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Question of the Day | 10/14/2008 12:00 am

What do people always say to you that drives you crazy?

© Shutterstock
Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg | 10/14/2008 12:00 am

How to Drive Whoopi Goldberg Crazy

"You are so articulate."
Judith Martin

Judith Martin | 10/14/2008 12:00 am

Judith Martin Is Not a Meter Maid

"I guess I’d better watch how I eat."

"Did I do anything wrong?"

Folks, Miss Manners is not a Meter Maid who runs around spotting violations and issuing tickets. That would be stupendously rude. Besides, if I spent mealtimes checking on whether others can manage to get their food to their mouths in the conventional manner, rather than paying attention to the conversation, I would meanwhile — with perfect manners — be eating poison to escape the boredom. 

Joan Ganz Cooney

Joan Ganz Cooney | 10/14/2008 12:00 am

The Skinny on Joan Ganz Cooney

One thing people often say but it makes me laugh — it doesn’t drive me crazy — is, "You look wonderful; you’ve lost weight." I actually have been the same weight since high school but "you’ve lost weight" is many, many people’s idea of a compliment.
Liz Smith

Liz Smith | 10/14/2008 12:00 am

What Makes Liz Smith Crazy

Two things: "Got any good gossip" and, "Sorry, that’s off the record!"

Click here on this text to read my New York Post column.

Sheila Nevins

Sheila Nevins | 10/14/2008 12:00 am

Sheila Nevins: The Wrong Question

They always say I have the best job in television and that I’m so lucky. 
That truly annoys me because I made it the best job.
Sure, I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time; mostly with the right bosses. 
Nonetheless, many got caught in the quicksand.
I know how to swim in mud and how not to drown. 
I also know who to reach for to pull me out. 
I guess that’s luck.
So, don’t tell me how lucky I am and that I have the best job.   
Ask me how I created the best job.

