How my ipod makes me a safe driver
I like hearing about everyone's grammatical pet peeves. Apostrophe misuse is a major one, though I admit it doesn't annoy me so much as entertain me. There's a business called Snyder's Brothers Meats. I like thinking about this Snyder character, who has nothing to do with the meat business, but he must be some heck of a guy that his brothers love him so much they named their business after him. Those brothers of Snyder, so diligent in their meat shop, so mindful of their vegetarian brother.
I was interested in Lia's comment about "I feel badly." I took a linguistics course in college and LOVED it so much. For hopeful writers, I highly recommend taking a basic grammar course or more in college. It's important to know the rules before you decide which rules to break. Besides, the history of language is fascinating. I would love to go back and major in Linguistics. And History. And other stuff. In that course I learned the difference between a prescriptivist and descriptivist. Basically the former believes in adhering to all the rules of grammar to the letter (noting that they do change over time), and the latter believes in a language's need to change and adapt in order to communicate. I was raised by a prescriptivist, which is great training, but I side with the descriptivists. I believe language is about communication, and "Who am I speaking to" is easier to understand and say than "To whom am I speaking" because "who" is more important than "to" in that sentence. So for me, adios old fashioned rule that says never end a sentence in a preposition. Unless it's superlative, as in "Where is it at?" The at is unnecessary, though quite full of character. That's why, for me, "I feel badly" is grotesque. Whether or not it's in keeping with rules, it doesn't communicate properly. It's confusing. It's an anomaly. I don't likes it, I don't. But if I ask you how you are and you say "Good" I will only be pleased.
Of course grammar issues are a kind of fun kerfuffle to debate, whereas texting while driving is LIVE THREATENING. Just say no to distracted driving! ...and I begin to contemplate how focused I'll be driving my car with two babies and two kids hollering at me and demanding sippy cups and entertainment. My plan? Good music. It's amazing how well a good song on a good system can drown out background noise.