I love the Grammar Girl! Why didn't I listen sooner?!

I have heard of the Grammar Girl podcast, but I never listened. While on Digg.com tonight, I stumbled upon it and listened to a few podcasts. Now I am actually fighting the melatonin I took.... This is such a cool, cool show that will really help me with grammar issues. There is a comma podcast I want to listen to. I've been writing for papers for so long and the rule there seems to be less commas; however, in my creative writing class some of my peers add commas everywhere when editing my work. I think those are comma splices though... I'll listen and she what gets ironed out.

The Grammar Girl episode I listened to first included a few questions from listeners that wouldn't make a full podcast. One thing I am EXTREMELY happy that she covered was nauseous v. nauseated. People say, "I feel so nauseous." And that's not correct. I've tried to win arguments on that in the past. Nauseous thing make us feel nauseated!

Another question was about the plural of octopus, hippopotamus and cactus. The proper American way is to end with an -es. How about that?! I guess we are not Cacti where I work, but Cactuses. (<--- and that was picked up as wrong by blogger's spell check program. This is why we cannot trust spell check.) Each podcast (which is audio only, no video) has room for comments. Also, the Grammar Girl invites you to submit questions and ideas for podcasts. I think I am going to write her about people in NEPA adding an "s" to everything and also saying "no more" instead of anymore, as in this example: "I don't like her no more." Ack!!!

She also has a FaceBook game.... Cool. Grammar Girl is produced by Quick & Dirty Podcasts, who also hosts Money Girl and several other quick tip type podcasts. And Grammar Girl, if you stumble upon this blog- don't be too hard on me for unnecessary uses of elipses and dashes and whatever gramar goofs I made.