Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Copyeditor humor

From the Editorial Anonymous blog:

An editor and a copyeditor are out walking when they come upon a set of tracks. The editor looks at them and identifies them as deer tracks.
The copyeditor says, "No, those are elk tracks."
"I disagree," says the editor. "The majority of viewers would certainly interpret these as deer tracks."
"But they do not follow the correct form of deer tracks," objects the copyeditor. "They must be elk."
They argue back and forth, on and on, and they're still arguing when the train hits them.

Friday, December 21, 2007

Incorrect headline in Orange County Register


Roger Clemens most certainly did not "refute" the steroids' report. He disputed the findings and he denied them. The definition of "refute" is to "prove to be false or erroneous." In no way did Clemens prove anything. This is a common mistake, but one you wouldn't expect a large newspaper like the OC Register to make.

Monday, December 17, 2007

Newsweek error

Here's something you wouldn't expect to see in a national news magazine: "It's in it's fifth printing." The error appeared in an article about the new "Kite Runner" movie.

Friday, December 14, 2007

I've been tagged!

Here are five random things about me:
1. I seem to get laryngitis easily. I'm on day three of having no voice whatsoever.
2. I lived in one town up until I went to college, but since then have lived in 10 different states (and multiple cities within those states.)
3. I often wish I had become a veterinarian. Too bad that math skills are a requirement.
4. I worked as a counselor in a French children's camp in the Alps and learned a whole lot of words that weren't in my textbook or dictionary.
5. I broke my right arm taking out the trash and falling on a slippery sidewalk, the same week we decided to move from Washington to California.

If you don't know how to play, here are the rules... List 5 random things about yourself on your blog. Then, tag 5 friends at the end of your post with a link to their blog. Don’t forget to let your blogger friends know they've been tagged. Then it's their turn. They will list 5 random things on their blog and tag 5 more people and so on and so on. Make sure to go back to their blog so you can read their 5 random things.

Here's who I'm tagging: Shari, Mona, Erin, Allison, and Danette

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Orange County real estate listings

It's no secret that the housing market in Orange County is terrible, among the worst in the country. But what puzzles me is the blatant lack of professionalism on the part of some real estate agents.

Take a look at the following entry by a local agent:

Price: $429,900

Lake Forest, CA 92679

High Volted ceilings with lots of windows!Very light and bright!This is the biggest model with 2 car garage. This home is in excellent shape. It has beaitiful stone floors and wood floors. This is a Short Sale. Be the first to get the bank to accept your offer. .. .this is a steal!!! Lots of parking on this side of Boulder. Close to park, pool and school. Seller's paid $530,000 2 years ago and put upgrades in throughout! Nice wrap around yard with new fence, Lot's of nice Cabnets in Garage.

I first spotted this on an Orange County real estate blog. I understand that some people aren't strong when it comes to grammar and spelling. What I don't understand is why these people fail to recognize that weakness so they can seek help. When this agent became aware of the real estate blog, she updated the listing, but continued to spell it "lot's" and actually managed to misspell the name of the neighborhood (Portolla, instead of Portola.) Her listings for other homes she's selling are just as bad. In this rotten real estate market, why would any buyer or seller choose to use someone who's so sloppy?

What's sad is this agent is far from alone. Though she may be an extreme example, she's one of many agents who make grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors on internet listings and brochures. To me, that's a sign of carelessness that should send potential clients running in the opposite direction.

Just had to add this from the agent’s website. Whoops! I guess she forgot to build this page …

About Us

About Us is the page where you write in more detail about your company and business. Focus on your strongest points, whether history, licenses, or awards.

If you have a mission statement, place it here.

This page should include information such as company history; certifications, licenses, insurance, and bonding; awards; the professional experience of the founders or key employees; and other important details not included on other pages. You may want to include a picture of yourself or your staff.

Company history

Tell visitors about your company's history, including location, ownership, personal experiences, and other information that will help people remember you. Keep this information brief but informative.

Customer testimonials

What do your customers have to say? Consider using some space to tell the story of the business through your customers' voices. Their word is more powerful than anything you can say for yourself.

Friday, December 7, 2007

Serenity Now


Now for a brief interlude in the midst of this hectic month.... the sun setting over the Pacific.

Christmas misspelling, writing update



I've seen a couple of different ways to spell Frasier tree, but this isn't one of them. There's an excuse, though. The tree was manufactured in China.

As for the decision to buy an artificial tree, it was tough. Part of me still thinks it's a travesty. But I also realized that wrestling with lights on a real tree that dies in mid-December, topples over unexpectedly, spills water when it does so, and embeds pine needles throughout my house was killing my joy in the season. So, although I miss the wonderful smell of a real tree, I've made peace with my fake one. I've attempted to take a picture, but it didn't turn out well at all.

I've done little writing lately, due to little time because of demands of the season. I've been working on revising my Highlights fiction contest stories since I need to submit them next month. And I'm pleased that I have two picture books being held by Blooming Tree Press following their recent submission call.

My major challenge for the week was preparing a novelty book for submission. I'd heard the editor speak at a conference in October and knew I had something that would fit well with what they're looking for. However, she was very clear that it was insufficient to send a manuscript alone, even if it came with instructions for the novelty idea. She said writers needed to design a dummy spread. So, I did, thanks to some help from clip art. (I first attempted to draw a bunny myself, with absolutely no success.) I created a bunny, complete with a touch-and-feel cottontail, that "hopped" in a sliding motion on the page. For someone with next to no artistic talent, this was a huge stretch. No matter what the editor's eventual response, I felt a sense of accomplishment in sending it off.

Saturday, December 1, 2007

My story in Stories for Children magazine

Here's a link to the site: www.storiesforchildren.tripod.com
This is a fairly new e-zine that can also be printed out. It has some wonderful stories in this issue, including a very fun Snowman mystery story by my critique partner Rachel Hambly.