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:Coming up for the girl is another classic show: The Fantasticks.So looking forward to seeing her in…
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:The girl is rehearsing for Hello DollyPersonalThe girl as the Spanish Soloist in @laurelballettheater & @westmorelandsymphony The Nutcra…AestheticsClassroom Vignette: MLA StyleStudent (shouldering backpack and headin…AcademiaWhere There's a Whip, There's a WayThe girl was singing lyrics she learned …AmusingI have more to do than mark 99 assignments, but this is a nice stopping point.PersonalNo filter October…
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:In December 2001 I was blogging aboutIn December 2001, I was blogging about …Amusing4 Skills to Help You Stand Out In Any Job InterviewAn employer will never ask you to write …BusinessWhere Are the Women?Thanks for…
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:All three shows have been sold out for over a month.…
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:You aren’t doing it wrong… if no one knows what you are doing.PersonalNext up for the girl: Cherry in "The Outsiders" (March 6-15)BooksAfter my conference talk, a post-audition, pre-Jane-Eyre-performance dinner with the girl.PersonalBack in the groove. I should be able to keep this number headed in the right direction unt…PersonalBrass desk lamp, with translucent green…
Similar:The barbican at Mickelgate was pulled down in the 1800s but I made a rough approximation f…The barbican at Mickelgate was pulled do…PersonalStudent journalists assemble! The Setonian club fair table is looking spiffy.PersonalAlike (2015)This short film reminds us why art matte…AestheticsYes Virginia the Musical coming to ConnellsvilleCarolyn Jerz may be only 11 but is…
Similar:Rereading “Writing to Learn”Rereading “Writing to Learn,” William Zi…AcademiaHappily masked in center row C. (The daughter is dance captain.)DramaDragging Myself to a New Skill Level with Blender 3DWorking on some very complex stuff in Bl…AestheticsHow Common Core Testing Damaged High School English ClassesHelping my students understand how my ro…AcademiaGambit Part 1 (#StarTrek #TNG Rewatch, Season…
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:That felt sooo good!PersonalGreensburg Holiday ParadePersonalMy beautiful daughter says "Happy Valentine's Day" View t…AestheticsMy crowd simulation handles 2000 capsule NPCs at 130fps. I’m really pushing my coding skil…AestheticsIn August 1999 I was blogging about Poohsticks Bridge, penmanship, Archimedes, and ebooksIn August 1999, I was blogging about …BooksLittle Women (Thurs-Sun)Personal
Similar:Vote for Carolyn's Headshot — Round 2 Vote for Carolyn’s Headshot — Round…AestheticsTell-all crime reporting is a peculiarly American practice. Now U.S. news outlets are reth…Journalists should balance the public’s …CultureEvery family has one.PersonalTraces of ScribesBook historian Irene O’Daly notes that t…AcademiaLatest #blender3d progress on a villain's lair. Added more carpets and cabinetry, and sta……
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:King Oberon Midsummer Make-upMidsummer closes tonight, July 23. My da…CultureParadise Lost #StarTrek…
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:On Her One Free Day Between Two Shows…[View the story “On Her One…
Similar:My wife Leigh will direct the small-cast drama "Full Bloom" Aug 30-Sep 2My wife Leigh received a Pennsylvania Co…ArtPart of Wright brothers' 1st airplane on NASA's Mars chopper “Wilbur and Orville Wright would be pl…AwesomeGoogle Pledges $300 Million to Clean Up False NewsThis is a welcome step, but we cannot tr…CultureLast day filming for…