Friday, March 03, 2006
Sweet pretty darling, do not cry
My window won't close completely, and my room is freezing. Usually, it's not too bad, but my desk is right under the window, and the wind is coming right in. That's why I have a big duvet to wrap up in.
Really, there's nothing to write about. It's been quite an uneventful week, especially after last week's fun and frivolity. I think Naomi and I are going to try and hang out tomorrow night, but other than that, it should be a fairly "normal" weekend, too, unless something exciting and spectacular happens on Sunday.
Seriously, I have nothing else to say. I'm that boring. I was going to write up this week's GG review, which is mostly composed in my head, but which I just need to write out, and then I was going to write a big long entry on random thoughts, and then I was going to curl up with a good book, and then I was going to take a gander at the GRE book that I picked up at the library today, and then I was going to get ahead on my reading for my life group... all in the big plans for this evening... and then I stuck my season 5 dvd's in, and, three episodes later, there went the night.
Oh, yes. The biggest excitement of the week? I've discovered netflix. Yeah, yeah, I know... I'm so far behind the rest of civilization, it isn't even funny, but at least it keeps me amused, right? Right. So if you've got any good movie recommendations, let me know. This is definitely the way to crack away at that (still nonexistant) list of movies that I "just have to" watch before I die. Maybe I should start with the list that Cindy gave us in the theatre handbook. Does anyone happen to have that kicking around anywhere? Kim? Janna? Jen? Laurel? Anyone?
Oh! I've been meaning to post this forever. There's an ad on the subway for a business college that offers courses like Court Reporting and Medical Assistant and things like that--business classes, but not a degree--and it's also the kind of school where you can finish your GED while you start the program. These ads are nice, sweet family snapshots--a mother and a little girl or a father and son, or something like that, and the headline reads: "I'm going to be just like you Mom." "No baby, you're going to be better."
Seriously. SERIOUSLY. If you're going to be a business school, and if you're going to advertise that you're supposedly an educational institution, please, please use your commas correctly. "I'm going to be just like you, Mom." "No, baby, you're going to be better." For the sake of every grammar nazi out there, get it right. That's not asking too much, is it? If I was school-shopping, those ads alone would strike that particular school off my list, no matter how good the programs are. If you can't even bother to proof your marketing, you shouldn't be offering anyone any certificates of any kind.
And it probably reflects badly on me, but I saw that and thought, "Well, it's no surprise that they're not trying to attract the same demographic as the NYU ads are, because they definitely wouldn't succeed if that was the goal." And I'm not trying to be racist, or classist, or elitist, or whatever-ist, but it just seems that if they're promoting a program that offers a GED in conjunction with a certificate (which, in and of itself, is a great solution, especially for young single parents, or people who are trying to get their feet back under them, or something like that), they're not going to be reaching the same demographic as NYU's Continuing Ed programs, which tend to target professionals and people who already have some university-level training.
Why, though, would they dumb down their ads, just because the people they're trying to attract will more likely not notice the blunder? That, to me, is just insulting. And rude. More rude than my assumption that they're aiming for a less educated, lower-class demographic. Those ads, in my opinion, assume that because they're aiming for a "lower" demographic, they can hold themselves to a lower standard.
See what happens when you don't punctuate properly? People don't take you seriously, and you lose business and credibility. Commas are important. And now, I'd better proof this entry to make sure (after that particular rant!) that all my punctuation and grammar is in order.
3 Comments:
Ok Lynn Truss! I still have that handbook. I can remember some movies off the top of my head, and I recommend them as well. Dr. Zhivago - the Omar Shariff version - NOT the Keira Knightly one, Crash - ok, so not on the list, but I bet it would be, plus Leonard Maltin thinks it might be the one to sneak up and win Best Picture. I kind of hope it does. It didn't get as much recognition as it should have. I'll send more if you like but I must get ready for work.
You go you Grammar Nazi!! You know that I completely agree wtih you. Commas are important and I rather like them. :P
~linds~
You must have picked up something from my "If I see an ad with misspelled words in it, I'm not going to take the company or product seriously" rants over the years--ditto for spelling errors, "your/you're, it's/its, I'm done it/I finished it" and the like. Nice to know some of my spelling/punctuation/grammar fanaticism rubbed off. Now just don't check this for any of those!
Nice to chat on Friday--good thing we didn't start ranting, or we would have talked all day!
Love,
Mom
On one hand, perhaps "no baby" is a better way to get an education for a young, unmarried woman!
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