My What????

You know, I may already be regretting this Gallery of Regrettable Punctuation thing. I mean, I headed off to the desert yesterday to celebrate Thanksgiving, but I couldn't help stopping to take a photo of this sign, which is somewhere between Ramona and Palm Desert.

What the Union-Tribune Said

What they said.

Yay.

T-minus one day and counting!

The Gallery of Regrettable Punctuation

I've always gotten a chuckle out of James Lileks' "Gallery of Regrettable Food." I mean, you have to love the commentary on the abominations you'll find in things like the Cookin' with Dr. Pepper cookbook.

Inspired by this gallery, then, I hereby present The Official "A Way with Words" Gallery of Regrettable Punctuation, and invite you to add your own findings.

I'll start us off. So, I'm having a lovely time in New York City recently, and I'm looking for a place to have dinner near Times Square. I happen upon the Marriott Marquis, when what to my wondering eyes doth appear, but this appetite-killer:


Taking it's cues? "It's cues"????

Pass me the Maalox, please!

What's Your Choice for Word of the Year?

Grant and I did some yakking live this week on KPBS's "These Days" radio show about candidates for "Word of the Year." We discussed possibilities like "grass station" and "toe tapper." Although I'm holding out for "lecondel" and "facebook" used as a transitive verb.

What's YOUR nomination for the word or phrase of the year? Tell us about it in the new "A Way with Words" discussion forum!

Biggest. Diary. Ever.

I've been remiss in lamenting the death last month of Robert Shields, the protestant minister born in Seymour, Indiana, who left behind a diary of his life consisting of some 37.5 million words, a possible world record. Holy cow! Although I do have to wonder how many emails I've sent in the last 16 years. And I'm realizing that my "sent" file pretty much doubles as my own diary. How about the rest of you?

T-Minus 9 Days to the New AWWW!

We at "A Way with Words" are sooooo excited! The premiere of the brand-new season of "A Way with Words" -- and yes, podcasters, we're talking all-new, hour-long episodes -- starts Saturday, Nov. 24!

Check out the new "A Way with Words" site, where you can meet fellow word lovers in our discussion forum and get our e-newsletter. You can also help us puzzle over the blue bark mystery, and hear our latest attempt to answer that pesky question, "What's the word for 'points on a compass'?" The emails and comments are STILL coming in about that one!

And be sure to tune in for the all-new season, Saturday, Nov. 24!