I’m surprised at the number of people who find out that I’m an English major and immediately get nervous that I’m going to start correcting their grammar.  Actually, I’m far more forgiving of bad grammar in a spoken context than I am in a written context.  So forgiving, in fact, that it would never occur to me to correct someone’s grammar in a conversation.  How obnoxious would that be?  Answer:  very obnoxious.  Downright rude, in fact.  Are English majors supposed to be ruder than people who study other subjects?  I hope not. 

Anyway, not only am I not in the habit of correcting people’s grammar in conversation, but I am also not in the habit of being irritated by poor grammar in conversation.  But this quote from Michael Stipe on being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame made me want to cry:

“R.E.M. and myself in particular are really terrible at looking backward.  We kind of as a band continually look forward so it’s really fantastic that someone, especially the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, are looking backward to recognize the work that we’ve done.”

And this one from Mike Mills made me want to scream:

“I’m probably happier for Patti Smith than I am for ourselves.”

I understand they’re musicians (as opposed to English majors), but gentlemen, please.  It’s your mother tongue.  Have some mercy, for God’s sake.

For Better or For Worse is the worst!Okay, kids, I know I’ve said this before, but I’ve had it with Lynn Johnston.  So Mike’s house burned down.  Fine.  Grandpa’s had a stroke.  Fine.  He’s old and she’s already killed Grandma and Farley, so what do I expect?  And now she’s finally going to do in Officer Paul.  I predicted this, what, two years ago?  Only she’s not going to kill him.  Oh no, that would be too kind.  She’s going to turn him into the no-good pig-dog who breaks Elizabeth’s heart.  Then Elizabeth is going to run straight into the arms of Anthony.  I knew it as soon as I saw his stupid and newly-single cheesy mustache.

I predicted, gentle readers, did I not, that she was going to break Elizabeth and Paul up?  I thought it would happen sooner than this, but she lured me into a false sense of security with all this lovey-dovey long-distance romance crap.  Why why why did I fall for it?  As soon as Pilot Warren showed up at her door to take her up to Mtgwi9fwi or whatever it’s called a day early that this could only mean disaster.  Phooey!  Phooey on you, Lynn Johnston and your stupid cheesy-mustached characters.  I’m going to stick to reading Luann.