March Fourth and Conquer Grammar in the Hodgepodge

1. 'In like a lion, out like a lamb'...does the first part of this saying describing March weather ring true  where you live? 

Absolutely, positively, unfortunately, yes.  If you want details, check AccuWeather for Maryland. But I don't think you need details.

It's time for someone to take de lion by de tail and fling him back to the safari. If he doesn't, I will !  African temperatures and perpetual sunshine sound upROARiously blissful right now.

That being said, spring will come. It always has and always will. We do what we have to do to get through the doldrums, we hope for green grass and blue skies, and we love our snow days off school and the delayed openings thereof. 

2. March 4th is National Grammar Day. What common grammatical error bothers you the most? 

Oh, boy. Is it really National Grammar Day? Hooray! I must make a cake to celebrate! I would put a candle in it to mark each of the following grammatical errors that bother me, because I can't pick just one.

There are just to, two, too many.   Speaking of to, two,  and too, it bothers me when I see people write "too" when they mean "to."

Incorrect:  Icy roads scare me too death.  
Correct: Icy roads scare me to death. 

 "Too" means "also" or "excessively," so  think of the extra "o" as being your clue.

Another one is the classic misuse of  "your" and "you're."  People, why is it so hard to understand that an apostrophe means that a letter has been left out?   "You're" is "you are" with the "a" left out. "You're going to remember these hints for your next writing task, aren't you?"  Are not you?

But, the error that makes me grind my teeth is seeing the apostrophe used to make a plural.  Why do people DO that?  I don't get it at all. Why is  it so hard to simply add an "s" (or "-es" if it's the proper spelling)?

Incorrect: My grandkid's are the best thing in my life.
Correct: My grandkids are the best thing in my life.
Incorrect: Apple's $1.39/lb.
Correct: Apples $1.39/lb

In speaking, the grammatical errors that causes electrical synapses to misfire in my whole body is this one: starting a sentence with "me."

Me and Alex want to hang out after school.
Me and Jenny laughed so hard watching that video.

People, remember it's rude to put yourself first. Rude and unclassy.  Put the other person first and you won't make this moral OR grammatical mistake.

Alex and I want to hang out.
Jenny and I laughed.

While I'm at it, don't abuse me or I,  either.

"My parents gave John and I  some wonderful wedding gifts."  NO.
Leave out the "John and" to figure out what's correct.
"My parents gave I some ....gifts" ?  No.  "My parents gave...me some gifts." Yes!
"My parents gave John and me some wonderful gifts."

By the way, my parents gave me the gift of using good grammar in our home, which outlasts wedding gifts and rarely needs to be dusted or vacuumed.

3. William Arthur Ward says- 'The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.' Which one are you?

Realist. 

4. What's something you need to 'march forth and conquer' this month?

Cleaning out some drawers and bookshelves that I've become blind to, but my hubby hasn't.

5. An ongoing debate around here...do you dust first, then vacuum or vacuum first, then dust?  

I have heard that debated, too, but I think as long as they both get done, what's the big deal? Dusting first makes most sense to me, because you knock dust down, wipe off crumbs and such, from the top down. The floor catches those things and then you vacuum. Yes, I know , the vacuum scatters dust particles, but I can't see them so it's okay.  Poor grammar bothers me way worse than dust or clutter, can you tell?

Of the two routine household chores, which do you dislike the least? How's that for wording? Wow, Joyce, that wording was too  (to, two) much like a math problem about trains leaving Chicago and New York.  I don't mind vacuuming; it's actually rewarding.  I hate dusting. And I do not like math on a train or on a bus, on a boat or on a plane...

6. According to thrilllist.com, the ten most photographed sites in the U.S.A. are-Cinderella's Castle in Orlando, Southernmost House in Key West Florida, The Space Needle in Seattle, The Site of the Boston Massacre in Boston, The Bellagio Lake/fountains in Las Vegas, The Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, Coit Tower in San Fransisco, The Art Institute of Chicago, Niagara Falls, and snagging the number one spot-The Guggenheim Museum in New York City. 

How many on this list have you photographed? Which on the list would you most like to visit and photograph?

Two.  (Boy, this is a theme today, huh?) I've only photographed Cinderella's Castle and the Lincoln Memorial.

7. Fifty years ago Monday (March 2, 1965) The Sound of Music premiered at the Rivoli Theatre in NYC. Have you seen the film? Do you own a copy? On a scale of 1-10 how much do you love it (or not)? Ten=best movie ever. If you're a fan, what's your favorite scene or song from the movie? 

I've seen the movies dozens of times. We girls memorized the sound track from the record in the 70s.  (By the way, it is correct either way to write "70s" or "70's" because they're decades; go figure.)  If you're (you are) too young (excessively not old) to remember (to+remember) records, they were like CDs  (plural, no apostrophe needed).

But I digress.  On a 1-10 scale, The Sound of Music is a 10. 

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Two thoughts aren't too many to write, right?

1. If you are a praying person, please pray for the salvation of my brother-in-law.  It is clear that God is pursuing him.

2. A friend of mine said she was going to order  this t-shirt (which, ironically, is missing a period at the end. Grr.)

https://img1.etsystatic.com/040/0/9564848/il_340x270.621197671_5p7n.jpg