All You Create

Today is Thursday, September 24, 2009 — the sixth annual celebration of National Punctuation Day (NPD). Punctuation ensures that groups of words make more sense and take on more meaning than you can shake a stick at.

Hooray for punctuation!

In 2004, NPD was founded by Jeff Rubin, a former newspaper guy. In 1981, Rubin started The Newsletter Guy, a newsletter publishing firm. Rubin is also a public speaker, addressing effective writing and marketing techniques. I bet that he also addresses the importance of proper punctuation — but that’s just a guess.

Check out the official Web site. It offers some of the standard stuff (e.g., definitions of each punctuation mark, examples of punctuation gone awry, a resources section); most notable, perhaps, is the information concerning the baking contest. Send in two photos of your masterpiece — one of it going into the oven raw and one of it coming out, all warm and yummy — and you may win a bunch of non-edible NPD stuff. How cool is that?! Very, I say.

Doesn't a bake-off seem like a better idea?! (photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/adactio/3367193003)

OK, stop messing around here and go bake something with meaning, such as a semicolon or em dash. You know you want to.

Happy trails!

SAK

Some people say that when it comes to spelling that which is theater — er, theatre — it all comes down to snobbery. Well, to that I say,” Poo-poo to you.”

Outside of the United States, especially in countries that had once been under British control, the word is typically spelled theatre. Those who fought to keep the British spelling didn’t want the proper language to become diluted by a bunch of insolent miscreants — bloody Americans. Stateside, however, theater won out as the predominant spelling. Back in the early 1800s, Noah Webster created “An American Dictionary of the English Language” to Americanize the language of the day, taking out as many British-isms as he could manage. One result: Theatre became theater.

It is prudent to maintain the spelling of any company or movie house or whatnot that happens to spell its name one way, even if you think it should be the other. Some examples:

• Music Theatre of Wichita

• AMC Theatres

• Theatre Rhinoceros (but San Francisco Live Queer Theater)

• The Theater section of The New York Times

• “Paradise Theater” by Styx (but Paradise Theatre in Gig Harbor, Wash.)

There is, however, another distinction between the two words that is gaining in popularity. Even though the AP Stylebook hasn’t come around to agreeing yet (but they will), I think that it makes simple sense and provides a reason to use one spelling instead of another, depending on context. And, of course, since the nature of the English language is one of constant transition, I’m all for promoting the separate — yet equal — definitions. (Go ahead, AP: Put up your dukes.)

Going to the theatre tonight — or maybe they are the theatre (photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/a2gemma/40151793)

Theatre = anything related to a performance or study of an art form, which is not a structure (e.g., a degree, a company, a troupe).

Theater = a structure that houses a dramatic production (e.g., movie, play, musical, opera, ballet, dance).

A restored theater in Italy (photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/addictive_picasso/2874279971/)

So: If you are going to the theater (bricks and mortar) to work on scene construction or set up lights or mow the front lawn, cool. If you’re getting all dolled up for an evening at the theatre (very posh), have a mahhhvelous time, dahhhling.

Easy as “Waiting for Godot.”

Happy trails!

SAK

This one, folks, is a simple concept.

Into
Use into if you are describing something in motion or something completely entranced with something else:

• She walked into the shoe store.
• The kids jumped into the piles of leaves.
• He is turning into a werewolf.
• They were totally into Jim Morrison’s poetry.

The muddy boys are jumping into the lake (photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/laffy4k/247066114)

In to
Use in to if in is used as an adverb and to is used as a preposition connecting the verb to an indirect object.

Think of it this way: If the sentence could technically end after in, then you can add a prepositional phrase (i.e., a non-necessary phrase that starts with a preposition and adds a bit of detail to the sentence) by using to after in (but not changing in to into.

Clear as mud? Here are some examples:

• The concerned citizen turned the wallet in to the police. (It could easily read The concerned citizen turned the wallet in. The prepositional phrase is to the police — interesting additional info but not completely necessary for the completion of the sentence.)
• I will not give in to chocolate cravings.
• He was nervous about handing his assignment in to the instructor.

Pooch gave in to the power of nap time (photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nesster/3701101878)

See? I told you it was a breeze.

Happy trails!

