Acknowledgements

We need to thank our inspiration for writing these ratings to Lore Sjöberg, whose writings of ratings about everything on his website Brunching Shuttlecocks (there's a book, too!), not only entertained us every word, but inspired both of us to start writing again. You are the GOAT, Mr. Sjöberg. Thank you.

 

A Message from Amanda

Someone recently asked me if I enjoy writing. I never thought about it before. I do! I've been writing since I was a child, having my little school stories up in Reader's Alley, onto college essays, writing news stories for radio, and now writing blurbs on websites to help with search engine optimization. 

I was introduced to the ratings via Brunching Shuttlecocks by my English college professor, Darlene McCarty Cohn. She was giving us examples of descriptive writing with the ratings, and I enjoyed those examples so much, I HAD to read them all. So, I went on my big old computer, and read them all. I knew my best friend, Kristen, would love reading these as well, so I printed off every rating and put it into a binder. She still has that binder, over 20 years later. 

 

I also want to thank my mother, Verna, another person who enjoys writing, who let me enjoy my childhood and encouraged me to have an imagination. I'm not trying to bank on our ratings; I just truly enjoy writing it and sharing it with anyone who cares to read them.

 

A Message from Kristen

Those who know me well can probably testify that there are a few notable things about me that have defined my character most of my life. Art (drawing and painting), writing (fiction and non), and most importantly, humor. I have the astounding (alarming?) ability to somehow turn everything into a joke, even in the worst of situations. (There is a reason why there are so many jail ratings in this book.)

 

When I grow fond of something, it never leaves a place in my soul, hence while I help onto the green binder I was gifted of 20 years ago, the inspiration for these ratings, for so long. I found it to be one of the most clever, funniest, and interesting pieces of reading material I'd seen. Skimming through them, I could hear the sarcasm dripping from the excerpts in my head, and hopefully, those reading of the ones I've worked on get that same hilarious effect. My number one joy in life is when someone says I'm the funniest person they know, and I hope whoever reads this perhaps may think the same.

 

I want to thank my mother, daughter, family, and best friend for always sticking by me, even when I made decisions in life that were not funny in the slightest.