Spell Check

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Blacksmith William Dougherty (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions from August to October 1868 in Arizona. His citation reads:

Bravery in scouts and actions against Indians.

Sergeant George P. Dow (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions in October 1864 near Richmond, Virginia. His citation reads:

Gallantry while in command of his company during a reconnaissance toward Richmond.

Boatswain’s Mate Henry Dow (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on May 27, 1863 on board the USS Cincinnati. His citation reads:

Served on board the U.S.S. Cincinnati during the attack on the Vicksburg batteries and at the time of her sinking, 27 May 1863. Engaging the enemy in a fierce battle, the Cincinnati, amidst an incessant fire of shot and shell, continued to fire her guns to the last, though so penetrated by enemy shellfire that her fate was sealed. Serving courageously throughout this action, Dow carried out his duties to the end on this proud ship that went down with "her colors nailed to the mast."


Thankful Thursday

This Thursday I am thankful for Spell Check. Oh how little I would write if not for spell check. As it is, I still need help from The Wife when it comes to spelling (since you have to at least be close for spell check to help). Friends, I have as much trouble with spelling as I do with geography (which I believe I talked about on here before). This is one weakness I can directly trace to my Dad. He can’t spell… at all. And it seems he was able to pass this lack of spelling ability on to me. How bad is it? When thinking of names for our kids, the first thing I’d do is spell the name. If I had trouble spelling the name, we scratched it from the list (we aren’t one of those hippy families who wanted to purposely spell names in a funky way). Spell check REALLY helps me when it comes to sending emails at work. If not for that nice little feature on my email machine, I’d spend half my day looking up how to spell words for one email. In many ways, I could probably include the online dictionary in this segment. When was the last time you used an honest to goodness actual dictionary? If you have done so recently, my next question is why? So today (and really every day) I am thankful for spell check. I am also thankful for The Wife always being a good sport and helping me out when I ask her how to spell a word (even when I ask by shouting from one end of the house to the other). And to all of you kids out there, be happy you are in school during the computer era. I do remember having to handwrite my papers in school… spending most of my time trying to re-work a sentence so that I could avoid using a word I didn’t know how to spell. Ah, the good ol’ days…