Last night, I drove into Seattle to meet a friend who was passing through on her way to Vancouver, B.C. We hadn’t met face-to-face before–she lives in New Jersey, within spitting distance of Manhattan. She used some highfalutin technological GPS gadget thingamajig to find us a restaurant. We ended up in a laquered black and red Thai place and despite my utter lack of experience with Thai food (unless you count that Thai sauce from Trader Joe’s), I enjoyed the meal. More than that, I enjoyed the conversation. It’s always pleasant to converse with someone who is talkative and in possession of strong opinions.
I had to walk to my car alone. She offered to walk me there (basement of a parking garage!), but I said, “no, I’m fine,” and I was. Lucky for me, no crazed urban rapist followed me or I would have had to do some extreme mom-karate moves, killing the guy with one well-placed kick. I say “lucky” because I’m sure I would have pulled a muscle if I’d been forced to defend myself.
I didn’t get home until almost 11:00 p.m. By then, I had to peel my contacts off my bloodshot eyeballs.
But it was all worth it, even my exhaustion today.
Oh, but bad news. I have recently been informed that you’re only supposed to have one space after a period. This forces me to undo a habit I have had since that typing class I took in high school. Ack. My thumb believes two spaces are necessary at the end of a sentence. I do not think my brain is strong enough to foil the unconscious space-space of my thumb.
May 25th, 2007 at 3:32 pm
I type for an online transcription company, and although there are some rules I had to re-learn (or I never learned in the first place, lol), we still are required to space twice after periods at the end of sentences. Any other periods such as abbreviations or whatever are followed by only one space. It must be a whomever-is-in-charge-at-the-moment kind of thing.
May 25th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
i don’t think i can stop stop two spacing! i’m old and set in my ways. besides, it would be a hodge podge of one space, two space. then the OCD would set in and make me even nuttier than i already am!
May 25th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Oh, and just who told you to use only one space? And, just when did the rule change? IMHO, that is just patently wrong. If software wants to take away the space (as HTML does), then let it. I will still use 2 spaces.
So there.
I’m strongly opinionated on this point of reference.
:-)
May 25th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
I can absolutely relate to the peeling of contacts off of dry and tired eyeballs. That’s me on a practically daily basis. Ah, vanity
May 25th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
So why do I have to only use one space?? Does 2 look bad? Is it wasteful to have 2? Do I have to go on a “space” diet? Am I too spaced out? Is it My Space? Maybe I’m a space cadet and I need 2 spaces? Maybe the spaces can come together with braces? What if I need the space - and without a garage or basement, this is all I get??? (Ok, ok….sorry for getting so spacey on you…)
Oh, and if you want to see the cicada invasin in Illinois, check out my blog - I have pictures!
May 25th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
Huh?? Two spaces look better! Not to mention, I’m constantly reminding my sis to use two spaces, and this would force me to admit I’m wrong!
May 25th, 2007 at 6:02 pm
I do medical transcription and they would have my head (if not my thumb) if I only used 1 space after a period. What’s this world coming to? Tsk tsk.
May 25th, 2007 at 6:04 pm
Oh, and glad you weren’t forced to bust a move on evil predator!
May 25th, 2007 at 7:55 pm
Yeah, who told you it was only one space? I’ve never heard of that, and I’m not going to dignify it with a response.
May 26th, 2007 at 4:15 am
I should have read this post before I left my other comment.
I think one space looks crowded. The computer does it to me sometimes and if I notice, I fix it.
May 26th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
Ha, transcriptionist here too.. and as long as I’m paid on production they will have to drag me kicking and screaming to change my ways.