Since mystery shopping is all about quotas, I don't expect to get much editing work now that the month is almost over. My other job is, alas, not nearly so interesting grammar-wise.

To take us out of September, here are my two favorite errors from the past month (well, my favorite errors that didn't involve lobsters).

Here's my runner-up:

Willie seemed to be going through the emotions.

The writer gets this correct several times elsewhere, so we know this isn't an eggcorn, and with the space there, I don't think this is a mere typo. What we have here is a peach of a pineapple.

(Or a Penfield Mood Organ.)

And here's the champion:

Where are the "ATM" machines?

I'd like to think that I've developed the ability to appreciate such errors aesthetically, with minimal judgment of the actual writer. Note the delightful confluence of RAS syndrome and "unnecessary" quotation marks here. 'Tis like a fine wine.

Labels: editing