Straighten Up and Fly Write

A New Year – A New Approach

2012 was a year of personal challenges and growth for me. Beginning toward the end of 2011 and into 2012, I experienced several family deaths. These losses included three uncles, two aunts, a young cousin, my mother, and my dog. I also transitioned through two job situations before finding a freelance writing gig. In all … Continue reading →

Respecting and Reconciling Holiday Traditions

When Santa Meets Jesus I love the Christmas holiday. As a small child, I was enraptured with the magic of Christmas. In my child’s mind, I had no issues with melding the fantasy of Santa Claus with the religious significance of the birthday of Jesus. To me, Christmas was a time of celebration. I was … Continue reading →

Motivate Your Muse: Adjectives

A fun ‘adjectives’ game to motivate your muse. I have a tendency to rely on using the same adjectives within my writing. Adjectives, known as description words, can create excitement and add flavor to your writing. Overuse of the same words, though, is boring (as well as uninteresting, monotonous, dreary, dull, wearisome, and tedious) to … Continue reading →

Voting – A Civic Duty

From my early days in college, I have assisted with voter registration. The right to vote and the ability to have my voice heard is important to me. I remember when Civics was a required course in high school. I also remember the civil rights and feminist movements. When I began elementary school, all females were … Continue reading →

Work-from-home Jobs and Secondary Incomes

Secondary Income for the Unemployment, Under-employment, and Under-staffed The current state of the economy has really impacted many of my family and friends. From unemployment to under-employment, people are experiencing the paycheck-to-paycheck way of life. Additionally, those who are employed full-time are often working for companies that are under-staffed and utilize skeletal crews. The message … Continue reading →

Poetry: To Blog – A Poem

The blank page White, virginal, pure as snow Waiting for words to decorate its surface Sterile, unrelenting, intimidating The absence of words creates a void, an emptiness The writer thinks, ponders, reflects So many topics to explore Pick one, just one, and move forward Create an outline, a blueprint to progress to avoid off-topic ramblings … Continue reading →

Grammar Rules: The 6 Verb Tenses

Tense over Verb Tenses? There are six verb tenses that are commonly used in the English language. Present – action occurring right now Past – action that has passed Future – action that has yet to take place in the future Present Perfect – action in past time in relation to present time Past Perfect – action … Continue reading →

The Blame Game

Who are the winners in the Blame Game? I have been at the end of the finger tip of finger pointer – someone who employs the Blame Game to avoid taking responsibility for a making a mistake or exercising bad judgment. It is an uncomfortable position to be in and I have rarely escaped the … Continue reading →

Poetry: Cause and Effect Exercise

When I was in high school, my English teacher developed an interesting assignment relating to poetry and the concept of cause and effect. On the chalkboard – seriously, a chalkboard – she wrote the following: Put Let Put Let Put Let Put Let The only instruction we received was to write a poem; each sentence … Continue reading →

Falling into Autumn

Autumn: A Time of Purpose – Autumn is my favorite season. The vibrant colors of orange, yellow, rust, and gold permeate the landscape. The tantalizing smells of spices, like cinnamon, excite the olfactory nerves. There is a certain type of crispness to the air. As the hot, lazy days of summer slowly fade away, the … Continue reading →