Marathon registration forms always have a paragraph that reads something like this:
2. Waiver.
You understand that participation in the event is potentially hazardous, and that a registered party should not participate unless they are medically able and properly trained. You understand that events may be held over public roads and facilites open to the public during the event and upon which hazards are to be expected. Participation carries with it certain inherent risks that cannot be eliminated completely ranging from minor injuries to catastrophic injuries including death. You understand and agree that in consideration of being permitted to participate in the event, you and any registered party, the heirs, personal representatives or assigns of you or the registered party do hereby release, waive, discharge and convenant not to sue Active for any and all liability from any and all claims arising from participation in the event by you or any registered party.
It makes me smile. Basically I’m saying I realize this is crazy and I could die, and because I realize this nobody can sue the race people if something does happen.
Should it concern me that there were two typos in this one?
Oh, and I agreed to it. I’ve registered for the Tucson Marathon in 2.5 months. I did a nine mile run on Saturday and felt real good about it, even had faster miles than my seven mile run two weeks previously.
Oddly, the weirdest part was listing not my age on race day (that’s been different than my age when I’ve registered for past marathons), but my name. My name will be different by then. That was weird.
I am an educator and PhD. I quilt, belly dance, run, read, and try to grow things. I am a Mormon. I am infertile. I am a daughter, sister, aunt, grand-daughter, friend, wife, and mom.
Brett L. Dennis
Mama g
Giggles
AmandaStretch
Found both of them! (Or all three of them, if you count changing number in the middle of the first sentence. We’ve discussed how much trauma this one causes me.) :turtle:
(You can blame the feminist movement for that.. It used to be they’d just write “he” in places like that. Then the feminist movement changed it to “he/she.” And now people generally write “they” because we don’t have a gender neutral (or won’t accept “he” as gender neutral the way every other language does) in English. So it isn’t considered changing number any more.)
Well, not by some people I’m sure, but the fact that there is a wikipedia article on it this long:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singular_they
underscores the problem.
I will likely always find the “singular they” unacceptable. I will also find the practice of putting one space between my sentences unacceptable. :turtle:
You aren’t writing papers in APA format (I should probably get the new manual soon), so the sentence spacing isn’t really an issue for you. Plus, it makes it easy to tell which of us typed something.
Have you heard of/read the book “Eats, Shoots, and Leaves.” It got good reviews. Written by a British lady who loves grammar. Good luck on the Tucson marathon! I’ve only ever managed a half…
I have heard of that book. I think one of my friends is reading it for our current book challenge (one non-fiction for each letter of the alphabet, in order). I’ve heard good things about it too.