In the Loop: December 2023

A List of A-List Lists

My sister recently revealed that when she completes a task on her to-do list, she highlights it. Where the normal among us cross items off our lists or check little boxes, my sister uses a blue highlighter. Apparently, it's a thing (you can read more about it in Stuff We Like, below). But if that makes your list of shocking list-related behavior, you're not alone.

Wish list. Laundry list. Hit list. Shitlist. Bucket list. Naughty list. Nice list. Checking-it-twice list. Shopping list. Checklist. Top Ten list. To-do list. Reference list. Playlist (click ours below). Nixon's enemies list. Endangered species list. FBI's Most Wanted list. And apparently, list of lists. Love the list and the list will love you back. Keep reading.

Editing Q & A: Lists, Lists, Lists

It would take a lot of precious space to describe in detail how to format both run-in lists and vertical lists. Luckily, the folks over at Walden University Writing Center made a snappy video that explains it all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-48KYXi1s94

For good measure, here is a transcript of that video.

Playlist: 30 Songs about Lists (Click the Image)

What's the Diff?

There are a lot of sneaky words out there—words with similar spellings, similar sounds, or just similar vibes. Here’s the lowdown on some of those commonly swapped-by-accident words.

Etc. is the abbreviated form of et cetera (“and others of the same kind”); it should never be used in reference to people. Etc. implies that a list of things is too extensive to recite.

Et al. is the abbreviated form of et alii (“and others”)—the others are people, not things. Since al. is an abbreviation, the period is necessary—but also note that no period follows the et (Latin for “and”).

Style guides prefer to limit the abbreviations etc. and et al. to parentheses, notes, citations, and references. In the main body of text, spell out “etcetera” or “and others.” Note that neither etc. nor et al. is italicized in normal prose (they are italicized here to highlight the words, not as a function of the words). Dig?

Cool Guide: It’s a List of Books!

Stuff We Like

Some excellent lists from Merriam-Webster, including “words you love to hate” and “words for dictionary supernerds” and “bookish words for book lovers.”

A list of 100 hecking neat facts.

The official power rankings of your favorite punctuation marks.

Whatever happened to the underrated list pop song?

Some people say there’s a benefit to highlighting completed tasks on your to-do list.

The New Yorker has a list of the hundred best lists of all time.

The Smithsonian Institute dove into the archives to look at lists and of celebrated artists.

Steve Martin shares his holiday wish list in this 1986 episode of SNL.

Goop’s self-described “ridiculous but awesome” gift guide, including 24K vibrator ($15,000), baby wardrobe ($73,000), and truck candle ($135).

The BBC says that these are the 100 best children's books of all time.

“Charismatic megafauna”—aka animals with rizz—on the endangered species list.

Way back in 2017, NPR made a handy list of the 150 greatest albums made by women. What new albums should be added?

Make a list of 100 things you want.

Vanity Fair has a long list of short books.

Like twirly-burly, only not made up out of thin air: here’s a bunch of rare reduplicative words.

The AV Club gives us the 50 best music videos, ranked (obvi).

Hungry for more? Here's a list of the 150 most legendary restaurants in the world together with their most iconic dishes. There are exactly two restaurants in Canada.