Business… Communication Suspense 3 Dec 20196 Jul 2020 When the beleaguered Apollo 13 capsule fell through earth’s atmosphere on April 17, 1970, the re-entry communication blackout lasted about six minutes. Because of the life-threatening situation, suspense was more…
Academic Writing… Save Yourself from this Embarrassing Pronoun Error 2 Nov 20196 Jul 2020 Myself is not a formal substitute for I or Me. Reflexive pronouns (also including yourself, himself, herself, oneself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves) apply when a subject acts on an object which is—itself! You may shave…
Academic Writing… Lies Your English Teacher Taught You 30 Oct 20196 Jul 2020 Some of you blame your teachers (English or otherwise) for writing advice that is not even true for English or doesn’t apply every time. Please stop believing that these are…
Change the World… The Official #OneHourBio Challenge 8 Oct 20196 Jul 2020 One of my closest relatives texted, “I have cancer. I need you to help me write something for my girls.” I think I replied, “WHAT?!” A couple years later, she…
Books… Write your nonfiction book before you retire 3 Oct 20196 Jul 2020 Claim it. Are you doubting yourself or your timing? Stop. You showed up here, didn’t you? People don’t do that until they are ready. I get to be the fairy godmother…
Inspiration… Writing with a view 26 Feb 20196 Jul 2020 Elyssa Shalla, National Park Ranger and typewriter enthusiast, placed a vintage typewriter six miles into the Grand Canyon for several days, inviting hikers to record what that moment meant to…
Change the World… It’s Harriet Tubman for the 20! 20 Apr 20162 Sep 2019 My childhood hero! Why do I love her so much? In second grade, I was a white Yankee girl in Louisiana, bused to a Black school under Supreme Court order. Desegregation,…
Brain… Don’t think of a purple giraffe (and what else not to say) 31 Jan 20154 Jul 2016 A company I admire allowed an employee to blog, "You probably don't want to come to our conference, but here's why I think you should." Really? I don't want to…
Children… Work like a kid 23 Dec 201413 Jun 2015 "The great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been. - Madeleine L'Engle, author of A Wrinkle in Time. Remember how hard you worked…
Books… Reading is for Babies 25 Jun 201413 Jun 2015 The American Pediatrics Association says, "Immunize your children against illiteracy." NPR's Audie Cornish interviewed Professor Susan Neuman about new evidence showing that the younger you read to your children, the better. Reading benefits babies,…
Collaboration… Love is simple, unless you have a hero complex 25 May 201330 Jan 2026 Invincible, the musical: Love is simple, unless you have a hero complex Composer Drew Nichols is an amazingly creative and artistically prolific person. (Full disclosure: I brought him into this…
Books… Write Your Book This Year: Give Me Ten 23 Feb 201313 Jun 2015 Are you waiting for your retreat, vacation, sabbatical, or retirement to write your book? Uninterrupted time sounds luxurious, and then it can be overwhelming. Whenever I reserve a day for my…