Every New Year’s Day, the first thing I do is open The Washington Post and read The List, a comparative account of what’s Out and what’s In in the new year. Other papers around the country may publish something similar, but the Post tends to include a few inside-the-Beltway references.
What always strikes me is that I didn’t know so many things were In until they were already Out. Brussels sprouts, for example. Conversely, I am amused to read what’s now In that was already In for me. For example, IHOP is now In. I celebrated my birthday there (by choice) two weeks ago.
Sorry, Betty White, you’ve been replaced by Anne Meara. I’m just glad you’re both enjoying your due glory.
I’ve jotted down a few personal Ins and Outs:
| OUT | IN |
| Two spaces after a period | One space after a period |
| Oxford comma | No comma |
| Hot house | Central air conditioning |
| Goose bumps | Hot flashes |
| Real Housewives of anywhere | Hot in Cleveland |
| Coffee, alcohol, chocolate, garlic, onions, tomatoes, fried foods, and late night snacking | Hot water and Dexilant happy hours |
| Zicam | Webcam |
| Pandora jewelry | Pandora radio |
What’s Out and In for you in 2011?
Happy New Year.
Word Nymph 
They say that the fourth hour of the Today Show is in but I am so tired of Kathy Lee.
Very Funny!
For me-
Going out is out. Blog is in.
Happy 2011.
Maybe old dogs just don’t want to learn new tricks. I’m pushing 60, and I bet I could make the changes, but I still think the Oxford comma helps to separate the items in a list and the double space after a period makes a sentence stand-out. It is my hope that people notice the sentence structure – not just read a bunch of run-on words.
My fear is that capilization is going out among the X Generation. I tell the young folks I know that soon the pinky will evolve to small, lifeless flap of skin if they don’t start hitting that shift key.
Paul, I agree with you on shift key negligence, which I think has reached crisis stage. In 2010, I received a number of wedding invitations and printed announcements that were written in all lower case, including first and last names and street addresses. This is obviously a fashion trend, but I am having a hard time digesting it.
Seemingly, “like” is out, “so” is in and, without context, there’s no reason for either.
I cherish Oxford commas and ample spacing after a period and other forms of punctuation. They give a reader thoughtful breathing space in the flow of words. My greatest fear is that soon we will be writing and thinking in tweetspeak: “2Brn2Bthtiz?”
A M.A.S.H. episode, “Hawkeye,” is one of best written and improvised scripts of the television show. After a jeep accident, Hawkeye is alone with a Korean family none of whom speak English. He, alone, talks the entire episode to avoid sleep from a possible concussion. Essentially, it is a brilliant soliloquy of gravitas and laughter with silent moments to mediate the wordy stream of consciousness.
I raise a holiday glass to the silent moment, the empty space, the catch-your-breath and rest-your-eyes pause, the invitation for reflection amidst words, words, words.
Kathy, you are absolutely right about that M*A*S*H episode. Pure brilliance.