The letters H and J are next to each other on my computer keyboard. So that a sign-off to my friend – normally “Big hugs” – became “Big jugs”, a thing neither of us can claim to possess, but a typing mistake I can easily understand.
But how does one explain “Best fishes”?
It’s not as if the W and the F are next-door neighbours. The letter F is in the middle row of the keyboard, the letter W is at the extreme left of the top row of letters. And yet, there I am, signing off my email notes with:
“My best fishes,
Cynthia”.
When did “wishes” become “fishes”?
I noticed last fall that “Autumn” became “Auturmn”.
Then there’s “The United States”, which has recently become “The Untied States”. That’s probably from a subconscious worry about the divisions in our neighbouring country.
More embarrassing, “Public” is sometimes “Pubic”. As far as I know, however, I’ve always caught that one before hitting “Send”.
But “My best fishes” has nearly escaped, unedited, several times now. Don’t ask me why, but it’s even lodged in my mind this unfortunate soundtrack — badly adapted from one of my mother’s sayings, no doubt — “If wishes were fishes, all beggars would dine…”
One has to be so vigilant these days. If it’s not your typing, it’s Spellcheck.
My best wishes and fishes,
Cynthia.
Cynthia Reyes 
Cynthia, I swish you well in your fuyure ebeavors.
Don’t firget to use speelcheek.
lol
B
You made me laugh! Thank you!
Yeah! Best fishes from the UNtied States.
And to you, Amy: Best Fishes but no Big Jugs!
Nice to know I am in good company. Many days I am totally witless …..
I hear you, sister. After I posted this, I seriously wondered if it really was Wednesday….
I enjoyed this, Cynthia! Thanks for the Wednesday giggles. 🙂
Glad to make you giggle, dear Jill!
Untied might actually be perfect for now.
Thanks for the laugh!
Sad, but true. Still, I’m glad you laughed at my issues!
No…you are not “witless” Cynthia. I think it has to do with some sort of upgrade of spellcheck. I’ve also noticed “Untied States” popping up lately. A few times I considered leaving it in my post because it seemed appropriate to the subject at hand – of course the discussion about the current political climate in the U.S. – but I corrected it. I suppose this is a cautionary tale to remind us to be more vigilant when using computers. We have given so much of our “thinking” to them…who reads a map any more, or even writes down directions when we have GPS in our cars or on our phones? As for the “fishes” issue…I have no words of comfort for you on that. Unless, you are truly becoming “untied” LOL!
I am already untied. But thanks for the reassurance!
It’s funny what auto-correct will do too. Every time I start to type ‘napping’ on my cell phone, it offers me ‘balling.’ I still don’t understand that one!
And ‘napping’ and ‘balling’ are two different things. Maybe auto-correct wants you to wake up and go ball-playing or have a ball?
Maybe it’s telling me to exercise instead of nap. 😄
Thanks for the best fishes and laughs. I’m making more of these swaps corrections improvements myself!
Jugs and fishes! ☺
To jugs and fishes!
LOL
I LOVE “best fishes.” So many and fun that you might want to consider using it. I frequently type Untied States instead of United States. Very appropriate, considering the recent turn of events here.
I hear you, sister. Untied states.
It seems I’m already using Best Fishes — if only I weren’t!
I love Best Fishes. It would be fun to have a little fish stamp to use with it.
“Untied States”! I am laughing, which is better than crying. 🙂
I love this post! These kinds of unintentional swaps have happened to me many a time. 🙂
Oh, goody. Misery likes company. So does laughter! Glad it made you laugh.
Thanks a million for the chuckle!
Great fun Xynthia 🙂
I was just working on a “If wishes were fishes” couplet when I saw you provided one! I do the Untied States all the time and consistently typed “students” and “studnets” my whole teaching career. Now, spellcheck fixes that one!
Ok. “Studnets” made me grin. “Studlets” would have been worse!
Great post, Cynthia. Made me laugh and realize that we’re all in the same ‘boat’. Not good, if you are a fish.
Your last line made ME laugh, Lesley. Thank you.
This really made me laugh! What’s happening to our brains?!!!
Glad it made you laugh. My brain left the building several years ago!
Thanks for the laugh. Typing is one ability that escapes me so I can get some really tangled nonsensical words. Wish they sounded so nonsensically right as yours do! Note: I re-read what I wrote before closing off and I had written ‘nosenicaly’. How about that,eh?
I love the best fishes – I think you should adopt it as your valediction.
Hah! Best fishes to you!
Technology does give us some laughs while trying to help us! The US is certainly untied these days. Your friends will understand when you close with best fishes!
Okay, then. Best fishes to you!
You made me smile, Cynthia 😃. Best wishes and fishes to you, too!
Big jugs and best fishes, Helen
😊
You gave me quite the chuckles, Cynthia! Oh, my, how many times have I done the same or similar! Big jugs and best fishes to you, too! LOL! 😆
You’re a woman after my own heart, Linda. Big jugs and best fishes.
😀 ❤
I wish my auto-correct misses were funny. At best, they’re nonsensical. I kind of like the idea of best fishes and untied, yup, that’s about right!
That stuff makes us feel witless, doesn’t it? I have a business contact named Pam, another named Paul, and a friend named Pat. Can I tell you how many e-mails have been sent to Pam that were meant for the others because Outlook/Microsoft auto-filled in Pam’s name just as I hit Send? Now I have to watch it like a hawk. So much for technology! As always, my best fishes to you, Cynthia.
Big jugs and best fishes to you, dear Jeanne!
Cythina – wishing you all the best coming success and continued contributions!!
Thank you, Mihran. How kind of you!
You always bring a smile to my face Cynthia. My new tablet is smaller than my old one and I hit the wrong letters all the time, but never to such wonderful effect.
I’m glad I made you smile, Chloris. It took me a while to realize that these same mistakes were being made over and over again!
Cynthia – I love this post; it made me laugh so much!
This is the fourth comment I have made here and none of them (so far) have appeared on your post. I think Akismet is playing up again and they might be in your spam folder. Fourth time lucky?……..
Yikes — sorry about that. It’s always great to hear from you, and I’m glad the post made you laugh!
Thank-you, Cynthia.
Yay!
I imagine this will be one of your more commented-on posts, Cynthia 🙂 Many of my typos are also unexplainable. And then there are the omission typos, which can be equally embarrassing. Thanks so much for a good laugh! 🙂 ❤
Mwahahahaharhgh! I’m glad I’m not the only one who types weird stuff! I think it’s age. My typos get madder and madder the older I get. I seem to muddle N and h quite often too. Not sure what that’s about either. 😉
I have turned off “auto-correction” as I have enough trouble spelling. I would rather have a red squiggly line which warns me to take out the dictionary, rather than having the word-processing program put in a correctly spelled wrong word for me. Those are nearly impossible for me to find. Furthermore, I often use quirkly words and spellings as humor. Well, at least I claim that I intended to write such and such… – Oscar
.. and best fishes to you too! Ah typos, never a dull moment 😃
Thanks, Julie!
As typo-queen, I hear you! 🙂