The Underachiever Life

Don't you DARE ever say life is not interesting around here...

I just got this email sent to me.

Serously Ed!

This is atrocious, mate!

You're asking people for 10 grand US a hit and your letter contains at
least EIGHTEEN spelling and grammar errors.

And that's without me referring to the generally poor writing quality
-- I realise you are trying to keep a conversational tone.

I've attached a Word file showing you what I mean.

And I haven't bothered to mark debatable items like the use of 'that'
and 'which'.

Digger, you think and act fast. You're one of the few people I admire.
You're one of the most successful people I know, both financially and
in how you live your life.

But you let yourself down big time with your written English.

I know, you think it humanises yourself. And to a small degree, it does.

But it also, to a larger degree, presents someone who doesn't give a
toss about getting it right in small things.

The solution is simple -- let me check everything you send out.

I joint founded and for 7 years owned a newspaper -- The Byron News
I worked for APN News Media for 4 years
I print and publish -- paper and web -- for my livelihood
For tricky stuff, I can call on personal friends like one our
country's absolute best in all things English, Dr Geraldine Castleton,
Head of School of Education, University of Tasmania
I'm good fun to get on the piss with
I can play bass guitar -- did it for a living for 15 years when I was young

For just US$120 a page (ONE PAGE = roughly 5700 characters including
spaces or approximately 850 words) I'll save you the embarrassment of
what people think, but never tell you.

Think about it mate . . .

Cheers

John Wright

Now don't think receiving this type of email gives me pause, I really wish my spelling and grammar was some kind of act. It's not. In fact, this is what I wrote back to John - I'll leave it unedited so that you can see the depth of my problem...

Ed Here,

Thanks for taking the time to write. I failed English at HSC level (If I wasn't so good at physics - I would have flunked HSC)

I do ok with the very limited ability I have. Part of that limited ability, is to know when what is worth worrying about and what is not. My horrific spelling and grammar is something I struggle with. I cant say i'm proud of it (more ashamed of it to be blunt) but I continue to do OK with the aforementioned very limited ability I have.

In my more pollyanna moments - I'd like to think it gives hope. If this illiterate idiot can do this maybe I can to.

Really Sorry it drives you nuts - you can be sure you are not alone.

Ed

What really gave John the edge in this is that he had taken the time to send me an edited version of of the email with the eighteen identified error's (he actually missed a few but I suspect he had to take a long shower to get the filth of my grammer out of his skin, and their is only so much a pro editor can take)

For your fun and amusement here is a PDF you can download to see the mistakes in all t....(Damn it - i still don't know which fricken  there,they're,their to use)glory...

Click here for the shame that is my disability in all it's PDF glare

Like i said  - never a dull moment around hear (I know it's HERE)

Ed