Microsoft Spellcheck Sucks

This year I decided to send a Christmas letter to all my friends. Using a computer is MUCH nicer than writing longhand--I'm just a hunt and peck typist, but you should see my penmanship! Or no, you shouldn't!

But anyway, the envelopes have a space for return address, so I typed in "Neotropics." And Microsoft Word kept telling me that was misspelled. I asked a couple of motmots what they thought, but they said they're really bad spellers and didn't have a clue. I mustered up my courage and asked a Mottled Owl--believe me, I was ready to make a quick getaway if she got that look in her eye, but she just shrugged and said she doesn't keep up on that kind of thing.

So I added "Neotropics" to the spellcheck dictionary. But still--do you know what word they wanted me to change it to? I am not making this up: Microsoft wanted me to top my return address with "Neurotics"! What do they think we're running down here?

Of course, they wanted me to change my best friend's name to "Blackburn Ian"! Our poor Parula friends are, according to Microsoft, on "parole"! But the biggest joke is that they think I'm a "Yellow-rumpled Warbler." The computer geeks who develop these programs really should get outside a little more!