Good morning. Well, if our paper was still being delivered by carriers, it would be morning.

Not so, now, of course. The change in delivery was made necessary by economic conditions. Sometimes survival depends upon change. That’s just how it is, alas.

Anyway. You have quite probably scanned the front page, checked the obituaries, and read the “Sound Off” submissions.

So maybe you then decided to peruse “Write Again.” I get all that.

However, you may wish to skip today’s scribblings, for in all honesty I tell you there’s not much of substance in this space today. Just some not very important ramblings.

If you’re still with me, though, then here goes:

GRAY? — Oh, yes. Even the WHS track team has gray uniforms. Gray! Perhaps coaches who aren’t Pam Pack alumni just don’t see the importance of tradition. Perhaps.

“OUT OF”? — So often you read that thus-and-such (team, performers, businesses, agencies, etc.) are “based out of” name of town. That is the very opposite of what is meant. They or it are actually based “in” the town.

STATES? — One reads or hears of high school athletes and teams qualifying, and competing in “states.” Really? Just how many actual states will they be competing in? It’s “state.” Singular.

PLATED? — The (name of team) “plated” two runs in the third inning. “Plated?” Is that akin to “scoring” two runs? If the team had four hits, would it be “based” as in first, or second or third. You wouldn’t say a football player “end zoned” a touchdown or a basketball player “basketed” a goal.

Enough of this. Our language is full of malapropisms, cliches and other quirks. Our American English is, indeed, a fluid language, it is said.

I tell you nothing you don’t already know. And, mercifully, this week’s weakly done endeavor is over.

You have my word that I’ll try hard, really hard, to do a better job next time.

Peace.

APROPOS — “Journalism — an ability to meet the challenge of filling the space.”

— Rebecca West (New York Herald Tribune)