Some things never change — for example, my aversion to our home phone ringing at any time of day. It's true, I cringe and sigh in total exasperation every single time the phone rings. I don’t mind the blinking on the answering machine at all (because “YES! I MISSED a call! Great!) But when the phone rings, [...]
When I started a business more than 15 years ago, I had lunch with the founder/owner/president of an international environmental engineering company. This company was, at the time, my biggest client. I had once been a long-term employee of the firm as well. So, I was bit nervous and a little intimidated. He asked me [...]
You can't "Just Do It" in communication and public relations. I remember when I first graduated from college and my family began obsessing over my newly developed resume – what it should say, what it should look like, who else should review it…and on and on and on. Then my brother finally said to me [...]
It has been reported that the two most tired, reviled expressions used in 2012 were the acronym YOLO (You Only Live Once) and the politician's term for the U.S. convergence of various tax and financial policies known as the "fiscal cliff." I won't argue the validity of this assertion, as one of my favorite [...]
This time of year, commercials take center stage. Last year, I wrote about Super Bowl "Monday" and how TV news programs would be buzzing about the Super Bowl commercials the day after the big game. Which ones hit the mark, which ones didn’t? Nielsen Wire research confirms what we need to remember every year at [...]
Every few months well-studied (and somewhat grumpy) grammarians publish a list of overused quotes, lazy language and/or misused phrases. These clichés don’t often appear in written form, but roll off the tongues of the masses countless times every day. Besides the obvious overuse of the words “like” and “ya know,” I have my own list [...]
The most valuable class I ever took was a business writing class I completed after I graduated from college. I use these lessons every (week) day, and I am unsure whether or not these rules are taught in today’s higher education institutions. I also confess I am not sure if in the Internet age there [...]
