i vs. I (not a post on inner conflict but actually on grammar)
the reason that i don't capitalize a lot of my letters in informal writing is:
a) not because i'm a little grammar rebel
b) not because i'm lazy
c) not because i'm incompetent (okay you have to laugh with me for a second, at first i spelled incompetent wrong, i went back and corrected it, but still felt like i should tell you, because the irony's killing me, and simultaneously giving me an identity crisis - am i incomptenetnt?)
d) not because i don't know
but actually
e) because i am only like five feet talk and i have a great respect for the little guys (i.e. hamsters, corgis, baby frogs, etc). don't get me wrong, there's a place for elephants and giraffes and stuff (and by this metaphor i mean CAPITAL LETTERS) but it's not in my informal writing. hopefully one day an employer reads my resume and they see "melissa gutierrez" instead of "Melissa Gutierrez" they will think, "oh, she must be on the cute and short side let's hire her because that's creative" and not "wow what a completely incomptenett fool." (incompetent spelled wrong there for further emphasis on the above jesting with the word; if you didn't laugh you can have your money back, yes).
i learned this from reading that about the relationship of form and content in the book How to Read a Poem by Terry Eagleton.* the point is furthered by the fact that you get however many points just for showing up and putting your name on a test - at least you were there. if you don't even write your name, you might as well not even exist. you could make the argument: a resume with no name on it (and only a space for a name) might imply that a ghost is applying for the job.
since, however, i am not in charge of the system and the system will never comply with me, i will write my name "Melissa Gutierrez" on anything and everything professional and still never hit the shift key the whole time i write a blog post.
*note that i do capitalize proper nouns that don't have to do with me. this is out of respect. i don't want Terry Eagleton to go getting on my case for thinking he was really short, too. if he reads this blog and wants his name in lowercase then he can be my guest. but until then he, and all other proper nouns, deserve their proper capital attention.
a) not because i'm a little grammar rebel
b) not because i'm lazy
c) not because i'm incompetent (okay you have to laugh with me for a second, at first i spelled incompetent wrong, i went back and corrected it, but still felt like i should tell you, because the irony's killing me, and simultaneously giving me an identity crisis - am i incomptenetnt?)
d) not because i don't know
but actually
e) because i am only like five feet talk and i have a great respect for the little guys (i.e. hamsters, corgis, baby frogs, etc). don't get me wrong, there's a place for elephants and giraffes and stuff (and by this metaphor i mean CAPITAL LETTERS) but it's not in my informal writing. hopefully one day an employer reads my resume and they see "melissa gutierrez" instead of "Melissa Gutierrez" they will think, "oh, she must be on the cute and short side let's hire her because that's creative" and not "wow what a completely incomptenett fool." (incompetent spelled wrong there for further emphasis on the above jesting with the word; if you didn't laugh you can have your money back, yes).
i learned this from reading that about the relationship of form and content in the book How to Read a Poem by Terry Eagleton.* the point is furthered by the fact that you get however many points just for showing up and putting your name on a test - at least you were there. if you don't even write your name, you might as well not even exist. you could make the argument: a resume with no name on it (and only a space for a name) might imply that a ghost is applying for the job.
since, however, i am not in charge of the system and the system will never comply with me, i will write my name "Melissa Gutierrez" on anything and everything professional and still never hit the shift key the whole time i write a blog post.
*note that i do capitalize proper nouns that don't have to do with me. this is out of respect. i don't want Terry Eagleton to go getting on my case for thinking he was really short, too. if he reads this blog and wants his name in lowercase then he can be my guest. but until then he, and all other proper nouns, deserve their proper capital attention.
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