SAK

Nasal irrigation via a neti pot has been a part of yoga practitioners’ routines for thousands of years. While the ancient Ayurvedic practice of washing the nasal cavities provides sinus relief for millions of people around the world, the question remains whether or not the neti pot can be overused. As with just about everything in life, moderation is the best answer.

Recommended usage of a neti pot is once or twice daily, or on an as-needed basis for maintenance (e.g., two or three times per week). If suffering from a common cold, mild sinus issues or allergies, using a neti pot as many as four times per day is recommended.

Using a neti pot offers daily relief from various sinus issues (photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mookies/90547700)

Water source
Where the water comes from can make the difference between a pleasant and uncomfortable neti pot experience. If tap water comes from a clean, clear source (i.e., without added chlorine or other impurities), tap water is fine to use. However, many areas add chlorine into the water in order to kill bacterias, which is hard on body tissues. Boiled water that is cooled to body temperature or slightly warmer is sufficient, or distilled water can be used without fear of discomfort.

Water temperature
The water’s temperature affects the comfort level of the user. If the water is too cold, memories of pool water up the nose can be off-putting. If the water is too warm or hot, the delicate tissues inside the nose will be, at the minimum, uncomfortable and possibly burned. Ensure that the temperature of the water is at body temperature or slightly warm.

Saline solution
Too much salt in the neti pot solution may impart a burning sensation in the nose. Conversely, too little salt in the water will also leave the nose feeling uncomfortable because water entering the nasal cavities should be similar in salt content to that of the body’s natural fluids. Follow the directions that come with the neti pot and/or the saline packets for the optimum sodium-to-water ratio.

Packets of saline—and usually sodium bicarbonate (i.e., baking soda)—are available for purchase. These packets are handy and great for taking along on trips.

To save money, the packet contents can be duplicated at home: James T. Li, M.D. of the Mayo Clinic suggests adding 1/8 tsp. (non-iodized) table salt to 8 oz. distilled water  or boiled (and cooled) tap water. Mix the solution well to ensure that the salt has completely dissolved. If the salt solution leaves the nose feeling a little uncomfortable, try adding 14/ tsp. baking soda to the solution; baking soda acts as a buffer by adjusting the pH balance of the solution.

Some practitioners believe that 8 oz. of saline solution is good enough—for one nostril. They suggest using 16 oz. (with 1/4 tsp. salt) for each neti pot use. For example, 8 oz. of water should flow through the left nostril and 8 oz. should flow through the right nostril. There is no evidence stating that 16 oz. is too much; try 16 oz. and adjust accordingly.

Neti pot tip insertion
How far the tip of the neti pot is inserted into the nostril can alter how well the water flows through the nasal cavities. Pushing the tip of the pot too far into the nostril can force the tip against the inside of the nose, thereby blocking the flow of water. A gentle push is all that is needed to close off the nostril and create the vacuum needed to allow for proper water flow.

Blowing the nose
Blowing the nose after the last drops of the neti pot flow through the nasal cavities and into the sink is the last step in a successful neti pot process. However, many people blow their nose too forcefully. Blowing too hard actually forces the mucus back into the sinus cavities, which is counterproductive. Make sure to blow gently, one nostril at a time, after using a neti pot.

For more info: Does a Neti Pot Work Well for Colds & Sinuses?

What color is it?

Well, what are we talking about?

An elephant. An oyster. A moody sky. A town in Maine. A city in Georgia. A brewing company. “What’s-her-name’s Anatomy.” One of the lonelier colors in the big box with the cool sharpener.

That’s right — it’s gray. Or is it grey?

Gray can be gorgeous — no matter how you spell it.

The answer depends on your location. If you’re stateside, the color is gray unless it is a person’s or company’s preferred spelling or if you’ve checked Merriam-Webster’s dictionary for first-mentioned spellings.

There are, as always, a few wild hairs:

• Greyhound (a dog, a cocktail)
• Earl Grey (a tea)
• Grey friar (a Franciscan friar)

If you’ve hopped the pond, however, the colour is grey. While you’re in UK English-speaking countries, feel free to use grey as often as you wish, as it is the preferred British spelling.

If you’re writing with the AP Stylebook in mind, however, it doesn’t matter where you are; gray is the way to go. And you know how I feel about the AP Stylebook, don’t you?

Happy trails!

SAK