Memo to Me: "Maim You After My Meeting"

Hades doesn't have eternity to create internal business letters

Did you ever receive an assignment to write a 5-page paper in grade school, and then have a small meltdown at the prospect of forming enough sentences to fill the space? I sometimes experience the same emotion in college, but with one twist: nowadays the writing block comes when a professor states that the length of a paper is limited to 2 pages. Funny how times change.

Short messages are convenient. They allow us to save time and be efficient with our words. However, they are often ineffective. Writers who try to preform branch surgery may find they have actually loped off the trunk of their message.

I appreciated the chapter we read for class this week about different brainstorming techniques. I often find myself with dozens of related details with no clear main idea. In the future, I will definitely use the bottom-up approach to drafting.

For What Do We Live, but to Make Sport for Our Neighbors, and Laugh at Them in Our Turn?

Studying for the grammar test has heightened my awareness of the writing mistakes I see each day. Although I still struggle to catch errors in my own writing, I have noticed several funny grammar blunders on Facebook this week.

My favorite confusing sentence was written by a wedding photographer who was attempting to exclaim her excitement about an upcoming booking.

She wrote, "I am thrilled to photograph this sweet couple's wedding next week and am looking forward to them getting married for a little while."

Was the sentence simply mixed up, or was she subtly jabbing at what she felt was a doomed marriage? Either way, the post provided an excellent example of the dangers of failing to proofread before posting. 

The title of this post is a quote from Pride and Prejudice. While it is easy to see faults in other people's writing, it is important to remember that you are not infallible. 

Yes, Mr. Bennet, not even you

The photographer's poor grammar reminded me of a typo I failed to catch on a cover letter for an internship application. I was trying to state my admiration for the company's commitment to alleviating world hunger. Unfortunately, I sent a draft that said, "I admire you company's commitment to elevating world hunger." 

The recipient had a good sense of humor and we laughed about the mistake during my interview. However, I doubt I will be fortunate enough to get an interview if I make a similar mistake on future applications. I have learned to ask others to proofread my important documents before I submit them.

Angie After Dentist

We had a lecture about networking on Wednesday. Professor Middleton had each student write down three things they would like to receive advice on. I was training someone new at my internship the next day, so I used the opportunity to get training tips from my classmates.

One common theme in the responses I received was to make my communication as clear as possible, which seemed like a simple enough task. However, as I reviewed my schedule for the next day, I discovered that I had a dentist appointment a few hours before work. My time in the chair included a shot to induce local anesthesia on the right side of my mouth.

Despite my newfound imparity, my eight hour training session with the new intern was a success. I explained my situation at the beginning of the shift, and she was kind enough to ask me to repeat any instructions that seemed muddled. I will be sure to review my schedule more carefully before booking two potentially conflicting engagements so closely together.

Something Old, Something New, Something that Burrows, Something Blue

The title of this post provides a template for the entry.

I am a senior at BYU--something old and blue--attempting to train for a 10K--something new. 

I prefer to run in the evenings, using the exercise as a reward for completing my daily checklist. In my mind, the benefits of running at the close of the day have always outweighed any dangers. Yes, the dark makes navigating automobiles and texting-while-strolling pedestrians a mite more difficult than runs I've completed in full daylight. However, the exhilaration of racing the remaining sunlight as it slides past the horizon made me feel justified in downplaying any safety concerns.

This week I had an experience that me wonder if my justifications were putting me in danger.

I was halfway through my favorite route, curving my run around the South campus trail to enjoy the water features. As I rounded up a hill, I stopped dead in my tracks.  A gang (though Google states the correct term is "gaze") of creatures--something that burrows--guarded the top of my climb.

(sofiahomestead.wordpress.com)

As a child, I frequently read through my family's copy of Worst Case Scenario. The situations in the book seemed so far-fetched that I enjoyed them for their science fiction quality and never internalized the advice. But now, over a decade later, I found myself wishing I remembered how to handle encounters with masked bandits. 

Fortunately, the feline-like creatures contented themselves with a 5-second staring contest with their intruder--the gaze gazed at me--before they lost interest and disappeared into a patch of neglected landscaping.

I returned to my apartment that night with a better appreciation for the dangers associated with running at dusk. Maybe I'll leave nature in peace for its nighttime rest and allow myself to do the same. After all, I've heard that racing the sun as it climbs the mountain peaks is just as motivational.