How was your Earth Hour?
Did you celebrate Earth Hour on Saturday night? Here’s what went on in my house: All lights off. Both computers off and power bars off. Several “vampire” appliances (you know, the ones with the ready lights that keep sucking up power while waiting at...Writing for readability
I’ve been playing with the grammar function in Word after a reminder from the Publication Coach, Daphne Gray-Grant. By paying attention to things like words per sentence (aim for an average of 14 or less), passive sentences (no more than 10%) and Flesch-Kincaid...Signs of spring
The signs are small, but growing. As I navigate the ice and snow that STILL cover much of the ground, birds are singing. I spotted a cardinal on my walk with Jake this morning, and a robin perched on the rail of my deck. The past three mornings, Jake and I have passed...
Remembering Joan
Easter was early that year; March 26. I was awake but still in bed when the doorbell rang. It must have been something like 7 a.m., so my parents and I knew something was wrong; we arrived at the door at the same time, throwing on robes. There was a police officer...Amusing words
From Encarta’s top 10 business buzzwords: Delayering: A newer, more PC term for “rightsizing,” a.k.a. downsizing. Potato, potahto. It’s still a layoff. Narcissurfing: Googling yourself to see where, when and how often you show up on the...Guess I am not incented by this jargon
While proofreading a client’s newsletter, I flagged this: A person quoted in an article about the switch of IT support to a call centre in India calls the staff “a well-trained, highly incented and duly rewarded group of employees.” UGH! I understand...