Resist the initialization of the world (please)
Over the holidays, I was in the store formerly known as Mountain Equipment Co-op. Great name, isn’t it? Without even trying, you can tell it sells outdoor recreation gear and clothing. One of their taglines is “Outside is our place. Canada is our backyard.” Nice. In...
A leap of faith to a dream job (with a great boss)
Happy birthday to Get It Write! A woman I once met at an event said, “Omigosh, you have my dream job!” Most days, I think that too. In fact, during a conversation about “the best thing that’s ever happened to you,” I realized that launching my business 28 years ago...
New misused words join the list to be banished
Post-truth, on fleek, Dad bod and listicle are among the terms that made the 42nd annual list of words and phrases the wordsmiths at Lake Superior State University in Michigan want to banish for “Misuse, Overuse and General Uselessness.” Distressingly, making the list...
The best of the Red Jacket Diaries in 2016
As 2016 winds down, here’s a look back at the most-viewed posts in the Red Jacket Diaries over the year. As I like to tell people, words are my business. So no surprise that I often blog about words and writing: Players of Scrabble and Words With Friends are always on...
In my Dec. newsletter: Let go of the stocking
All this week, Facebook has been showing me festive photos I’ve posted in previous years. My dog staring longingly at my older son’s Christmas stocking, shown here, is a classic. In the December issue of my newsletter, Wordnerdery, I share what Jake and letting go of...
How to use hashtags (and why bother)
For people on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other social media, hashtags – words or phrases tagged with what used to be called the pound sign (#) — are a handy way to search for topics of interest. Companies use hashtags to try to connect with customers and...
12 fun, quirky gifts for writers and readers
Confession: I’ve barely started my Christmas shopping, but I have started collecting ideas for gifts. While making my list and checking it twice, I’ve found some terrific ideas — for Christmas, birthdays or other occasions — for the reader or writer...
Seasonal apostrophe abuse is in full swing
With December on the doorstep, we can look forward to lots of apostrophe abuse. You know what I’m talking about. Where a simple “S” is required to indicate more than one item, an apostrophe is thrown in the mix. Retailers are going to offer...