A Mug Shot We Love

Marcia J. sent along this little beauty: a photo of the foam on her latte featuring SPOGG's punctuation action figure. 

We love it! While it's not quite the commitment that the world's first SPOGG tattoo required, we'll drink to it nonetheless.

If you'd like your very own SPOGG mug, visit our shop. Please forgive us the spelling of "stationery," though. We have no control over that.

And if you're a writer, you must check out Marcia's blog post about branding. We confess that we did not think of our efforts as such--really, it was all about having fun--we are glad they've made the right impression on someone so savvy and articulate.

Distinguished Prose: No Ifs, Ands, or Butts...

A SPOGG member sends this memo she received at work (emphasis hers):

During the afternoon of March 9, 2012, the trash can near the smoking Kiosk area caught fire. After investigating the cause of the fire, it was determined, most likely, that a cigarette butt was put in the trash receptacle instead of the cigarette receptacle. If the maintenance team had not reacted immediately and DISTINGUISHED the fire, this incident could have put the Headquarters Complex in a dangerous fire situation. As a result, OOA will make recommendations to Senior Management on how to prevent or minimize such an incidence from occurring in the future. Please be advised that until a final decision is made, it is imperative that ALL cigarette butts are disposed of in the cigarette receptacles located in the designated smoking area. Thank you for your cooperation.

It's Like a Martini ... for the Ears

It's been a long time since we've posted, but we have good reason. Our first novel comes out in June, and we have been busybusybusy honing it to perfection. One round of copy editing, two rounds of proofreading, and a stronger glasses prescription later, we think it's ready for the world. The misspelling in the title is on purpose.

(Go here for more information about the novel.)

Meanwhile, National Grammar Day gallops toward us on bright and clattering hooves. John McIntyre of The Baltimore Sun, he of the delightfully cranky* You Don't Say blog, has recorded an audio version of the Grammar Noir he wrote in 2009 to celebrate the first National Grammar Day.

You really must listen.

And then, for National Grammar Day on March 4, we invite you to pin the apostrophe in the contraction. Either that, or remove it from the possessive. Yes! We believe in having that much fun!

May the fourth be with you!


* We like him even if we do not always agree on grammar or the virtues of shaking vs. stirring a grammartini.)

It's Never Too Early to Learn to Spell

It's "whore," you little dummy. WHORE.*

*Oh, we're only kidding. They prefer to be called sex workers.**

**Just kidding. Call them Nancy.***

*** We'll stop now, as we're starting to look like a hores's ass.

It's the Little Things

R. sends this photo of a sign hanging somewhere in Arizona. It's so close to being right. Just that missing letter N.

People, that N is out there.

Maybe it's inserted itself into a "stationnery" sign at Office Depot. Or maybe it's run away with the missing apostrophe and E from this tattoo.

Please do keep a look out so that we don't have to make a custom milk carton pleading for its safe retur ...

Craiglisterious: We Don't Know What This Means

SPOGG member Linnea D sent this Craigslist gem. 

We suggest you read it out loud to appreciate the full measure of the lunacy. Druck free? Maybe. But we doubt it.

Will Drive car with person Truck with load car with pet (orange park to brunswick ga)

CLEAN WHITE 48 RETIRED GREAT RIVER NO TICKETS NO ACCIDENTS WILL DRIVER YOUR CARE TRUCK WITH LOAD CARE WITH LOAD

CARE WITH ANIMALS....NEED TO GET TO BRUNSWICK GA TOMORROW.....

DRUCK AND BOOZE FREE PLEASE EMAIL BACK OR CALL DRIJVE SAFE YOU PAY FROM GAS VERY IMPORTANT..CALL 904 477 2250
 

Not Quite Mary Poppins

From a Craigslist ad written by a prospective nanny:

Exp'd, Loving, Conscious [sic]  Nanny Available

Unfortunately, we're only in the market for an unconscious nanny.

Thanks to Kate R. for the find. And good luck with the nanny search.

There Is No U in Flowers

But there are two of them in "bouquets."

The spelling teacher probably needs a dozen incentive tulips (which are different from apology daisies and attempted-seduction roses).

Thanks to Matt K. for the photo.

Oh, Red (Pen) State...

You know the expression "so wrong it's right?"

Yeah, well, that doesn't apply here. All of these errors still add up to a big, fat yikes, and as Sara J. of Mobile, Alabama puts it, "This does not help southern Alabama shed its backwoods image."

Cue the banjos, y'all. It's been that sort of week.

It's "know," not "no." It's "you're," not "your." And it should be "supposed to," not "suppose to." A little punctuation wouldn't hurt, either. All that said, the onion rings look really good.

Don't Drink and Dress

Look, we'd drink margaritas every day if we could. They're delicious! So tangy and salty!

But, just as we love our liver, we would never use the apostrophe to make a plural, nor would we spell everyday as one word, unless we were saying something to the effect of "Margarita is ordinary."

Thanks to Alan H. for the photo.