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Monday, January 17, 2011

I'll not space for you

I recently learned that the two spaces that I so dutifully put at the end of each sentence: completely wrong. Don't believe me because your ninth grade type teacher drilled it into you until to do otherwise feels criminal? I'm right there with you. Click here if you want further proof. Here's one of the quotes from the article that made me laugh (but still made me wish there was something I could click on that would bring up every file on my computer and delete the extra spaces):

"I talk about 'type crimes' often, and in terms of what you can do wrong, this one deserves life imprisonment. It's a pure sign of amateur typography."

Ouch. Now I'm a total rule follower when it comes to formatting the page. But breaking a habit that I've worked for so many years to create? Whew. That's gonna take some work.

But it reminded me of a funny recently. And after that, gosh! Don't you just need a funny?

My child, (who, to protect the unaware, will remain nameless) wrote a report for school, and had to type it at home. (S)He worked really hard at typing, then asked me to check for spelling mistakes. I looked on the screen, and this is what I saw.


I said, "What the sam hill is up with all the extra spaces?" Because, clearly, there were two spaces after every single word.

His/Her response? "It's supposed to be that way. My teacher said we have to double-space it."

Gosh I love kids. Maybe even enough to break my duplicate spacing habit so they won't have to be embarrassed by their mother's antiquated typing practices.