by Sue Horner | Oct 14, 2015 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
After more than 20 years running my own business, I’ve encountered a lot of lies (okay, myths) about those of us who live the independent life. Here are 10 of the silliest, oddest, most common wrong impressions about our day: 1. Pants are optional. Seriously?...
by Sue Horner | Oct 7, 2015 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Let’s face it; not many people use “whom” anymore. It just seems a little stuffy, doesn’t it? As The Oatmeal has said in a funny piece on who vs. whom, “you could probably go the rest of your life without ever using whom and 99.9% of the...
by Sue Horner | Sep 30, 2015 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
If you’re a freelance communicator or other entrepreneur, or thinking about becoming one, here’s a great resource. IABC/Toronto’s special interest group, Professional Independent Communicators (PIC), has produced an e-book that pulls together the...
by Sue Horner | Sep 22, 2015 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Employees, customers and others who have been wronged by corporate action/inaction want and deserve an apology. Yet lawyers and executives are wary of what could be seen as “admitting fault.” As Elton John sings, “Sorry” does indeed seem to be the hardest word. But...
by Sue Horner | Sep 16, 2015 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
If Donna Papacosta had to do it all over again, she’d rename her podcast something other than “Trafcom News.” Yet 10 years ago, she was just linking to her business (Trafalgar Communications) and her website. Her advice now? “Choose a meaningful name,” she told...
by Sue Horner | Sep 9, 2015 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
My sons were big readers growing up, and their teachers often commented that they could tell. Something about the vocabulary and the spelling, even though the boys didn’t actively try to learn new words. When parents read to and with their children, it just happens....
by Sue Horner | Sep 2, 2015 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Not to be like the old guy on the porch yelling, “You kids get off my lawn!” or anything, but here’s another phrase that’s starting to annoy me: “Like a boss.” (I last vented about “hacking your life.”) The Telegraph...
by Sue Horner | Aug 24, 2015 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
We’re horrified about it now, but at one time people would say “deaf and dumb” when they meant someone who could not hear or speak. Language evolves, and we’ve come a long way. What was once said without thinking we now recognize as offensive. And just as we need to...
by Sue Horner | Aug 19, 2015 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Consultants and freelancers are always interested in talking about fees. (Are we charging enough? Too much? What’s the going rate?) And so it was a group of us recently took part in a Twitter chat hosted by PWAC, the Professional Writers Association of Canada....
by Sue Horner | Aug 12, 2015 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
My sister-in-law introduced me to the dangerous “robed cult of relaxation” at beautiful Ste. Anne’s Spa in 2012. Getting treatments like hot stone massages or facials, enjoying healthy, delicious meals, staying in comfortable beds in charming...
