Letting Go of Grammar Snobs

I just stumbled across what may be the single most valuable grammar lesson I've received to date. All this time I've been tilting at grammar Goliaths I never realized that the best defense against the snobs just might be a good offense or, better yet, a preemptive strike.

The lesson came from an unexpected source: the blog of performer/humorist/outspoken atheist Julia Sweeney. And it appears right in the header of her blog, where every visitor every time sees a disclaimer that includes:

"I use spell check but I miss some words. I have run on sentences, pronoun
problems, and I can blather and forget my point. And, I repeat myself. Please
don't quote me in a newspaper from my blog. Not that I'm so important, it's just
... it happened a few times, and it's embarrassing."

Wish I'd thought of that.

Actually, come to think of it, I'm glad I didn't. Were it not for the regular rip-jobs I get for mistakes (real and perceived) in my grammar column, A Word, Please, I would have never come up with the idea for Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies.

(Julia: In case you see this, drop me a line with an address of publicist/manager/P.O. box and I'll be happy to send you a free copy. You just might recognize a few of the antagonists!)