For years, I denied the truth. But no longer.
I’m a word nerd and proud of it.
I realize this shouldn’t be a surprise since I write books and everything. But it took me a while to accept and embrace the brain God gave me.
Here are some signs that you, too, may be a word nerd…
5) You work on the daily crossword while watching Wheel of Fortune and get giddy when one of them solves the other.
4) You reprimand your child, but then stop yourself when you realize you said the word “that” too many times.
3) When asked what your favorite book is, you answer, “The thesaurus.”
2) You get excited when you find alliteration in your grocery list.
1) In your mind, it’s perfectly normal to wear war paint while playing Scrabble.
Can anyone relate to these? What other things prove you’re a word nerd like me? (Don’t be ashamed. You’re among friends. 
)
These are great. I’m a word nerd because I cannot listen to songs with lyrics that have grammar mistakes in them.
LOL, Julie, I recommend avoiding country music then…and rap.
I’m a word nerd because when I am talking to someone and realize I have made a grammatical error. I start over. I play scrabble on line and I believe there are several who have donned war paint. I especially like your #1.
I love that you start over when you make a grammatical error, Cecelia. The sign of a true word lover.
Yes, I’m a word nerd too. I can’t even send texts with typos in them.
Haha, Karen! I’m the same way.
I like to make up new words just for fun!!! lol Love this list and am sticking it up on FB!
Oohhh, new words…Care to expound, Jessica?
Me, too. If I’m ever thrown in jail, it will be because I spray-painted the apostrophes in the RIGHT places on signs.
LOL, Rachael, The officers in jail will have to watch their grammar with you around.
Sarah, you crack me up!! War paint. Heh. That’s about right when it comes to me and my husband playing against each other in Scrabble. We can’t do it. We always fight. Although we CAN play Words with Friends, because there is a moderator regarding the dictionary used…
Oh goodness, Lindsay, I can’t begin to tell you about the epic Scrabble battles that have ensued in our house. It’s best for our marriage if we play with other people.
Love the alliteration grocery list one. You stop someone as soon as they’ve said a beautiful word and say it over and over again as though caught in a dreamy state of delirium. Yeah, so not something *I* would do.
Smiling, Wendy. I’m remembering times at the retreat when someone would say something especially beautiful, and the whole room would say, “Mmm.” Beautiful words are almost as lovely as chocolate.
TOTALLY giggling over the “overuse of THAT” part – which is so me!!! Love word nerds! Perhaps this is why we are friends??
Yes, Bekah, I have a feeling that may be part of it.
War paint. Must put that on my grocery list.
Word nerd = wanting to red line typos on restaurant menus and road signs. Word nerd = making words up from the the letter scramble on license plates. (Yes, this is a bit distracting when I drive.)
LOL, Beth, Now I have a new distraction for when I take a road trip.
I’m trying to convince myself it’s not a sin to see how many words I can make from the word “remembrance” on the communion table when the sermon fails to fully capture my attention.
LOL, Sarah, Now that’s a great distraction! (er, a nuisance of a distraction)
Guilty as charged. I want to correct typos everywhere: signs, menus, books I read… especially the apostrophe in “y’all,” a good Texas word. I see “ya’ll” all the time and it drives me crazy. “That” drives me crazy, too, and I do a word search in everything I write.
My most nerdy thing, though, is keeping a word doc open continuously so I can check spelling and grammar in emails and comments like this one!
Oh my goodness, Sherry, I love your word doc idea. I may have to copy it, lol.
Reblogged this on vonildawrites and commented:
I have truly been enjoying Sarah Forgrave’s blog. This one had me giggling. I’ll also post my usual Werd Nerd Wednesday. Meantime, enjoy!
Thanks so much for the reblog, Vonilda!
I get lost in the dictionary when I go to look up a word.
LOL, I love it.
I am probably not as much of a word nerd as I should be. But I am a story nerd…I freak out over awesome stories and want to talk about them forever and dissect them and inevitably someone always feels the need to remind me the characters I’m talking about aren’t real.
But I will admit a fondness for alliteration–but more when it’s accidental.
And I love it when I have those moments when a word I’ve used over and over suddenly looks so strange on the page. Haha!
I so know what you mean about repeating words, Melissa! And amen to accidental alliteration.
I’m a total word nerd and proud of it. I’m the reigning Boggle champ in my family. I love the sounds of words, the way they roll around in my mouth, trip on my tongue and spill over my lips. Words RULE! Now I think I need to make a T-shirt!
Yes, Lisa! Make extra t-shirts for all your blogging friends too.
I’m definitely a word nerd. Words are some of my favorite playthings!
Amen, Keli!
Followed Voni over from her site. I like words… I’m just not sure I’m smart enough to be able to sport the title of “Word Nerd”! but a fella can dream can’t he?
It’s a lofty goal, but it can be reached.
This is so funny! I love my thesaurus! I try not to be smug about it, but I find great satisfaction in correcting people misuse words
I’m a nerd too!
Oh yeah, Amy. Best to savor the smugness all for yourself.
Lol! I love number two. I chide newscasters when they say words wrong, or speak in slang. They’re supposed to be word nerds, too! It especially bugs me when they say ‘nother. Like, “That’s a whole ‘nother story.” Ick!
Good point about newscasters, Cindy! Surely they have an editor, right?
I’m a word nerd because sometimes (okay, many times) when I’m talking to someone, and they’re about to respond (in that split second), I imagine what they’re going to say (or what they SHOULD say)!
Maybe that’s a story, or dialogue, nerd. Ha! I love the sound of words, I love their meaning and I especially love when I can find a much better word to use than the common one.
LOL, Gabrielle, a story or dialogue nerd…now I have a whole other post idea.
Ha! These are great. Whenever I catch myself being redundant while teaching, I usually stop mid-sentence to correct myself. Big problem!
It’s all about leading by example, right, Ashley?
It’s funny I believe I have always been a word nerd. A little tight on the grammer, missed that lecture. until my father when I was 14 sad he would buy me the book of everywhere you could publish your writing, poems and one short story back then. Then years later your best friend says you should use your blog posts and turn it into a little 365 of meaningful thought to keep your brain going. Then a writer who I believe to have God given talent tell me that tells me a bunch of things on a reply I wrote but this stood out. “WOW … what a poetic way with words you have, my friend, and I hope you are nurturing your own “seed,” one that clearly indicates the gift of writing. Especially with the wealth of emotional experience you’ve undergone with trials in your life.” So Sarah Hi I am a Word Nerd and my name is Jennifer………
Blessings~Jenn
Confession is healing, isn’t it, Jenn? Nurture that seed.
Thank you, I also look for what you are writing!!!
So happy Beth Vogt shared this or I may never have seen it. So funny!
I love Beth Vogt! So glad she sent you my way.
Me too!
Total word nerd here. Complete, 100%, no denying it. And I love it.
Might as well be proud of who we are, right, Rhonda?
I’m raising my hand here. Word nerd all the way, Sarah.
Welcome to the club, Susan!