Tuesday, 3 January 2006

eggcorns

Oh, what fun this site is. Some misspellings are mere ignorance (elementary for alimentary), but other make terrific puns. "A posable thumb" would make a lovely painting, though I want to avoid the visual for "balling your eyes out." I can see how "antidotal evidence" might cure a bad situation. I came across "reeking havoc" some time ago and it makes brilliant sense. I'm sure for some people, "never regions" is synonymous with "nether regions." And perhaps certain eels are gregarious--social morays.

Addendum: I don't know who owns these gems; I read them on Miss Snark's site who identifies them as first lines from Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine's slush pile. My favorite might be "'Be good,' he called after her as he bit back the tears in his eyes," with "He whetted his lips" second. The best ones involve eyes in unfortunate ways, like the above and "Mona was on the liquilounge, her dark eyes pouring over him like warm jello."

Me, I always have to be careful not to spell vertical as "verticle." But that doesn't lend itself to great puns or mixed metaphors.

bike

Two 3.6-mile city rides on new tires, road not dirt, through which I can feel every pebble on the road and on which I go noticeably faster, and with front and back lights (though not even the rear one was necessary). The option is good.