I like this one so much better! It gives the spirit of how you come across here, like fully engaged with life, no fixing up required.

Dr Harley mentioned that he will be revising his Buyers renters Freeloaders book to comply with the new federal standards recently released on his Radio Show

ak, I like the Oxford comma! I had it beaten out of me when writing offering memorandums, so I enjoy seeing it make a comeback. Glad you're keeping it!

Please let us know how it goes.

Jedi - ROFL!!!



"I think I'll call my ex. Now that the federal government has lowered the standards, she's no longer too good for me."

"Wow, now that alcoholics, wife beaters and cheaters are back within federal guidelines, my dating prospects just tripled!"

So funny! Thanks for the laugh!

I think this is the wrong use of the Oxford comma. That is not an Oxford comma; it is a punctuation error. I also think that the "eggs and orange juice" joke doesn't work. It doesn't mean anything.

Using your words, the correct sentence is "I prefer to have toast, eggs and orange juice for breakfast". These 3 things are all things that you prefer to have for breakfast, therefore they belong in a single list.

If you want to use an Oxford comma, you could say "For breakfast, I prefer to have toast and eggs, and orange juice to drink".

A comma is needed here because you cannot say "I prefer to have toast and eggs and orange juice to drink". You cannot drink toast and eggs. The comma puts toast and eggs into a list of things that are eaten and separates them from orange juice, which is then in a list of things that are drunk.

However, the word "prefer" is not needed in the sentence at all. We are not offered a choice between two alternatives for breakfast(unless a strictly limited menu is offered) - we can have whatever we like in our own homes. You should say "I like toast, eggs and orange juice for breakfast", or "For breakfast I like toast and eggs, and orange juice to drink".

What you wrote appears to be trying to make a joke about how educated you are, in that you know about the Oxford comma, but then your error shows that in fact you are not as clever as you think. Your statement appears to be trying to weed out women who are not up to your standard of education or general knowledge - which is a perfectly fair thing to do - but then it commits a gaff by mis-using the same punctuation that is being highlighted.

Punctuation errors are made all the time and could just be a sign of someone who did not proof read carefully. This wouldn't necessarily put me off a profile. However, when someone draws attention to his higher standard of writing by using a little-known term and then gets the term wrong, it is showing off - and falling flat on his face into the bargain. Now, that would put me off a profile.

The Oxford comma is way over my head.

I am glazing over just thinking about it.

(It will weed out oblivious, lazy witted women like me).

That is a plus probably. : )

I get your use of the oxford comma. To me it is simply just proper grammar. I am very anal about it and make sure I am always using it, but I wouldn't let a guy know that. It is my issue, and one that I don't share with those around me. I am also very anal about certain things in my house, for instance I cannot leave for work when dishes are in my sink. I will have anxiety all day. I can't stand it when I my house is not in order, everything from proper alignment of the countertops to the making of beds in the morning.

I am getting better. I let my kids have some mess, but then spend Saturdays making sure it all gets cleaned back up.

I don't share this with dates in the beginning. I let them sort of see this about me over time. Then again I am also one who works with most men I date. They see my organization and my quirks at work as well.

That being said ... your oxford comma doesn't work in dating. It makes you sound better than them. You sound very busy which gives me the impression you have little time for dating. That was my impression when I first read it.

What a wonderful diverse world we have! I still love it and it would be a spark in a profile - for me. The man I am dating now - I was attracted to his profile from the pictures he posted and his book list. He had a few pictures of him on vacation with his mom, I liked that.

It's interesting how split people are on the oxford comma. Seems like the Grammar Nazis can't stand it, the people that like writing but aren't Grammar Nazis love it, and everybody else just doesn't get it.

One thing is for sure, I don't view myself better than them, but I do like to throw in random quips and that seemed to catch the essence of my humor.

As far as busy, I'm only as busy as I make myself, and when I'm not dating, I stay busy. At first I figured I would omit the airplane stuff, but many suggested that I expand.

