From the monthly archives:

April 2007

Making Your Voice Heard

04.30.2007

“There will never be a new world order until women are a part of it.” –Alice Paul
My first “real” job was with an Internet company as a technical writer. I still had a year of college left, so it felt really good having a paying job that didn’t rely on tips. At 21, I knew [...]

Keep Reading →

What's Bold About Being Kinky

04.29.2007

Note: This post takes it’s inspiration from a fictionalized character, so for any purists out there, I apologize.
“I see this as a positive step for a company who spent the last century making a range of shoes for men to start the next century making shoes for a range of men.”
–Charlie Price, Kinky Boots
I just [...]

Keep Reading →

Are You a Mac or a PC?

04.27.2007

“So, Mac or PC?” Every time I’ve ever been asked this question, I instinctively know the person asking uses a Mac. How? Mac users are the minority. They’re seeking out compatriots in the battle against conformity.
Here’s the thing, PC users automatically assume everyone uses a PC, so they don’t bother asking the question. [...]

Keep Reading →

Growing Up to Talk Like a Kid

04.26.2007

When you’re a kid, you believe you can grow up to be anything. I ran through the usual top 10…lawyer, doctor, astronaut, etc. (Writer didn’t make the first cut.) At about 10, I settled on becoming an architect.
Every piece of paper I could find was soon covered with house sketches. The houses didn’t vary much [...]

Keep Reading →

Don't Act Like A News Anchor

04.25.2007

A recent post by Jeff Jarvis points to the BBC’s belief that the era of the news anchor is finished. If so, I’m not surprised. They all sound the same. They all look the same. Shellacked and stuffed into designer duds, news anchors seem to take special care to not be different, to not stand [...]

Keep Reading →

Finding the Words in Difficult Situations

04.24.2007

I ran into someone unexpected at a client meeting this morning. During the meeting, I learned for the first time he has taken an executive position with this client. It threw me a bit due to an earlier and not-so-pleasant business relationship. However, he greeted me with enthusiasm and seemed genuinely happy to have me [...]

Keep Reading →

Follow the Directions

04.23.2007

Have you ever read a good set of directions? They are rare. Case in point, today, I put together a new office chair for my brother. The included directions were vague and required some guesswork. But luck (in spite of one smashed finger) was on my side, and he now has a new chair. The [...]

Keep Reading →

Play It Again Sam and Again and Again

04.21.2007

It’s easier to talk to your friends than strangers. You feel safe. You feel comfortable being you. You trust that these people care about you, and if they’re good friends they want you to succeed. Now, think about how you talk to your friends.
Do you talk to your friends the same way you talk to [...]

Keep Reading →

You Write Like A Girl

04.20.2007

Today, courtesy of Rachel Clarke and via Dave Weinberger, I learned Gender Genie thinks I write like a girl. Which got me to thinking, what happens when a woman or a man uses words commonly associated with the opposite gender? Do we still hold on to certain ideas about what a man should say versus [...]

Keep Reading →

I Cannot Tell A Lie

04.19.2007

REP. WYDEN: Let me ask you first, and I’d like to just go down the row, whether each of you believes that nicotine is not addictive. I’ve heard virtually all of you touch on it–yes or no, do you believe nicotine is not addictive?
WILLIAM I. CAMPBELL (Philip Morris): I believe that nicotine is not addictive, [...]

Keep Reading →

← Previous Entries