This blog has been active for more than three years now. And I would have bet that, in the 650 posts since we launched back in February 2010, we’d covered pretty much all the grammar issues that matter.

But that was before Shirlee told me that people don’t know the difference between their, they’re, and there. After expressing my disbelief, Melanie—in a show of solidarity with her fellow designer—said, “Have you seen Facebook?”

I’m not one to venture too far into the fetid fever swamps of social media, so I’ll just take her word for it.

So, for the record, here’s how it all shakes out:

Their is a possessive pronoun—like his, her, and our. “She’s their daughter.”

They’re is always a contraction of they are—and nothing more. “They’re her parents.”

There is what you use for everything else. “There goes the neighborhood.”

It’s really quite simple, isn’t it? So there’s really no excuse for mixing these up.

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: the writing life  |  make a comment

Most of you have probably read Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.” It’s the late author’s most famous short story, and has been assigned reading in public high schools for decades.

I knew next to nothing about Jackson herself, however, until I read this essay by Victoria Best.

It’s long been fashionable to cite “The Lottery” as a warning against the dangers of conformity—dangers that are self-evident to the Baby Boomers who grew up reading Jackson’s work and who, in turn, taught Gen-Xers like me. But as Best points out, the much more frightening possibility is that “the terrifying face of evil [is] part of ordinary people and small town life.” It’s a common theme in all of Jackson’s writing—something she herself referred to as “the uncontrolled, unobserved wickedness of human behaviour.”

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: the writing life  |  make a comment

Good news: I can write proper English under pressure. Can you?

Turns out I can also “do simple maths.”

Don’t fret if you’re not quite as successful. This is the same site, after all, that invites you to play “Dress the Royal Baby!” and “Count the Kittens.”

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: random thoughts  |  make a comment

Because she’s a right thoughtful lass, Shirlee arrived at the office this morning with some dark chocolate and sea salt-covered caramels from Chocolate Apothecary. Just how good are they? Um…you’re going to need a cigarette afterward.

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: random thoughts  |  make a comment

Need a little perspective? Ever wonder where you fit in the grand scheme of things? Click here, then prepare to be dazzled. (Or depressed. Either way…)

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: random thoughts  |  make a comment

“Hone in on” has been popping up in conversations lately. We’ve dealt with this issue here before, so I won’t belabor the point. Just please take a moment to refresh your memory.

Done? Good. Let’s move on to the difference between compliment and complement.

When you confess admiration for my Adonis-like physique, you’re paying me a compliment. When the idea you’re trying to convey is completing or matching, however, the appropriate word is complement. In other words, a cask-strength single malt and a Partagas no. 10 aren’t complimentary (unless they’re being nice to each other); they’re complementary.

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: the writing life  |  make a comment

With the walking campaign I did to get this internship, I got to know quite a few design firms here in Spokane, including some marketing offices that I’d never heard of. But with how helveticka does their collaborative work and just the standard printing processes, I get to see all sides of design. It’s normal or typical to pick up prints or collaborative work from other companies, but for me, doing anything on behalf of helveticka is exciting. Spokane has a great design community!

On another note: This is a get-to-know-the-intern moment! I am most definitely, without a doubt, in love with city life. But growing up, my second home was West Glacier, Montana. I have an abundance of family there and have enjoyed traveling every single summer to visit. This past weekend, I took the time to go and visit. The picture at left is a shot I took of my sister on the trail right next to the famous Old Bridge in West Glacier.

What’s your favorite summer travel spot?

posted by: melanie hoff  |  category: random thoughts  |  make a comment

This is why the writer should never leave the office. While Aaron is playing over in Seattle (actually, he’s interviewing clients for a video project) iNid had a birthday. She molted! Aaron will enjoy trying to find where I hid her old skin as soon as I figure out how to get it out of her cage. (It’s in the upper right of the image.)

posted by: Shirlee Roberts-Downey  |  category: staff  |  comments(1)