Just mildly amused ramblings.
Jan. 17th, 2009 04:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
imbecamielGotta take a stretch break from editing, before my brain thoroughly ties itself into a knot. Or I get tired enough to start getting sloppy. :P
Perhaps it shouldn't surprise me anymore, but I am always startled when people attempt to use smiley faces in their articles. I am all for smiley faces. Obviously. Love them - in e-mails, IM, casual interaction. But in an article you're preparing for publication? Seriously? O.o
Also, the number of people who try to use multiple exclamation marks. *shakes head* I mean, I do know that many of these people are not professional writers, but... many of them are. Many of them have books published. Yep, books, plural. C'mon, they know this stuff... don't they?
It's also amusing when someone tries to make an excellent point... using an argument or example which is unfortunately less-than-effective in demonstrating that point. Especially when better examples are readily available. Such as the review of a book on real-life heroes from various wars in American history (sounds great!), in which the writer asks if you're tired of genetically modified heroes - and gives as example Batman and Superman, of all the superheroes. *mutters* ('kay, actually Batman's a normal human who just uses lots of cool gadgets and martial arts training. And Superman's an alien, who wasn't genetically modified, but was born that way and has the abilities he does due to the differences between our planet and Krypton, most particularly our sun. *sighs* Yeah. Okay. I let that one go. Decided she made her point effectively enough to be understood without me displaying my utterly geeky side. Still. Spiderman? X-Men, even? Though technically they're not genetically modified so much as evolved, actually. Fantastic Four? The Hulk? *flails* Research, people! *glances around sheepishly* Okay, I'm done. You can stop laughing now.)
So yes, I get a good laugh editing certain things. Not because I am mean, or think these people are idiots. I have a great deal of respect for them, and they have some wonderful stuff to say. And certainly not because I don't understand how typos and mistakes happen, or believe that they are necessarily a sign that people don't know better when they should. Really. I do understand, from personal experience. I have a great deal of mercy for such things, and I love doing my job.
It's just that certain mistakes have really very funny results. (Erm... you're gonna show love to your children by treating them to electroconvulsive therapy? Think you mean "etc." there, not "ECT".) And correcting other mistakes... kinda makes me want to cry. Because really, they should've been caught way before this point, especially considering several people should have gone over it. And especially when it's the same ones again and again and again and again. But I choose to be amused, and giggle instead. :)
And then I get distracted and accidentally write on my face with my red pen. Or tap the wrong end of a highlighter against my lips. The results of which are somewhat undignified.
There is a very good reason why, when I have been working, I like to check the mirror before I'm seen in public.
'kay, end ofcoffee Mountain Dew break. Still on track, getting lots done, and I refuse to be overwhelmed! *strikes triumphant, heroic pose*
Perhaps it shouldn't surprise me anymore, but I am always startled when people attempt to use smiley faces in their articles. I am all for smiley faces. Obviously. Love them - in e-mails, IM, casual interaction. But in an article you're preparing for publication? Seriously? O.o
Also, the number of people who try to use multiple exclamation marks. *shakes head* I mean, I do know that many of these people are not professional writers, but... many of them are. Many of them have books published. Yep, books, plural. C'mon, they know this stuff... don't they?
It's also amusing when someone tries to make an excellent point... using an argument or example which is unfortunately less-than-effective in demonstrating that point. Especially when better examples are readily available. Such as the review of a book on real-life heroes from various wars in American history (sounds great!), in which the writer asks if you're tired of genetically modified heroes - and gives as example Batman and Superman, of all the superheroes. *mutters* ('kay, actually Batman's a normal human who just uses lots of cool gadgets and martial arts training. And Superman's an alien, who wasn't genetically modified, but was born that way and has the abilities he does due to the differences between our planet and Krypton, most particularly our sun. *sighs* Yeah. Okay. I let that one go. Decided she made her point effectively enough to be understood without me displaying my utterly geeky side. Still. Spiderman? X-Men, even? Though technically they're not genetically modified so much as evolved, actually. Fantastic Four? The Hulk? *flails* Research, people! *glances around sheepishly* Okay, I'm done. You can stop laughing now.)
So yes, I get a good laugh editing certain things. Not because I am mean, or think these people are idiots. I have a great deal of respect for them, and they have some wonderful stuff to say. And certainly not because I don't understand how typos and mistakes happen, or believe that they are necessarily a sign that people don't know better when they should. Really. I do understand, from personal experience. I have a great deal of mercy for such things, and I love doing my job.
It's just that certain mistakes have really very funny results. (Erm... you're gonna show love to your children by treating them to electroconvulsive therapy? Think you mean "etc." there, not "ECT".) And correcting other mistakes... kinda makes me want to cry. Because really, they should've been caught way before this point, especially considering several people should have gone over it. And especially when it's the same ones again and again and again and again. But I choose to be amused, and giggle instead. :)
And then I get distracted and accidentally write on my face with my red pen. Or tap the wrong end of a highlighter against my lips. The results of which are somewhat undignified.
There is a very good reason why, when I have been working, I like to check the mirror before I'm seen in public.
'kay, end of
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no subject
Date: 2009-01-18 01:07 am (UTC)*still giggling madly at your geek-tastic OCD-ness about superheroes* ;D
Bwah, and I know what you mean about checking the mirror after editing, though with me, it tends to happen with drawing...sooty pencil smudges on my chin or something. *laughs*
Hurray for not being overwhelmed! *cheers you on* :D
no subject
Date: 2009-01-20 06:33 pm (UTC)Hehe. *bg* Well, I know Superman and Batman are probably the best-known superheroes, and therefore the ones most likely to spring to mind and all, but really. *huffs* Such an unfortunately unsuitable choice of examples. But yeah. I could just see the reaction to my going off on a thoroughly geeky little rant: o.o "You know what I was saying about our children having too many fantastical, imaginary heroes, as opposed to real ones? Um..." ;P But getting these things right is important. *nods decisively*
no subject
Date: 2009-01-20 09:55 pm (UTC)LOL, I really want to do the gargantuan reply thing again, but I HAS NO TIMES! So in brief, I was telling Tim about this (he is a massive comic book nerd), particularly about Superman being offered as an example of a genetically modified hero, and he flailed a bit and said, "UGH! He's Kryptonian! All of the Kryptonians are that way, they're just neutralized while they're on their home planet. He's a perfectly normal Kryptonian."
*gigglefits* Just to let you know you are not alone.... :D
no subject
Date: 2009-01-21 08:31 pm (UTC)