Categories
Archives
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Taking off – the case for sabbaticals
Practically a quarter of all companies in the UK have a career break policy. There’s good sense too, I feel, in taking mini sabbaticals (of say, 2-3 months every 2 years, throughout a lifetime) instead of waiting for the provocation of … Continue reading
Psychological Scampi
I’m one of those rare individuals who actually likes reading ad spam. Really. And I say so without a hint of pretension. The pieces with colourful (read appalling) grammar or syntax don’t do it for me. It’s my delight, however, … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Leave a comment
New dotcom bombs my blogs
With my client portfolio steadily progressing internationally, I decided to change my website address from a dotcoza to a dotcom. I would have liked to have done so a few years ago already, but a namesake in the safari and … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Leave a comment
Resonating with Byron
“Words are things; and a small drop of ink falling like dew upon a thought, produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” – Lord Byron (1788-1824)
My karma ran over my dogma
However objective you may wish to be as a writer, there will always be a lens through which you perceive and colour the world. Your writing will reveal shades of your cultural identity, political affiliations, moral compass and “education”, for example. The … Continue reading
Words with charisma
Everyone has their stable of favourite words. Which of yours hit the sweet spot of delight? Here are a few that blow my hair back: LUCIDITY (as in a profound “AHA” moment), VOLUMINOUS (hair which I have not) and SAGACITY (wisdom / good judgment) – which my thinning pate proclaims to celebrate. … Continue reading
Posted in Language Use, Uncategorized, Words
Tagged charismatic words, loan words, neologisms, onomatopoeia
3 Comments
How to spark ideas?
Many of the world’s greatest minds have been stimulated by “walking meditation”. An outwardly aimless, impromptu stroll around a garden or park is an inspirational excursion accessible to most. Set out with the intention of freeing the mind to invite an upwelling of … Continue reading
Homophonophobia
Well, I don’t really have a fear of homophones: My pet peeve is their incorrect usage. These are words that have the same pronunciation, but are spelt differently and have different meanings. The sentence context and syllabic stress should make the correct choice of word obvious, but, … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized, Words
Tagged homographs, homonyms, homophones, Muphry's Law
Leave a comment
The secret under my desk…
Here’s a nifty idea that I can recommend for writers. Under my desk there’s a suspended box (compartment) made up by my carpenter with the following dimensions: 30cm x 30cm. It’s 20cm deep and houses the reference books I work with most. … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Leave a comment
