching it onto this poor dead kid's memorial stone?

I know that some people simply aren't good at spelling, that I am one of the lucky ones that intuitively knows the difference between "effect" and "affect" and never have to think hard about it. The thing I suck at is math. Numbers are like a foreign language to me. I seriously could not grok the concept of making change until I was halfway through the fourth grade, the coins were so totally intimidating. And I still suck at making change, to this day it isn't something that I can easily do in my head.

I accept that limitation. There are probably people who are thinking evil thoughts about my inability to understand numbers, just like I rage against shitty spelling. I accept that, too.

But HOLY SHIT, at least my fail isn't plastered out there everywhere on the internet. Schadenfreude!

4 comments:

Riot said...

I am the same way. I am Great at spelling and grammar, yet I utterly suck at math.

Clare said...

Happy ICLW! I am totally anal about spelling, but then I am a teacher :) The lose/loose thing really really annoys me! Apostrophes in the wrong place also get my back up - maybe i shouldn't be such a spelling/grammar snob?? Did you hear about those guys who went around the US correcting spelling and grammar on signs with their indelible marker? I think they got charged with vandalism.

..al said...

LOLOL@the losing debate...BTW, do you lose your virginity or loose your virginity...Sad question, I know! I have lost my nuts in this IF quashing quest.

Thanks for the comment on my blog...uber-fertiles really have no idea about how easy it was for them!


*ICLW*

Anonymous said...

I hate when things are spelled wrong as well. I can't believe a grave marker was spelled incorrectly. That is horrible. I too am horrible at math. If there is a learning disability related to mixing up numbers, I have it. It is so difficult sometimes. I am a REALTOR and numbers are important in my biz. I have a calculator all the time.
They say Math is Power. I am screwed then.