Greetings People ~
I’ve carved out some legit writing time. Pre-Bikram yoga at 6:30PM {it’s been two days since I’ve been; I feel the addiction jitters starting to set in} and post-pulling apart an entire child’s bedroom to paint – he has a drum kit in there – it’s no small task and at times like this, it makes me regret his reading habit…but I digress. The time is here and the time is now – so let’s get to it.
If you haven’t noticed, I’m rather fond of the ‘~’ but I suspect I’m abusing it in a way it wasn’t intended. I have to confess, I’m not sure what it’s actually used for and I possibly don’t know its name (I always automatically think it’s a tilde – but that goes over an n – so obviously it’s not that). However, I have felt it looks awfully good as a more spiced up dash…and I’ve become quite attached to it by now. I’m also pretty confident in the fact that I overuse the ellipsis as well; and possibly “as well”.
Now that you, well I, mention it, I also tend to not prefer my period on the inside of a word or phrase set off with double quotes when it’s at the end of a sentence. So I refuse to do it. I’ve also been known to indulge overly much with appositives. And I will never give up the awkward turn-of-phrase regardless of how many people find it an annoyance.
It’s funny, I love grammar but I never thought about how much I bend the rules in this game.
But anyway, I wanted talk about parsley and the moment got away from me…and it’s time to get myself ready to ride – so I’ll have to come back to it on another day.
I had wanted to mention that this post was somewhat influenced by Le Clown’s post regarding some language police where he resides and promptly ran out of time. I am grateful to the fluidity of language and the ability to not be repressed in my usage of it by those that think they ‘know better’.
The Mercenary Researcher 
The time is now – to mention this post rocked!
tee hee
Okay, I’ll admit it…. I’m a total ellipsis whore…. there, I said it…. I’m trying to cut back with the help of the dash – but not having much luck.
I don’t know why we feel we must stop- don’t stop! I’m an email whore – where I can use all my punctuation til my heart’s content.
I am a fan/abuser of the “~” as well. I guess I am a fan/abuser of “as well” as well. I call the “~’ a squirm.
hee hee – duly noted – a squirm
Maybe “sperm” is a better name.
and there’s that idea…
Ah ! Split infinitives forever!
Da
Da?
yes
Wasn’t worried about the Russian, more concerned with the brevity of your reply. Not normal, Rutabaga!
I don’t mind a split infinitive or two – there’s a time and a place
I have no idea what ‘~’ is used for either. As a kid I thought it looked kind of like a little mustache (still do)
I’m a comma abuser, I abuse the comma. I’ve been trying to cut back.
DON’T – I LOVE COMMAS!!! I find it odd that the “~” has it’ on key on the keyboard being used so infrequently; however there’s no freking CENT sign. EXPLAIN THAT?
I never thought about that. But that makes sense! It’s discrimination I say! Symbol discrimination.
Time for a movement to begin
I use “…” all of the time. No reason. I’m addicted. I’m pretty sure I can’t …™ yet. I’m not up for The Magnificence.
Hee hee … I know what you mean.
But I’ve noticed that you’re not fond of dangling participles. They’re my favorite. I think I just like the word dangling.
It’s cause I try to wear my grammar bra so nothing dangles – I dangled a lot in my youth and have seen the consequence of my behavior ~
Denise,
~™.
Le Clown
Hee hee.. ya think I’m up to that kind of magnificence™?
I have an ellipsis addiction as well (And an ‘as well’ addiction.) (And the whole period thing inside or outside of a quote or a parenthesis.) Mostly though the ellipsis. I do it so much, even on facebook, I think its my fear of commitment. To actually end a thought…or try to… (its better to just fade off into the sunset.) and this ~ looks like a moustache when you do this: ‘~’ – it looks like a funny confused face. love it. (i also don’t capitalize when I should.) (We are all running rampant on here!!)
I believe the ~ symbol is called a tilde. I’ve always used it to mean ‘approximately.’ For example, I might write, “He smokes ~ 1 pack per day.” At least that’s what I think it means.
oh that’s right ~ approx – I think you are correct – and it might be a tilda!
I totally abuse this ~ . No idea what I’m supposed to use it for but it makes my email signature look pretty so there.
YES!
I just make things up as I go along. I’m with Guapo. I’m lucky if I can read what I just wrote. For the record, I don’t even remember what an appositive is or what appositives are. But I’m pretty sure I just ended that sentence with a preposition, which is a no-no, and I started the next one with “But.” So, obviously you never need to worry about impressing this here audience! haha!
Hee hee… I want to be loved despite my rebellious grammatical usage, eh?
I love the ~ but what is the ellipsis?? I’m always using brackets(parenthesis?) and I love the use of “…words…”
… ellipsis …
OMG total pet peeve when … is wrong. Like …. or ..
~NO~
Lol, ok, I get it. I use these things, but have never heard of that word…. Go figure. I love using it…. (Sorry)
hee hee…
Heather,
One of of the greatest French writers of last century, Louis-Ferdinand Céine, mastered the ellipsis… His novel Journey to the End of Night is known for it. I myself enjoy it a great deal, even when I screw up using it.
Le Clown
Ah language – how I love thee
…awesome.
ellipsis is ‘….’ oh me too!
thanks… (oops, there i go again, lol)
GO! It’s a good flow ~
It’s funny what quirks we have as writers (mine is overusing parenthetical remarks). I have vowed many times to reform (yet consistently feel the need to whisper something in the reader’s ear ~ hence, more parentheses).
Keep the parentheses
– they are yours.
I’m not sure what just happened here, Ladycakes.
It was fast.
I hate it when that happens.
Ha, Denise, I totally associate that fancy dash with you! It’s fun and so you, as well…
Aw thanks! I loves me the fancy dash.
Who was that masked mercenary?
Dammit! What I should have written was “And then she flung herself from the room, flung herself upon her horse and rode madly off in all directions.” – Stephen Leacock
Or that – yes
Zing!
I don’t worry too much about grammar. I’m just happy if I can understand what I wrote.
I love using and abusing it – I would not be a happy writer without any of those fun pieces of punctuation.