My grandmother always warned: “Be careful what you do on New Year’s Day, because you’ll be doing it all year.” She probably meant you should avoid things like arguing with loved ones or… I don’t know… whacking your little brother with a Barbie doll. Just speculating, here. I’m not a terribly superstitious person, but I […]
holidays
Welcoming the Light Once Again
We look to the light, this time of year. We feel the shortness of the days, the darkness of the cold nights, the bite of the winter wind. We know to our ancestral bones that the sun is reluctant to spend much time gazing on us in December. We huddle inside, where it’s warmer, we […]
New Year’s Resolutions: How to Douse a Dumpster Fire
The phrase “dumpster fire” seems to have been invented purely for the year 2020. With the year’s passing, most of us are looking with sad puppy-dog eyes at 2021, hoping for a smidgeon of mercy. A modicum of normalcy. An ounce of civility. And a big ol’ dollop of hope. But, of course, we all […]
Grammar Trolling in Christmas Songs
By Kelley Lindberg Ever wonder why Christmas carols get away with language and grammar we’d never use in ordinary conversation? Of course not. You have much better things to do with your time than that, such as dashing through the snow to the grocery store to buy those two dozen rolls your spouse volunteered to […]
15 Ways to Celebrate National Be Kind to Writers and Editors Month
By Kelley Lindberg You knew that September is Be Kind to Writers and Editors Month, right? Yes, that’s right. It’s that special time of year when we writers and editors break out our tiaras and get treated to free stuff all month long. You shouldn’t go to such trouble, of course, but it certainly is […]
Words, Ideas, Fireworks, and Other Powerful Forces
By Kelley Lindberg Today we’re celebrating the 4th of July. Usually, if we spend any time at all considering why we are celebrating this holiday, we think of the Revolutionary War and the Declaration of Independence. But this year, July 4 falls the day after the 150th anniversary of the Union victory at […]
