Is there anything you do that people around you find annoying? Maybe you chew with your mouth open, have an obnoxious laugh, or share cheesy jokes. In my case, people find my tendency to correct their spelling mistakes (via IM or text) off-putting. But I can't help it. I'm a copywriter/editor/proofreader by trade, and I manage this blog on the side. Words are my passion. I'm a stickler for grammar, spelling, and punctuation because it's what I do for my job. While some people are okay being a tad more lax when it comes to conversations with friends and loved ones, I strive for perfection at all times -- whether I'm writing an email at work, a post on this blog, or a text message to a buddy. I simply can't turn off the "sound professional" switch. I will use the occasional "Lol" and other such acronyms, but I would never write something like, "wut does it mean 2 u?" Some would call my stance a little extreme, but I enjo...

When we were younger, we were often asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Some of the careers we had in mind at the time were real doozies, from baseball player to fireman to world-renowned singer. Needless to say, many of us went on to pursue careers that aren't remotely related to those we aspired to as children. Perhaps our interests changed as we got older, or we decided to venture into an area we found more practical. I guess you can say what I do now doesn't stray too much from what I envisioned as a kid. I always knew I wanted to be a writer, and that I became -- just in a different area. When I was 10, I thought I'd end up becoming a sports columnist. Instead, I wound up as a copywriter in the travel industry. It is my hope that even if you don't work in the field you set your sights on in your childhood, you love -- or at least can tolerate -- whatever it is you do now. We work too damn hard not to derive some enjoyment from our ...