The Ubiquitous Grammar Cop

For those who know me well, they understand my feelings about excess. I don't have anything against excesses of an abstract nature or excesses of things that actually benefit most people. What draws my ire is the filthy personal excesses that some people feel reward their hard work or other facet of their lives. Case in point: at work I came across a magazine used by some of my coworkers to give them ideas on how to best respresent the furniture my company sells in room settings. This magazine caters to more high-end furniture, quite the opposite from the furniture in my store. A full page advert bought by a small, privately owned bed manufacturer (from Sweden ironically enough) extolled the benefits of one of their beds. The price tag for the advertised bed: $49,500. The fact that this company sells beds for nearly $50,000 was offensive enough. The copy of the advert justifying why it cost that much made bile rise in my throat. I showed the advert to one of my fellow coworkers and...

Are you familiar with the adage, "If you want to know someone, walk a mile in her (or his) shoes"? Of course you are! I will not bore you with the metaphorical meaning behind that aphorism. I have had several conversations with friends about shoes, so I thought I would share some of those observations as well as mine. Lace 'em up people. Doc Marten's - A standard. The epitome of function over form (while in my opinion form does not lack) you cannot go wrong with a pair of Docs in your closet. Although some people find the price tag a bit offensive since a pair can go for more than $100, they are well worth the investment. I own six pairs: two pair black (one pair steel toe), two pair brown (also one pair steel toe), steel toe boots, and a pair of flip-flops. The non-steel toe black shoes I own are 14 years old and in excellent condition (bought in 1994 for $110). Birkenstocks - If you own a pair of Docs, then you most likely own a pair of Birks. Wonderfully comforta...