Kristin Whittlesey
@kawhittlesey.bsky.social
Nashville's grammar cartoonist. When in doubt, trust Merriam-Webster. I like live music, baking cookies, and armadillos. And pretty much anything sparkly.
WOTD “decisions, decisions” edition. Options vs. Choices. If you are picking among several items, you do not have multiple choices. You have multiple options, from which you will make one choice. (“Multiple choice test” is correct because each discrete question requires making a choice.)
December 3, 2025 at 2:23 PM
WOTD “decisions, decisions” edition. Options vs. Choices. If you are picking among several items, you do not have multiple choices. You have multiple options, from which you will make one choice. (“Multiple choice test” is correct because each discrete question requires making a choice.)
WOTD “Tennessee Tuesday” edition. Plebiscite. It’s a different kind of “Tennessee Tuesday,” as eyes nationwide are on our congressional special election. If you live in TN-07, today’s the day! Vote, vote, vote!
December 2, 2025 at 2:24 PM
WOTD “Tennessee Tuesday” edition. Plebiscite. It’s a different kind of “Tennessee Tuesday,” as eyes nationwide are on our congressional special election. If you live in TN-07, today’s the day! Vote, vote, vote!
WOTD “get in sync” edition. Gibe vs. Jibe vs. Jive. These are tricky, so bear with me. The first is a dig at somebody. The second may also be a taunt, but more generally means to be in agreement. The last is a manner of speech. If you have a mnemonic for any of them, help a pedant out and share!
November 19, 2025 at 3:00 PM
WOTD “get in sync” edition. Gibe vs. Jibe vs. Jive. These are tricky, so bear with me. The first is a dig at somebody. The second may also be a taunt, but more generally means to be in agreement. The last is a manner of speech. If you have a mnemonic for any of them, help a pedant out and share!
WOTD - Tennessee Tuesday. “Give Me Some Sugar.” Next week is Thanksgiving, so this phrase is gonna get a workout. It doesn’t mean you prepared poorly and need an ingredient for your pumpkin pie. It means “Kiss me!” In a grandma way, not a Hallmark holiday movie way. Safe travels and happy holidays!
November 18, 2025 at 3:05 PM
WOTD - Tennessee Tuesday. “Give Me Some Sugar.” Next week is Thanksgiving, so this phrase is gonna get a workout. It doesn’t mean you prepared poorly and need an ingredient for your pumpkin pie. It means “Kiss me!” In a grandma way, not a Hallmark holiday movie way. Safe travels and happy holidays!
WOTD “do they have railroads in heaven?” edition. Locomotive. I didn’t know Todd Snider. Not the way many of my friends did, anyway. So, no stories from me. Just, go listen to a train song today, and maybe sip on a whiskey while you’re doing it.
November 17, 2025 at 2:56 PM
WOTD “do they have railroads in heaven?” edition. Locomotive. I didn’t know Todd Snider. Not the way many of my friends did, anyway. So, no stories from me. Just, go listen to a train song today, and maybe sip on a whiskey while you’re doing it.
WOTD “last call” edition. Restaurateur. We were gutted to learn that Margot McCormack will be closing her iconic East Nashville restaurant next year. There would be no independent restaurant scene in Nashville without Margot, and that’s not hyperbole. (Also, there is no N in “restaurateur.”)
November 12, 2025 at 2:54 PM
WOTD “last call” edition. Restaurateur. We were gutted to learn that Margot McCormack will be closing her iconic East Nashville restaurant next year. There would be no independent restaurant scene in Nashville without Margot, and that’s not hyperbole. (Also, there is no N in “restaurateur.”)
Y'all. Just when I thought I couldn't love them any more, they go and do this. Y'all'll've. Marry me, @merriam-webster.com.
November 10, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Y'all. Just when I thought I couldn't love them any more, they go and do this. Y'all'll've. Marry me, @merriam-webster.com.
WOTD “oorah” edition. Semper Fidelis. Happy 250th anniversary to the U.S. Marine Corps! (I tried to draw Chesty the Bulldog, the Marines mascot, but he is far beyond my whiteboarding skills.)
