For Bonnie -- Today's Report

[Jim Katen]

In a report today, I wrote the following sentence:

The kitchen countertop is badly burned by the sink.

As I was reviewing the report with the buyers, their 13-year-old son asked, "How could the sink burn the countertop?" He then explained that he was learning about misplaced modifiers in school last week. His teacher had encouraged the kids to be on the lookout for MMs everywhere.

So, Bonnie, have you been moonlighting lately as a teacher in Salem, Oregon ?

BTW, I changed the sentence to read, "The kitchen countertop by the sink is badly burned."

Rotten kids.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Bonnie Trenga]

That is wonderful news! A 13-yr-old who knows about MMs besting a who-knows-how-old inspector!

Thanks for the laugh!

[ghentjr]

I did a house for Don Imus and stated, among other things, "the wine cellar is below grade." He went on the air telling how I picked on the quality of his new wine cellar.

[Jim Katen]

  Quote

Originally posted by Bonnie Trenga

That is wonderful news! A 13-yr-old who knows about MMs besting a who-knows-how-old inspector!

Thanks for the laugh!

Yes. It was heartening. I asked the kid if he'd learned about nominalizations. He didn't recognize the word so I explained it.

He said that his teacher calls them nounifications. She cautions the kids not to nounificate their verbs. I love it.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Jim Katen]

  Quote

Originally posted by ghentjr

I did a house for Don Imus and stated, among other things, "the wine cellar is below grade." He went on the air telling how I picked on the quality of his new wine cellar.

Ah yes. Don Imus, the towering intellect of our time.

- Jim Katen, Oregon