Sounds Like Slog

Hello out there. I'm Marty Hale-Evans. This is me, and below is my blog. Maybe you'll find something of use; maybe you'll find something amusing. I hope so.

Here are the different categories of information so far. If you want to focus only on the entries pertaining to one of them, click the corresponding link below. Otherwise, you can meander through all of it bit by bit. (Pun unintended, but also undeleted.)

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Got some feedback? I'm breathlessly awaiting your correspondence at marty@martynet.org

Wed, 04 Oct 2006

What are you, new?

Wouldn't you think that someone who was a professional technical writer, somebody pulling down the big bucks, would take it upon themselves, nay, even take pride in, being proficient enough in their craft to know the basics of punctuation? Wouldn't you? I mean, I'm not talking about some kind of tech-writing stunt ape (cue Katcheturian's Sabre Dance - "Look, ladies and gentlemen, he's turning out docs at an astounding rate, I've never seen anything like it!"), but an actual working professional. Why bother when there's tech editors, right? Oy.

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Tue, 25 Nov 2003

Much obliged

People, there is no such word as obligated. I'm tired of hearing it, so everyone cut it out. If you have an obligation, you are obliged to fulfill it. Similarly, the word administrated doesn't exist either. I know this is a bit like debunking the Easter Bunny for some of you, but you had to grow up and learn sooner or later. If you are part of an administration, you administer something.

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Wed, 05 Nov 2003

Guess what?

Here's a dumbass word: "guesswork". Guessing isn't work. Guessing is what you do when you don't want to work - finding out is work. "Hmmm, how long should I bake this? I could get out the cookbook and look it up, but naaahhh, I think maybe 20 minutes will do it..."

Another one is "guesstimate". All estimates are guesses; some are more or less accurate, or based on more or less actual information, that's all.

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