November 10, 2025 at 2:46 PM
WOTD “oorah” edition. Semper Fidelis. Happy 250th anniversary to the U.S. Marine Corps! (I tried to draw Chesty the Bulldog, the Marines mascot, but he is far beyond my whiteboarding skills.)
WOTD “Christmas Creep” edition. Festoon. The coffee chain unveiled its holiday menu today, and the festive holiday to-go cups are coming next week. So, I’m giving in. Forget about Thanksgiving, we’re going straight to holly jolly. Happy holidays, you filthy animals.
November 6, 2025 at 2:59 PM
WOTD “Christmas Creep” edition. Festoon. The coffee chain unveiled its holiday menu today, and the festive holiday to-go cups are coming next week. So, I’m giving in. Forget about Thanksgiving, we’re going straight to holly jolly. Happy holidays, you filthy animals.
Similarly, if you’re unwell, or if you wish to express sympathy for an unfortunate friend, you feel “bad.” If you “feel badly,” you’re either numb or just not very good at touching things.
November 5, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Similarly, if you’re unwell, or if you wish to express sympathy for an unfortunate friend, you feel “bad.” If you “feel badly,” you’re either numb or just not very good at touching things.
WOTD “what ails you” edition. Feel Bad vs. Feel Badly. Too frequently, I see well-meaning people wrongly use “badly” in place of “bad,” thinking it’s the correct thing to do. You wouldn’t say a pie smells “deliciously.” Nor would you say “I feel sadly” if you’re distraught. 1/2
November 5, 2025 at 2:49 PM
WOTD “what ails you” edition. Feel Bad vs. Feel Badly. Too frequently, I see well-meaning people wrongly use “badly” in place of “bad,” thinking it’s the correct thing to do. You wouldn’t say a pie smells “deliciously.” Nor would you say “I feel sadly” if you’re distraught. 1/2
WOTD - Tennessee Tuesday. If It Was A Snake….. A favorite phrase among frustrated parents and spouses who think their loved ones maybe aren’t so very good at looking for things.
November 4, 2025 at 2:47 PM
WOTD - Tennessee Tuesday. If It Was A Snake….. A favorite phrase among frustrated parents and spouses who think their loved ones maybe aren’t so very good at looking for things.
WOTD “movin’ to the country” edition. Superb vs. Suburb. I will charitably assume this was the result of an autocorrect error, but I did see them confused in the wild recently. “Suburb” is a place that you probably have to drive to. “Superb” is an adjective, and high praise. Is your suburb superb?
November 3, 2025 at 2:18 PM
WOTD “movin’ to the country” edition. Superb vs. Suburb. I will charitably assume this was the result of an autocorrect error, but I did see them confused in the wild recently. “Suburb” is a place that you probably have to drive to. “Superb” is an adjective, and high praise. Is your suburb superb?
WOTD “trick or treat” edition. Sweetmeat. Even vegetarian friends can partake of this “meat,” because a sweetmeat is a food rich in sugar - candy or confections. Happy Halloween!
October 31, 2025 at 1:39 PM
WOTD “trick or treat” edition. Sweetmeat. Even vegetarian friends can partake of this “meat,” because a sweetmeat is a food rich in sugar - candy or confections. Happy Halloween!
WOTD “and what are YOU supposed to be?” edition. Vizard. An essential part of many Halloween costumes. Bonus points if you don the vizard of a wizard.
October 30, 2025 at 1:43 PM
WOTD “and what are YOU supposed to be?” edition. Vizard. An essential part of many Halloween costumes. Bonus points if you don the vizard of a wizard.
WOTD “the bones of the argument” edition. Flesh Out vs. Flush Out. If you’re trying to put some meat on the bones of an outline or explain something in greater depth, use the first. If you’re looking for someone or something that doesn’t want to be found, use the second.
