On New Year’s Day I ended up at an impromptu brunch where we had a discussion that was like a distillation of conversations I’ve been having throughout 2006, meaning a mix of despairing and philosophical.
Click here for the rest of the column.
Month: January 2007
Disgusting Dog Owners 2
Grammar Tip #10: Theirs More To This Tip Than There Saying
It has been so long since I wrote a grammar tip! What with surgery in November and a profound depression brought on by rampant spelling and grammar errors in award-winning books (latest is The History of Love by Nicole Krauss), I have just not been up to the task.
Here is a tiny kvetch.
People everywhere need to stop confusing “there,” “they’re” and “their.”
The most common use of “there” means “in, at or to that place or position.”
“They’re” is the contraction of “they are.”
“Their” is the possessive form of “they.”
So here is some creative dialogue to illustrate the tip.
“Where are Jack and Fred?”
“They’re out back in their tree fort playing with their Barbies.”
“Why?”
“Because the Barbies like it there.”
Happy Pink Pig
Disgusting Dog Owners
Queer at the Hospital, Xtra West #348, December 21, 2006
Queer at the Hospital
In the middle of November, around the time of the boil-water advisory and the heavy snowfall, I had emergency abdominal surgery. I had never been in the hospital before. But all of a sudden there I was at VGH, IVs everywhere, blood transfusions, painkillers, Salisbury steak for dinner, the whole deal. For six days.
Read the full column here.