Thursday, December 3, 2020

SASE, PetSmart

I learned only a few days ago that a self-addressed stamped envelope is an envelope addressed to yourself.

I’ve always known, of course, that the address on a self-addressed stamped envelope is your own. (Well duh.) But I always thought that self-addressed meant that you had addressed the envelope yourself, that you hadn’t left it for someone else to do. But no, self-addressed means that it’s addressed to you yourself.

Elaine learned a few days ago that PetSmart is a pun: Pets Mart, a market for pet supplies.

Yes, it’s called life-long learning. See also Kasie DC, Men’s Wearhouse and TUMS.

comments: 5

Daughter Number Three said...

I remember reading the Writer's Market back when I was a teenager in the 1970s and wanted to figure out how to be a professional writer. (Those were the days!)

Every entry included a mysterious acronym at the end, SASE. I can't remember how I figured out that it meant self-addressed, stamped envelope (since there was no Google back then, of course) but I did. Maybe it was in a concordance-type area in the front or back of the book. Hmm. But I don't recall having any difficulty understanding that it meant the envelope was addressed to me, once I knew what it stood for, so I'll bet that was also made clear in whatever I read.

Michael Leddy said...

I think I learned about SASE — to the extent that I did learn about it — from collecting stamps in boyhood. Enclose 25¢ and an SASE, get back stamps.

I remember those books (Poet’s Market too). I wonder if they’ve survived the Internet.

Stefan said...

I'm embarrassed to admit that I was in my 20s before it dawned on me that "Beatles" is a pun. And although I can't think of them, I know that there are dozens of similar examples. The lightbulb may appear over one's head, I read years ago, but sometimes it takes longer to switch on.

Michael Leddy said...

LOL. The nane, if I have more lore right, was inspired by the Crickets.

Michael Leddy said...

Good grief — my phone typos and Apple’s autocorrection (sic) made my response an embarrassment. Let me try again:

LOL. The name, if I have my lore right, was inspired by the Crickets.