being in the editorial profession, albeit on the advertising level, i grow weary of constant errors in print and on the web. it pains me to see ill-formed sentences with no fluidity, no texture, and certainly no proper punctuation or syntax—seen in everything from high-profile news organizations and gossip rags to joe schmoe’s blog about nothing. yes, i know the “elite” publications are trigger-happy to publish the latest and greatest BP snafu or the most recent celebutard to get divorced/knocked up/arrested, and i understand that joe schmoe probably hasn’t taken a writing course since senior year in high school. but can anybody please take a moment or two to digest the words strung together? maybe even put in a comma or proper em dash, or hell, go nuts, a modifier? spice it up a bit! as i said today on twitter, “given the saturation level of information on the web, i think it’s safe to say editorial & grammar skills have suffered dramatically.” i also would venture to say that overall content has been compromised. i skim everything for the most important parts because i’m honestly not captivated by the author’s intent. and it’s a shame. the written word was at one time a beautiful art form.
(please know that i abide by my own creative liberties with the content and structure of this here blog, but i always do my best to write with honesty, clarity, and emotion, three very critical elements of prose. and i’ve been known to have a typo or three. nobody’s perfect.)
the other thing on my mind? i’ll save it for another time. maybe.
02 June 2010
for two days now, i’ve had this nagging feeling. that feeling of wanting to pull further way. to turn the switch off. to not be so goddamn dependent.
what i’m talking about is connectivity. technology. virtual voyeurism.
the internet is too loud. millions and millions of people twittering about, posting photos, updating statuses, IMing, blogging, staring at smartphones. each and every one of us thinks our message is important. some of it may be, but it’s still so subjective. and ultimately, my synapses have had enough.
i’m no exception. in fact, i acknowledge my own contribution to the problem as i type this.
but i’m thinking i could be more selective with my input and a lot less addicted to the consumption.
a return to the analog. reconnecting with the silence. picking up a pen or a paintbrush or a knitting needle. maybe going to a coffee shop with a book or journal or some yarn. what a novel thought.
breaking up with the internet will be difficult to do. even as the dumper, i feel like the dumpee. still logging on, poking around, aware of my illicit acts, subjecting myself to the agony and the pain. my S&M relationship with the abstract. (yeah, go crazy with that one, googlebots.)
admittedly, it won’t be a clean break. the internet is good for some things. i’ll just use my discretion when hopping online.
so… i’ll see you around.
and in other news, there has been a weird, exotic bird incessantly tweeting (perhaps calling for its mate?) outside our office window for a week now. i feel like i’m in the jungle minus big spiders and bigger mosquitoes. there’s no internet in the jungle. is there?
05 November 2009
i don’t believe i’ve ever mentioned here, but i do have another home here on the interwebs. not just twitter or flickr or even ravelry. but final eyes, my sorta work website. i have a part-time gig where i’m a proofreader, but am looking to snag some offsite work, if possible.
and to keep it current, i’m trying to write more at mistaken, my blog about errors in print and online, standards and styles, and overall user experiences.
i know writing about editing and proofing can be mundane, but hopefully i bring a unique spin on the subject. so feel free to visit me over there from time to time. and hey, pass along the word of my services.
12 October 2009
