For readability, choose words that communicate
Why say “the earthy scent released when rain hits dry earth” when you could go with “petrichor”? That’s what Merriam-Webster tweeted recently. I love words almost as much as Merriam-Webster, but I would pick the full description. One, it’s wonderfully evocative. You...
Wordnerdery: 8 ways to keep your New Year’s resolutions on track
“It’s only mid-January, but chances are pretty good that all those lofty resolutions you made before the clock struck midnight on Dec. 31 have fallen by the wayside,” says executive coach Harrison Monarth in an article for Entrepreneur. What happens? We have good...
‘A leap of faith to a dream job’ marks 28 years
I’m celebrating 28 years in business this month – wow! Check out “A leap of faith to a dream job (with a great boss)” for a look at the best things about running my own business, and tips and resources if by chance you’re thinking about taking your own leap....
10 ways to spot a word nerd
Happy New Year, and Happy Word Nerd Day! You know you are a word nerd when… You receive a word-a-day calendar for Christmas (featured today is Occam’s razor, “a scientific or philosophical rule that favors the simplest explanation”). Your Christmas gifts also...
Don’t weaponize that toxic misinformation
Toxic. Misinformation. Justice. Weaponize. Do these words capture the mood of your 2018? They do for many people, according to the various dictionaries and online sources that track the topics we search for online. Here are the Words of the Year for 2018 that caught...
The top 10 posts in the Red Jacket Diaries in 2018
As 2018 comes to a close, I have one last post for the Red Jacket Diaries: The top 10 most popular posts this year, as revealed by Google Analytics. The posts fall into a range of categories. For example, readers seem to appreciate when I summarize interesting events,...
Life is short (a Christmas tale in Wordnerdery)
This last month of the year – when many of us are getting ready for family gatherings, yet others lose or are estranged from loved ones – maybe you are reminded, as I am, that life is short. My own preparations for Christmas always bring to mind a tradition that...
7 words more people should look up
The word nerd in me loves the idea of trending words. I love that people want to know the meaning of a word, and take the time to look it up. News events, celebrities, politics and sports often drive a sudden spike in people looking up a specific word. Trends this...