October 29, 2025 at 1:45 PM
WOTD “the bones of the argument” edition. Flesh Out vs. Flush Out. If you’re trying to put some meat on the bones of an outline or explain something in greater depth, use the first. If you’re looking for someone or something that doesn’t want to be found, use the second.
WOTD “Vanderbilt - we’re a football school” edition. Flabbergasted. We who attended Vandy in the early 90s got to see a lot of good football get perpetrated against us. We are understandably befuddled at the current state of affairs. Sorry if we’re obnoxious about it for a while - this is new for us
October 27, 2025 at 1:51 PM
WOTD “Vanderbilt - we’re a football school” edition. Flabbergasted. We who attended Vandy in the early 90s got to see a lot of good football get perpetrated against us. We are understandably befuddled at the current state of affairs. Sorry if we’re obnoxious about it for a while - this is new for us
Hi I am very smol and scrunched down and you can’t see me no really
October 25, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Hi I am very smol and scrunched down and you can’t see me no really
19yo Waylon salutes her. He’d date her, but she’s way too young for him.
October 24, 2025 at 4:44 AM
19yo Waylon salutes her. He’d date her, but she’s way too young for him.
Dear work: I love you guys, but I’m quitting to become a full-time Wright Middle School Mariachi Band groupie. 😍😍😍
October 24, 2025 at 4:41 AM
Dear work: I love you guys, but I’m quitting to become a full-time Wright Middle School Mariachi Band groupie. 😍😍😍
WOTD “capital idea” edition. Capitol vs. Capital. (This is a rerun, by request!) It’s only an “o” capitol if it’s a building. And it’s only a “Capital C” capitol if it’s in Washington D.C. When in doubt, you probably want “a.”
October 23, 2025 at 2:14 PM
WOTD “capital idea” edition. Capitol vs. Capital. (This is a rerun, by request!) It’s only an “o” capitol if it’s a building. And it’s only a “Capital C” capitol if it’s in Washington D.C. When in doubt, you probably want “a.”
WOTD “the cat’s OK” edition. Onto vs. On To. How to know which one you want: If you can replace it with another preposition, such as “upon,” you want “onto.” If you can leave out the “on” and still have a complete sentence, use “on to”: “Let’s go (on) to the next chapter.”
October 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
WOTD “the cat’s OK” edition. Onto vs. On To. How to know which one you want: If you can replace it with another preposition, such as “upon,” you want “onto.” If you can leave out the “on” and still have a complete sentence, use “on to”: “Let’s go (on) to the next chapter.”
WOTD - Tennessee Tuesday, “safety first” edition. Nervous as a Cat in a Room Full of Rocking Chairs. These may be the worst cat and worst chairs I have ever drawn. Hold on to your tails and have a great Tuesday!
October 21, 2025 at 1:58 PM
WOTD - Tennessee Tuesday, “safety first” edition. Nervous as a Cat in a Room Full of Rocking Chairs. These may be the worst cat and worst chairs I have ever drawn. Hold on to your tails and have a great Tuesday!
WOTD “technical difficulties” edition. Impediment. If your Monday morning routine has been disrupted by the nationwide AWS outage, we raise our coffee cup to you in sympathy and solidarity.
October 20, 2025 at 1:47 PM
WOTD “technical difficulties” edition. Impediment. If your Monday morning routine has been disrupted by the nationwide AWS outage, we raise our coffee cup to you in sympathy and solidarity.
WOTD “readin’ and writin’” edition. Bibliomania. If you suffer from this condition, come sit by me. And hold me accountable - this massive “to be read” pile of mine isn’t gonna read itself.
*** Southern Festival of Books is this weekend!!! I hope to see some of you there!
*** Southern Festival of Books is this weekend!!! I hope to see some of you there!
October 17, 2025 at 1:36 PM
WOTD “readin’ and writin’” edition. Bibliomania. If you suffer from this condition, come sit by me. And hold me accountable - this massive “to be read” pile of mine isn’t gonna read itself.
*** Southern Festival of Books is this weekend!!! I hope to see some of you there!
*** Southern Festival of Books is this weekend!!! I hope to see some of you there!