Kristin Whittlesey

Just drove past a group of people in powdered wigs, frock coats and tricorne hats heading into the capitol.

That ... explains a lot.

WOTD “it’s just a number” edition. Triskaidekaphobia. As if there wasn’t enough to worry about already, here comes Friday the 13th again. If you need me, I’ll be hiding under the bed.

Sir, I'm pretty sure it's illegal for a kid to be that cute. I'm gonna have to write you a citation.

WOTD “working it out” edition. Exercise vs. Exorcise. If you’re “exercising” your demons, you’re only making them stronger. If you’re trying to rid yourself of badness, choose the one with the “O” in it.

WOTD “give it a rest” edition. Vernal. Very many schools are taking a vernal vacation this week. If your family is in that group, I wish you a very happy spring break. Please bring me back some beach.

Magical place. One of the most beautiful buildings on earth. I literally burst into tears when I first walked into it.

It appears to have been King & Ballow. Huh.

What was the union-busting Nashville law firm?

When you’re making an appointment with somebody in another time zone for the next eight months, you’re making it in EDT, CDT, MDT or PDT. Standard time will return in November, and we’ll do this all over again. 2/2

WOTD “what time is it?” edition. Daylight Saving Time vs. Standard Time. People have strong feelings about the time change and whether or not we should keep it. Regardless of your feelings about it, we are currently in Daylight Saving Time. 1/2

My heart wants me to go back to bed for another hour.

WOTD “any second now” edition. Imminent vs. Eminent. With an E, it’s something or somebody significant. With an I, it’s on the cusp of occurring. (And if something has been a possibility for 40+ years, it isn’t “imminent.”)

Yes, they have since fixed their headline. Yes, I have screenshots of the original version.

WOTD “pity the poor reader” edition. Ophthalmologist. For at least several hours yesterday, the etiquette column in a very well-known national news outlet carried a headline that mentioned a dentist three separate times. The problem? The column was about an eye doctor. Editors matter, kids.

DAMN. That’s GOOD.

Ohhhhhhhhhhh. I remember that cookie. I remember that cookie from 1989.

Um. We apparently have different Blueskys. What's this about a cookie?

That ... might explain a lot of things.

WOTD “better safe than sorry” edition. Preventative vs. Preventive. Up until about 30 minutes ago, I would have sworn that there is a difference between these two words. There is not. “Preventive,” however, is more commonly used than “preventative,” if that influences you one way or the other.

While we are talking about compounds, do you prefer healthcare or health care? And does that answer (potentially) change if you're using it nounilly vs. adjectivally?

Go Wally!!!

WOTD “fond farewells” edition. Bittersweet. It’s always sad when wonderful colleagues move on, even when it’s clearly a great move for them. Charlotte and Danielle, we’re going to miss you both! Your new coworkers are very lucky people!

Does nobody remember exactly how godawful those jellies smelled after a week or two?

WOTD “showing off” edition. Flaunt vs. Flout. If you flaunt your possessions in front of the wrong people, they may decide to flout the law and relieve you of them.

You have just found the premise of your novel.

OK, following you now, solely because you have "cromulent" in your bio.

WOTD “flattery will get you everywhere” edition. Compliment vs. Complement. Red is giving Green a compliment. If Red “complements” Green, they look nice standing next to each other. (Or they’re madly in love, I suppose.)

Better than Babel? Heck, now I may have to move it to the top of the TBR queue, which is already a mildly terrifying list.

All excellent choices!!! Have you read Kuang’s Babel yet? It’s your flavor, for sure.