Braving the Rain

If you're reading this, I am pretty sure there is no way you missed the news about last week's bombings/shootings in Beirut and Paris. There is plenty I could talk about but so many have already said so much, so well. I just want to mention one tiny thing  -  our choice of words.

Maybe this happens only in Vancouver because it rains a lot in the winter, but on last night's news there was a report about a vigil for the Paris bombings. Describing all those in attendance, the newscaster said there were many people 'braving the rain'. I think we need to stop using that descriptor for wet weather. People, it's just rain. Half the time it's light enough we don't even need an umbrella. With today's wonderful waterproof fabrics, the rain does not need to be "braved".

Being a refugee crossing Europe is brave. Returning the normal life in Paris is Brave. Holding an umbrella in the rain - really isn't brave. That's my two cents for this rainy Sunday.

And peace to all the people of the world especially Beirut and Paris....

Our Education Dollars Well Spent

Jp spotted this sad sign in our local grocery store:

1000's of teachers must surely be crying. 

They  are old enough to work but can't spell this Grade 4 word? 

How do you know?

There's a big trend for people to be creative in their spelling of  names or words - especially for businesses or product names or artist names in the rap world, to name a few. But there must also be 1 million English teachers crying everyday at all the poor spelling out there (I usually get busted on these types of posts for grammar, spelling or diction errors ...) and what I'd like to know is - how can you tell when it's a spelling error or intentional?

Take this roadside memorial for example - I realize it was a sad moment for the person who wrote it and goodness knows how much distress they were under but do you think her name was really the "one eyed bandid" or did she not know the spelling of the word? How do you know? Should I laugh or cry?

Co-workers say the darndest things

I just received an email from a co-worker who exclaimed "holy macro" and I don't think they intentionally tried to update the traditional saying of "holy mackerel"

Another email came in today telling me that someone's schedule was "pact". And "we have a lot on the plate now."

I bet thousands of English teachers cringe everyday thinking about the sad state of our communication skillz.*




**(done intentionally)