iPAD AUTOCORRECT: MY NEW WORST ENEMA

Emailing a dear friend who had just undergone breast cancer surgery in 2012, I signed off with Be Strong.....or so I thought.  Thank god I reread my note before 'Send' was pressed as the line actually read Beef Stroganoff. 

What the...? I muttered and so began my introduction to the Autocorrect on my new iPad.

The Spellcheck function, on my desktop computer, benignly underlines the misspelled word in red.  It is then up to me to personally review the potential problem spelling and change it, choosing from a list of possible revisions.  Now I found myself in possession of a computer that tried to read my mind, completing a word based on what it thought I meant.  Sorta' creepy actually.  Is this a bizarre, cruel joke?, I initially wondered. Problem is, I much prefer the virtual keyboard on and mobility of my iPad.  No going back now.

For iPhone users, texting and being autocorrected is just an everyday experience.  In 2007 when I essentially retired, I also retired my Blackberry.  With no burning business need to receive critical texts nor the desire to now do so, I opted to carry a simple cell phone. Thus Autocorrect was for me, a new phenomenon.  

The internet offers a plethora of hysterically funny sites dedicated to raunchy Autocorrect changes made to what began as relatively bland texts.  I must admit that thus far my iPad Autocorrect has made only slightly embarrassing or just plain weird changes to my emails and blog writings, nothing to get my heart racing. Why not turn the function off?  Ah? Nope!   Autocorrect has actually rescued me from hundreds of typos and, quite frankly, some of the corrections are extremely amusing, my laugh for the day. I know! I know! I need to get a life.

Real estate frequently becomes rear estate.  Who knew?  All  those years I thought I was involved in the sale of homes, I was actually merely selling backyards. Whenever, I mention OREA (Ontario Real Estate Association), it reads urea.  I'm sure the powers that be would appreciate that one....not! Emailing my niece and her husband on seeing photos of their new daughter that she was absolutely adorable, I thankfully spotted absolutely affordable and made the appropriate change. Say a special hello to your parrots ( parents ) I emailed a dear friend who responded with, I don't own any pets.  

Ain't progress grand?  To all of you with iPads or iPhones ( and their clones ) experiencing the joys of Autocorrect, I say, Be sure to proof read. Oh and , Beef stroganoff!"