From the category archives:

WRITING

BLACK SWAN: an unanticipated, but story-changing event

September 2, 2010

It pays to read other blogs on a regular basis.  One of my favorites is called “Throw Grammar From the Train.” It is an occasional blog which explores grammatical issues, many times with a tongue firmly planted in the cheek.  The other day the author explored the grammatical errors in a graphic used to supplement [...]

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LINEAR: a method of writing in which points are unmistakeably connected

August 23, 2010

Instead of depending upon someone else’s thoughts about a word, I want to go independent on this one.  There are lots and lots of ways in which the word linear can be used, thanks to the disciplines of mathematics, science, photography, and art.
But I have a use for the word linear which may (or may [...]

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CHICK FLICK: a movie intended for women and female interests

August 14, 2010

The definition of chick flick is meant to be derogatory.  It was probably created by a man.  It denotes a film that appeals primarily to women. Over the years the term has become somewhat less negative, having attained the status of genre, a category of film.  Like any other categorization, it may be helpful, but [...]

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INCIPIENT: about to happen; in the early stage of development

August 10, 2010

It seems as if the most common use of the term“early stage” is reserved for describing cancer, Alzheimer’s Disease, and similar diseases.  When I hear someone use the term I anticipate that I am about to hear about a friend or relative being diagnosed with an illness.
However, when the word incipient is used, my mind [...]

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BLOCKED: unable to put a pen to paper (so to speak)

August 7, 2010

This is one of those rare days when I can’t focus.  I’ve been sitting in front of the computer for over an hour now staring at my extensive list of words about which I’d like to comment.  There’s no energy for any of them today.   I have been going over the vast number of current [...]

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WEASEL WORD: evasive words used to mislead the reader

August 1, 2010

This is a word for your lexicon, especially if you are a writer.  A weasel word is a term such as “some people say” which leads the casual reader to believe that what follows is widely-accepted.  In reality, it may be that only one person (the person writing the comment) says such a thing.  Technically, [...]

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CENTURY MARK: celebrating a 100th birthday

July 24, 2010

Yesterday was the 100th birthday of my wife’s cousin.  We were privileged to be among the crowd of friends and relatives who gathered for a celebration of the century mark for this unbelievably chipper and bright woman who has been a major part of my wife’s life for nearly seven decades.  They are kindred spirits [...]

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OLD SPICE: who would have guessed?

July 21, 2010

For several years I have been using men’s grooming items from an upscale company.  They were costly, but I really enjoyed the scent, and I received comments frequently about it.  I watched the prices go up, the products change, the packaging change, and the prices go up again.
One day I was shopping in the supermarket [...]

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PLAIGIARISM: using someone else’s material without their permission

July 19, 2010

This week I am participating in the open-to-the-public portions of a Writer’s Workshop being held at Brown University.   The theme is Writing Creative Non-Fiction.  That may seem like an oxymoron, if you understand that non-fiction is factual reporting.  Being creative might seem like a departure from the facts.
However, in last night’s panel the writers [...]

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EDIT OUT: erase

July 16, 2010

Editing an article is usually a refreshing endeavor.  There’s something positive about discovering a typo, a bad construction, or a mis-spelled word and being able to correct it before clicking on  that “publish” key.  Knowing that I have avoided the embarrassment of a glaring error is not only a relief; it carries with it a [...]

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