My sister the computer programmer benefitted early in her career because she was an excellent writer. She was so good at taking notes that people would invite to her important meetings so there would be a good record, and people would consult her about important topics covered during those meetings. My brother the electrical engineer…
Peter spent the day at a chess tournament — the biggest he’s participated in yet. He won three games and lost one, and won a trophy for “Under 800” — but the trophy plaque has a curious misprint. Similar:Another delightful section of #neovictorian #steampunk control panel, intended for backgro…One of many steampunk control panels I’v…AestheticsFind…
I already have some handouts on writing titles for web pages and writing titles for college papers. I don’t (at the moment) have a full handout on writing headlines for news stories. In this age of clickbait (“Clickbait Tactics Drive the Writing of Headlines on ABC News,” 2015), revisiting Poynter’s advice on writing traditional news…
Similar:Look what mysteriously appeared outside my office door!PersonalBrass desk lamp, with translucent green shade and glowing light bulb filament. #blender3dPersonalCarolyn performed as Ariel yesterday in the New Renaissance Theatre Company's production o… Carolyn performed as Ariel yesterday i…AmusingTrimsheets baked with greebly texture goodness add eye-pleasing woodgrain & tech detai…AestheticsServing at midnight breakfast.PersonalCollege student makes masks…
This is a challenging writing task. Presidential biographies are a staple of children’s book publishing, and of classrooms across the country. Nonfiction for children is a surging category, particularly in light of a Common Core mandate that schools put greater emphasis on it in their curriculum. Publishers like Penguin Young Readers, Scholastic and Time for…
All of us with Facebook accounts do work for Mark Zuckerberg. Our tagging, sharing, and liking gives Facebook valuable information that advertisers use to reach us. This article describes how Facebook has been courting news organizations, asking them to provide content tailored to Facebook’s needs. Facebook is not interested in an informed, educated public that…
My kids have never seen The Princess Bride. (This is an odd pop culture gap for my 80s-obsessed girl.) Similar:Until next term, I have zero more unmarked assignments. #fistpumpUntil next term, I have zero more unmark…AcademiaDesert Bus: The Worst Video Game Ever CreatedPenn and Teller are involved with this s…BooksSpace Shuttle Challenger (Destroyed 28 Years…
A literary work is a powerful tool for simulating what it’s like to inhabit someone else’s life. Not just tolerating difference, or grudgingly giving “the other side” equal time; but generating real empathy for the diversity of humanity. There is no Frigate like a Book To take us Lands away Nor any Coursers like a…
It’s extremely important to understand what a wide range of people are thinking about, and that includes being exposed to influential ideas that I disagree with. I’d rather not hide from an idea that has power, especially if it turns out I can do something about the issue. The headline is a little misleading… there…
NASDAQ.com throws shade via Reuters: Snapchat is popular among people under 30 who enjoy applying bunny faces and vomiting rainbows onto their selfies, but man yon Wall Street are critical of its high valuation, slowing user growth and lack of profitability. Joel Randewich, NASDAQ.com Similar:Elon Musk has officially killed Twitter. The zombie platform lives on…
Free speech is valuable. It’s dangerous to set the precedent that it’s okay to censor speech as long as you side with the censor and against the position being silenced. A New Jersey school district has suspended a teacher after yearbook photos of two high school students were altered to remove President Donald Trump’s name…
Similar:West Side Story Maria MontagePersonalThe reception line begins. Grad2018PersonalThank you, anonymous donor of Mardi Gras candy.Okay, on closer inspection I see the red…AestheticsI just realized I've been misspelling and mispronouncing "detritus" all my life. I’ve been a college English faculty …AcademiaI had a blue checked shirt in my hand this morning, but she nailed the…
Similar:When you hear your daughter the understudy is going on for a sold-out show. Live theater i… CultureFirst Day in the Theatre for Twelfth Night (May 3-12) Daughter: (is sad her “first day in …CultureHow long has Google Docs let you pop up a window with your current word count? Why wasn’t …PersonalAnother 10sq…
Similar:Telekinetic Coffee Shop SurpriseBlogworthy promo for a movie I have no d…AmusingMedia Companies Are Getting Sick of FacebookAll of us with Facebook accounts do work…BusinessFacebook, Now You Remind Me of a Half-Drunk Cocktail Party SchmoozerLast week, Facebook asked me what sports…BusinessGoogle Docs "Writing to Learn" ActivityI created a fresh Google Docs page with …AcademiaI should be…
Reserving judgments is a matter of infinite hope. Best case scenario? A virtual reality game that is either based around Portal or Half-Life, or unites the franchises into one experience. Valve has invested heavily in VR and clearly values the technology as an entertainment phenomenon – the Portal demo for Vive is one of the…
Similar:Out for a walk during some downtime. Paused to appreciate this beautiful city of #Pittsbur…AestheticsAudisee Presents: The War of the WorldsAs new age synthesizer music, a rich bar…BooksI'm having scads of fun designing #steampunk control panels. #blender3d #blender3dart…AestheticsIn-home schooling popularity slipping across stateWe were on our way out the door to see A…CultureOkay yes,…
Similar:If you like to play with words, good newsI wish there were a secret day between F…CultureVote for Carolyn's Headshot — Round 2 Vote for Carolyn’s Headshot — Round…AestheticsThe stair railings on my #blender3d #neovictorian #steampunk cruiser need some realigning….AestheticsR Grammar Gaffes Ruining The Language? Maybe Not : NPRMatthew Gordon, a linguist at the Univer…CultureThe…
MTV recently ditched the “Best Actor/Actress” awards in favor of “Best Actor,” which suggests the gender-specific term “actress” is less popular among MTV’s target audience. I added that detail, fixed some broken links, and updated the graphic. See Writing Tips: Gender Neutral Language. Similar:xkcd: Headlines It: nailed. xkcd: Headlines.AmusingThings that have made me start singing…
With the money I saved by working on the car (watching a lot of YouTube tutorials) I bought a new midrange zoom, in the hopes I won’t miss shots by swapping lenses. And now my camera bag won’t quite zip shut. #ConspicuousConsumption Similar:Today’s #blender3d modeling, inspired by a satellite photo courtesy of Google Maps. (I’m…
Similar:Last weekend I roughed out shapes to represent buildings, in order to provide some sense o…Last weekend I roughed out shapes to rep…PersonalDinosaur Comics Creator Stuck in Skate Park Hole Takes His Predicament to Twitter In Real … HI IT’S ME RYANÂ @ryanqnorth If …AmusingHow Facebook and Twitter control what you see about FergusonOn Twitter,…