Peekaboo! (or is that Peakaboo?)
In every election some pundits will write that a losing candidate had “peeked too soon”. Timely peeking, it would appear, is critical for politicians. Little kids also consider peeking too soon to be very bad form.
To be fair to journalists under pressure, they’re not the only ones who let themselves look silly. We’re all prone to linguistic gaffes, mostly because we’re in a rush to get work-product out the door. Perhaps we all peak too soon.
Everything you send can and will be misconstrued against you– a hurt felt where none was intended, a point wrongly taken, or a snicker had at your expense. Don’t rely on autocomplete and spellcheck– they’re false friends. Protect yourself, your message and your reputation the old fashioned way– take the time to proof-read! If it’s important enough, get another pair of eyes on the job, too.