Blog
A fun look at the Oxford comma squabble!
Hey, everyone! A bit of a change-up, this month, as I give you a peek into my world of writing. OH! No, no, no! Don't click away! I promise: you're going to have fun. Here we go …. Try this when you get bored: 1. Corral a few writers in a room. 2. Ask, "Do you use the...
7th Step to ‘Non-Overwhelm’: “Wrangle your paperwork!”
Hey, fellow managers! It is February. If you're in the northern hemisphere, like I am, you're probably asking, "Will this yucky weather e-v-e-r end?" To cheer things up a bit, let's have a little fun. Here's a post where we can learn something, but not work toooo hard...
Risk management disaster: DON’T follow the ‘Dreamliner’ example!
Did you hear the one about the super-duper-best-thing-since-whatever aircraft? And the super-duper idea of outsourcing almost. everything. to. contractors? Oh, yeah. Good plan. Not. It’s called the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Ads tell us it has – among other amenities –...
Capture an entire webpage. No scrolling!
Are you a student? Business owner? Shopper? Or maybe a lookin’-for-that-next-car(er)? 😎 Do you need to capture online research and review it, later? Read on, and I’ll dazzle you with my awesomeness. Oh. Did I write that out loud? What I really mean is ... I’m...
“HOW did my file get so messed up?!”
Whether you’re a business owner, a job seeker sending out résumés, or a writer trying to break into the ‘big time,’ you will appreciate this post. This information isn't hidden away in a vault. You don't need a government clearance to read it. But, sometimes ... we...
Check out these writing tips from author Jerry B. Jenkins. For reals!
A publisher buddy, Brian K. Morris (Rising Tide Publications), sent me a gift. After just 30 seconds, I knew I would share these writing tips with you. As a copywriter, editor, and proofer, I was excited to discover this short coaching video. It's packed with...
Fun examples of c-r-a-z-y English!
Hey there! For the past few weeks, I've been 'stuck in' (as my Aussie buddies say) with difficult projects. I needed a break. Good timing. A friend sent me the perfect grin maker right when I needed it. I'm thinkin' maybe you could use a kick-back-and-smile moment,...
What’s YOUR nasty scope creep story?
Got ya thinkin' there, didn't I? I know you have one ... ... a scope creep worst-workday-ever disaster story. Maybe the one where a bunch of "Could you just...?" add-ons beckoned. And (being the nice, accommodating person you are) you listened. You found yourself out...
‘Titanic’ lessons on strategic management (and it’s not what you think!)
As business owners, we must wrangle our long-term goals and guide them safely into the corral if we want to succeed. Howzabout (I sometimes make up words) this as our example? Strategically expanding deep sea exploration while throwing in the RMS Titanic for good...
6th Step to ‘Non-Overwhelm’: “Shut it down!”
In my 5 Steps to 'Non-Overwhelm' post, I promised to address two additional ways to keep our companies – and lives – on track: 6. Shutting the business down each week (Gasp!) 7. Wrangling our paperwork (Yay!) Today, let's learn this...
A real-world inside look at NASA: the ultimate in project leadership
As a trained project manager, I've been tippy tapping away to create a post about using our leadership skills to run our companies. Real-world ... not platitudes we've memorized for exhausting exams. It was taking shape. Great info to share, 'cause I've seen excellent...
“Who kidnapped these two words?!”
Don't you think we need a break from the intensive January and February posts? Yeah, I agree. Here ya go. I don't often jump on my writing rebel soapbox (not here, anyway 😎 ). But, today is different. 'Cause this is creepy. Invasion of the Body Snatchers weird. A...
“We didn’t catch it.” An expensive lesson in proofing our own work
The project manager (PM) grabbed a 28-page training manual off the stack ... of 200 conference copies. She. was. livid. She rolled up the book, brandished it like a mini sword, and gave her team the evil eye. "Ten of us reviewed this. TEN. And we didn't catch it." A...
“My client stole some of my work!”
In July of 2018, one of your worst business nightmares happened to me. It was so painful, it took me six months (and four proofreaders) to write about it. No matter your industry, I hope my saga helps you avoid this same problem. A returning client refused to pay a...
“Should I use links on my website?”
Since I'm a website tester, people ask me for advice from 'the other side' ... the angle of the person who sees the good and the bad. They wonder if links are a positive or a negative for their pages. Well ... this depends on the reliability of the links. I use very...
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