I'm starting to think the best profile is nothing more than a few good pictures, a quick joke and some info, and leave the rest of it up to the actual dating.

ak

It's Oxford. Capital letters for proper nouns.

Yes, a few breadcrumbs are a great idea. They might catch them, they might not but it is worth a try. In the end though, you are going to find what you are looking for by searching for what you want in other people's profiles. Use key words to search for someone that shares your interests. Your profile will be up there so that they can check you out in return.

Given your quote, I think you misunderstand what an Oxford comma is. That sentence written with an Oxford comma would have a comma before the 'and' to denote that orange juice is part of the original list.

The point of the Oxford comma is to always use the comma to concatenate each element in the list and use the 'and' conjunction without the comma to define a separate, perhaps nested list.

Here is a classic use:

These items are available in black and white, red and yellow, and blue and green.

At any rate, wasn't trying to make myself out to be an elitist or thumb my nose at the Grammar Nazis, I was simply pointing out something interesting an unique about me, which is that I like to use a less common, and not generally accepted form of grammar because I thought it made more sense. I was specifically saying that I'm not a Grammar Nazi, in a playful and interesting way.

I think there might be differences in understanding and use of the comma between the USA and UK. Your understanding might well be correct, and if so, I apologise for intruding.

I appreciate that you were making a joke. It might be that my reaction would not be shared by anyone reading the site.

This is extremely disrespectful. My 2cents is if you are getting your tails ruffled by people who don't know you, then maybe you should reflect on why that is.

If you are coming across this way to us on this forum, then you are coming across that same way in online dating. There is no feeling from a screen.

You don't have to take our advice, but please don't insult us when we provide feedback to help you.

Oh, I'm not ruffled, I'm just fascinated by the response, but you are right, in hindsight it was disrespectful because it made a judgment towards people that feel passionately about grammar, and hints that those that don't care about grammar as not able to get it. Please accept my apologies.

I agree that the profile isn't a good place to put something like this after seeing how people see it here, so I removed it. Thank you all for your feedback.

Then there are those of us with journalism backgrounds from a time when every character counted (and a capital M was a character and half). Eliminating the comma in a series and not spelling out numbers over 10 came about for valid reasons. Doesn't mean I don't know the grammar rules; just that my writing required something different.

ak -

The real lesson to be learned here is that you can't please all of the people all of the time.

Think about your target audience (perhaps a woman who appreciates grammar jokes and isn't easily offended?) and write your profile with her in mind.

(I am still completely lost.......lol)


One of the just don't get it team.

Found this article today - interesting because when I used OkCupid, I found it's matching mechanism to be way way off.

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blog...212911321--abc-news-topstories.html?vp=1

Update: I got my heart broken again today. (sigh)

I got back on Match toward the beginning of January. I went out with four guys in the first week, and really liked one. This "one" told me he has an ex-girlfriend in another city who is going through a divorce, and now he is exploring his feelings for her - while waiting for her divorce. I told him not to contact me until he was emotionally available.

Well, of course he contacted me and told me he missed me terribly, that she 'just needed a friend,' and I foolishly didn't push for more information. We saw each other every day, got smoochy, and we spent two weeks getting closer and closer.

I finally got up the courage to ask him what was going on. He admitted that he was still 'unsettled' (me v. out-of-town lady) so we broke up today.

I feel foolish: I depended upon his good reputation (several of my friends know him and say he's one of the best men they know); I allowed myself to emotionally bond with him (over our common experiences in world travel, languages, intellectual curiosity, etc); I believed that his sweet words and constant attention meant I was special to him. He maintains that he cares for me, he is just 'torn.' But I cannot go on like this - it hurts. So we're through.

At least I'm up to 30 men dated now. But I'm tired. This heartache stuff is for the birds!!

I'm thinking: going Crazy Cat Lady is my next move!