174 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Frannie Em
Phyllis and Krissi Thanks for grammar lessons. Need to brush up.
By Frannie Em on 10/14/2008 10:50 am
Chrome Toe
Phyllis - lots of people on this board posted about grammar and I gotta say “I don’t get it”. i can honestly say that I don’t think i’ve ever even noticed someone’s grammar. not unless it’s something like Sarah Palin on a national stage saying “yuh” and “dont-chya”. I actually tend to like rather creative diction lol. I love someone who can cuss exactly “right”. Like a good comedian… like Chris Rock or Whoopie back in the day (sorry Whoopie if back in the day is present but i haven’t seen any of your stand up in awhile). Of course… I’m sure I have terrible grammar!
By Chrome Toe on 10/14/2008 9:17 am
The Wine Warrior
Grammar Gurrls, Actually, I think it would be fun to have a grammar thread. One of my favorite books is Elements of Style…the redo. A really stylish and slim hardback addition with wonderful Maira Kalman watercolors added. Couldn’t find the hardback on line but here’s the paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Elements-Style-Illustrated-William-Strunk/dp/01431…
By The Wine Warrior on 10/14/2008 11:57 am
Patrice Baldwin
The Elements of Style has been dog-eared in my bookshelf for many years. Sounds to me like my complaints about grammar are shared by many WOW people. KEEP CORRECTING OTHERS. WELL GETEM YET!
By Patrice Baldwin on 10/14/2008 5:16 pm
C jay
… same here, along with my Thesaurus. Tut. For some reason, I still enjoy referring to my hard copy reference books instead of going online. One treasure that I will save to my dying day is my huge, old dictionary with pages and pages of foreign phases in the back.
By C jay on 10/20/2008 10:55 am
Eener Atrebor
I actually think that this is a great idea…a grammar thread. I think that, for the most part, I have a pretty reasonable grasp on how good English grammar works. There’s always room for improvement, though. I’m sure that the Grammar Nazis, lurking in the Void, are going to say I have made mistakes in all of my posts. Meh. Point taken and filed for future use. It all depends on how said grammatical offences are posed. I personally think the name-calling and mean-spiritedness that creeps into our conversations has no validity. It’s just rude, mean behaviour that negates anything that’s meant to educate. I think I actually have that book floating around here, somewhere. Perhaps I should find it and read it. Yer never to old to to learn something new.
By Eener Atrebor on 10/14/2008 8:30 pm
Patrice Baldwin
Well, now cussing is another whole subject, Kelly. I was brought up Roman Catholic in an upper class, tight ass Republican family. Real cussing was just not an option then. But many years later, a darling lover, now deceased, taught me how to swear in all the right places and times. I probably offended every third person for a while, but now, when I can place an appropriate @%#$^%&^%@#$* in the right context, I think of him and silently thank him for rounding out my personality.
By Patrice Baldwin on 10/14/2008 5:22 pm
Chrome Toe
tight ass republican family”… good Job! looks like your personality is sufficiently rounded :) Not long ago my sister was visiting. she had a completely different upbringing. we have the same dad and different moms. she’s 13 years older than I am and much more conservative. She’s been under a microscope in a way for years. feeling judged and trying to be “proper”. my husband let loose a particularly inventive diatribe for some reason and my sister looks over at him totally seriously and says “I would cuss a lot more if I could sound just like him”… hilarious!!!
By Chrome Toe on 10/14/2008 10:04 pm
Kryssi K
For me, poor grammar is something that sticks out…like a brown belt with black shoes. You know how a symptom of mild autism is an oversensitivity to things, especially physical sensations? (For example, having to completely remove the tags out of the backs of shirts so as not to feel them brushing up against one’s skin…) THAT’S how I am with grammar. Really, when someone is talking to me and says something that is just so completely wrong, my reaction is so strong, it’s almost visceral. In general, I am very sensitive to most things anyway. I can’t help it; perhaps I AM mildly autistic to some extent - who knows. But I really do believe that a good way to represent yourself and your intellectual capacity is by properly comprehending your own language. If you have a learning disorder, fine - there is no excuse, otherwise.
By Kryssi K on 10/15/2008 3:44 pm
Kryssi K
I agree. There is nothing to die for, except possibly the sweet relieving release of death itself. The only time I use “well” is when I’m describing illness. Everything else - I just assume “good’ will suffice. LOL
By Kryssi K on 10/15/2008 3:37 pm
James the Game
Those were all good points, Phyll. I often hear people say, “Just between you and I”, when the proper use would be, “between you and me”, because “me” is the object of the preposition “between,” therefore requiring the objective case. Not that I’m into too much linguistical snobbery. For example, I’ll intermix “their” in place of the awkward him/her sometimes. One of my pet peeves is the misuse of the word “however”. You used it correctly (obviously) in your last sentence. But, so often, I’ll something like: “I’d like to buy the world a coke, however, I don’t believe in drugs”. Many people don’t know how to use a semi-colon: “I’d like to buy the world a coke; however, I don’t believe in drugs.” Another irritation is when people don’t add the “ly” when they should (“I walked quick down the road”, e.g.). That’s probably more common than those who over-use it, as in the examples above, wherein they mistakenly substitute the adverbial form for the proper adjective form.
By James the Game on 10/17/2008 8:00 pm
georgia fatwood
Hello Extra Evil…(Kryssi)….”Don’t get me started…” (OK then, “I’m SO outa here”) OK…I haven’t done anything recently that I could burn in hell for (oops, for which I might burn in hell?) so here goes: “AX” me about Ebonics.. Ok ….that went well…haven’t been struck by lightning…..So (brave now) What do you call a little girl who criticizes everybody all the time whether they deserve it or not? “Judgementa”….
By georgia fatwood on 10/14/2008 11:35 am
Tee Zee
You nailed it girl! Thanks for the ROTFLOL!!!
By Tee Zee on 10/14/2008 11:50 am
Kryssi K
You are very welcome, love! It’s nice to make people laugh. We need more laughter in the world. Unfortunately, that was one of my finer moments. I’m rarely funny on this site for some reason…
By Kryssi K on 10/15/2008 3:48 pm
EKA -
You go girl ! If I had a daughter, I’d want her to be you !!!
By EKA - on 10/14/2008 12:10 pm