Language is meant to help us humans communicate, but sometimes even with our best efforts, we end up with a result we never intended. Years ago, I took my car in to a local service station. My oil light was…
What’s in a Name? (Quite a Lot, Actually!)
When I was just three days old, my adoptive parents gave me my name: Susan Betsy Rooks. Easy to say, easy to spell, and easy to remember. Susan was for my mom’s mom, Sara. Betsy was for my dad’s mom,…
Kick This Phrase to the Curb!
I know I’m a crank, but some words and phrases just rub me the wrong way. I also realize most people do not intend to sound as negative as I hear them sounding; they’re using phrases that are all around…
Of Manners and Men . . .
I had a really different kind of request recently: a friend asked if I could or would teach a class in manners — to a group of men in a rehab facility. These men were in the last phases of…
Swear Words. Nasty Words. Hurtful Words. Labels.
Funny (?) how we so often don’t actually say a “bad” word, but we say or write something like “that ‘b’ word” or even worse. Do we all know which word is not being said? Of course we do. But…