to err is human
Posted by Sherry on March 13, 2008
I love being human and I prove my humanity every day of my life. Today I became acutely aware once again that I am indeed human. I have spent the entire week printing, collating, punching, and binding the 2008 church directory. Yes, I know, it is March and I’m finally getting around to doing the directory, but there are, after all, other things to do around the office. On Monday I decided to do a directory blitz so they can be distributed on Sunday. I’m only 25 away from my goal of 225. And they are so beautiful with a full-color cover and full-color pictures inside, produced on our very own new Ricoh printer (one reason for waiting until March).
Bethany came in to work for a while today. It took her three seconds to discover right there on page three *Larry Hampton’s* name spelled Larry Hampson, not once, but twice. Who cares this publication comes out only once a year and that people who actually look at the page with the committee members will be continually reminded that the church hires humans to publish thousands and thousands of words every year but the ones their eyes will land on are the two she misspelled. Bleeekkkk.
While my slip is showing, here’s something I’ve been wanting to write.
Dear friend,
I’m writing because I want us to have common understandings about “mistakes,” and I don’t want to worry that I offended you or came across as a know it all. First of all, there are mistakes and there are typos. Medicate (when you meant meditate) and pissibilities (my own memorable and once-published booboo) are typos; towards, a myriad of, is comprised of are all common mistakes that you didn’t make. The myriad mistakes I make but don’t recognize happen because I haven’t learned all the rules yet. I like the in-this-together mentality that frees us to make and laugh at our typos and misteaks while we learn from each other. I could make a long list of grammar and punctuation rules I’ve learned from others along the way. I relish the aha when I get to add one more English usage I didn’t understand before. Susan taught me when to use further and when to use farther; Joyce taught me that you never hyphenate “ly” words; Suzie taught me that youngest and oldest are only used when we have three or more, but younger and older when we have only two; Betty taught me all about passive and active verbs; and my third grade teacher taught me when to use me and when to use I; Ev taught me that periods and commas always go inside the quotation marks.
Since you are an accomplished writer, very little editing is required—it’s more like formatting. I wanted these common understandings so that we can laugh together when I get to discover a funny typo in writing you submitted. I’m glad to have someone who can laugh with me about the directory. Believe me, I need a good laugh right about now.
Your friend, Sherry
Oh Sherry–How frustrating to work on something so hard and find an error after it’s too late. But you’re right. We’ve all done it and we feel like it sticks out like a sore thumb–but people love us in spite of and sometimes because of our flaws. (As I wrote that I thought, is it “in spite of our flaws” or “despite our flaws” so I’m counting on you to set me straight).
Love, Jamie
I’ve been wanting to post some kind of reply to this post, because, being in the graphics field for over 20 years, I have made more than few typos. Carefulness has made me into more of a perfectionist than I am by nature, and it has kept me out of a lot of trouble.
My flawed humanity was definitely on stage today though…
…today it was discovered that my misspelling of “protein” as “protien” will most likely result in the reprinting of a $2800 antibody catalog. Yes the proof was signed, but… (I’m blaming that “I before e except after c” rule!)
Major bummer!
Your words (and those from your other commenters) have been an encouragement to me this evening…