Hi Margaret !

>     While I'm here, could I request that people PLEASE learn how to spell?
>     It's just a pet peeve-must be the nun influence in grade school
>     rearing it's ugly head! I do believe however, that people with as much

I like your "pet peeve...grade school" comment. My pet peeve is that I be
allow a few spelling mistakes. I did not pay too much attention during grade
school. My teacher once said, "John Leeke, stop daydreaming. Just what do
you see out that window anyway? Golden Castles?!" Well, of course I felt put
down and embarassed, but how did she know I was envisioning golden castles
out there? Either there *were* golden castles out there, or she could read
my mind, or she just wanted to make me feel bad -- all very disturbing.
Undoubtedly the spelling lesson was taking place while I tried to sort all
this out. What did she know about castles anyway, I now earn a good living
and make a contribution to society preserving and restoring those golden
castles (and other historic buildings).

I am self employed and every second of every minute of every hour is money.
If I stop to reply to a message it costs me money. If I bother to reply I am
willing to give up this money to help someone out, but I often don't bother
with formatting and spell checking because I figure the reader will get to
the depth of my meaning without it. If I felt I had to spell check
everything it means I would reply to far fewer queries. Do you want replies
and solid content? Or, do you want correct spelling and good form? With me
it's often "take your choice." I suspect it is with others as well.

Do you want it fast, cheap *and* good? You will seldom get more that two.
Good and fast, but not cheap. Fast and cheap but not good. Good and cheap
but not fast.

Was it Samuel Clemments who said, "I would have written a shorter letter,
but I did not have the time."

When people ask for my help and pay me $75./hour to write a report they get
solid concise content, good form and correct spelling. When people  ask for
my help pro bono, they usually are happy to take what they get, whatever the
form or format.

If you check out my website you will probably find a few misspelled words
there too. A few out of a half-a-million is not so bad in my book if the
content is solid and is actually helping people. More that 2000 a week come
to my website for help and no one has ever commented on the spelling.

Hey, how would you like to be my copy editor? (just joking, this whole
message is just for fun, please take no offence, offence?, ofense?,
o'fence?)
--

John Leeke, Preservation Consultant

publisher:               Practical Restoration Reports
contributing editor: Old-House Journal
website:                  www.HistoricHomeWorks.com