Mike Pope
@mikepope.com
Tech writing & editing (update: now retired), language & words, occasional cats.
Friday words when the mood strikes me (and when it's Friday): https://mikepopewords.com/
Friday words when the mood strikes me (and when it's Friday): https://mikepopewords.com/
Wait, you sicced a sic on their sic?
November 12, 2025 at 5:19 AM
Wait, you sicced a sic on their sic?
actual moving really is the worst, even if you're going someplace you're excited about
November 4, 2025 at 12:36 AM
actual moving really is the worst, even if you're going someplace you're excited about
we were having a discussion just yesterday about the representation of Grendel and his mother — human-like yet not human, "of Cain's kin", Grendel's mother apparently human enough that the forest dwellers could tell she was female
November 3, 2025 at 6:23 PM
we were having a discussion just yesterday about the representation of Grendel and his mother — human-like yet not human, "of Cain's kin", Grendel's mother apparently human enough that the forest dwellers could tell she was female
This one surprised me because it feels so ephemeral. I guess it also doesn't capture much about the year except perhaps as meta commentary about slang? Dunno. I like "clanker" or "broligarchy" (gah) as better woty candidates.
October 29, 2025 at 10:32 PM
This one surprised me because it feels so ephemeral. I guess it also doesn't capture much about the year except perhaps as meta commentary about slang? Dunno. I like "clanker" or "broligarchy" (gah) as better woty candidates.
I see that this is ambiguous (is the cessation doing the smoking?), so a good edit would of course be "cessation of smoking" ;)
October 29, 2025 at 9:05 PM
I see that this is ambiguous (is the cessation doing the smoking?), so a good edit would of course be "cessation of smoking" ;)
"One's house style oughtn't to be visible from outer space." (Benjamin Dreyer)
October 28, 2025 at 1:58 AM
"One's house style oughtn't to be visible from outer space." (Benjamin Dreyer)
Just to be clear, you are Utahraptor in this comic, right? ;)
October 16, 2025 at 6:15 AM
Just to be clear, you are Utahraptor in this comic, right? ;)
I wrote a haiku to commemorate the occasion:
Harold cyning wæs
wiþ Willelm eorle gefeaht
Adieu Anglisc-spræc
Harold cyning wæs
wiþ Willelm eorle gefeaht
Adieu Anglisc-spræc
October 16, 2025 at 1:12 AM
I wrote a haiku to commemorate the occasion:
Harold cyning wæs
wiþ Willelm eorle gefeaht
Adieu Anglisc-spræc
Harold cyning wæs
wiþ Willelm eorle gefeaht
Adieu Anglisc-spræc
Now I'm wondering if there are other non-passive "get" + participle (?) constructions like this.
October 14, 2025 at 6:31 AM
Now I'm wondering if there are other non-passive "get" + participle (?) constructions like this.
this is wonderful. I've heard the Peer Gynt Suite about one (1) million times but never a vocal performance.
October 14, 2025 at 3:40 AM
this is wonderful. I've heard the Peer Gynt Suite about one (1) million times but never a vocal performance.
I sure do not recall hearing "an hotel"—? Maybe I hang out in the wrong circles.
October 14, 2025 at 2:17 AM
I sure do not recall hearing "an hotel"—? Maybe I hang out in the wrong circles.
... and Kissinger actually won
October 10, 2025 at 3:43 PM
... and Kissinger actually won
It makes sense if you think about who's bribing, I mean contributing to, the party in power.
October 1, 2025 at 6:33 PM
It makes sense if you think about who's bribing, I mean contributing to, the party in power.