Category: Asides
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Growing…
No place in my home gets enough sunlight to start seeds, so I’m trying something new. These are potential basil plants for the garden. We’ll see how they do.
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Certification in professional editing
I have recently completed a two-year series of courses in professional editing at University of California, Berkeley, to update my copyediting, substantive editing, and proofreading skills. I am now officially seeking writing, editing, and content management work–contract, part-time, or full-time. I have years of nonprofit and ICT experience, so if you are looking for editing…
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Happy Winter Solstice
When looking forward to a new year, I find it more effective to choose words to focus on rather than to make resolutions. My focal words for the coming year are kindness, compassion, and patience.
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The Writing of Laurie Penny
I have only read Laurie Penny online, but now she is on my list of writers to watch. (This is also how I discovered Rebecca Solnit, author of the fantastic Men Explain Things to Me.) Here are three of Penny’s recent essays, written in response to the wave of sexual harassment revelations made in recent months. I…
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The True, Twisted Story of Amityville Horror
Happy Halloween! Here’s a good read for you: the true story behind the “true story” of the notorious Long Island home, the site of a terrible murder and then the basis of scores of books and movies. I remember reading this book as a tween and being absolutely convinced it was all true (I have…
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Stephen King’s IT Parade: The Booklist Reader
Anybody getting excited for the new movie adaptation of IT? I am not sure it will be as good as The Gunslinger, but my hopes are high, as IT is probably the Stephen King book I have read more than any other. (Its competition is The Stand–I can’t remember which one I’ve read more times.) I don’t quite feel up…
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Are you ready for a summer reading challenge?
Calling all readers! If you follow the annual Tournament of Books held by the Morning News, you may want to take part in their summer reading challenge. It’s only six books over the summer, so it’s perfectly doable. I’ve read one of the selections, Ill Will by Dan Chaon, which I recommend if you like your books…
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The copyeditor’s typographic oath
I’ve been editing off and on for several years now, but I am going to be ramping up my freelance business over the next few months. Here is the sacred oath that all editors should strive to uphold (source: copyediting.com).
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Emergency Fund-Raising to Repair Flood Damage to Orange County Public Library
Consider donating to help our local library recover from flooding. The Main Orange County Public Library sustained significant flooding during the winter storm this past week. Most of the damage occurred in the Teen Room and the Children’s sectio… Source: Emergency Fund-Raising to Repair Flood Damage to Orange County Public Library
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Random Quote for Today
His situation, insofar as he was a machine, was complex, tragic, and laughable. But the sacred part of him, his awareness, remained an unwavering band of light. — Breakfast of Champions, Kurt Vonnegut
Shannon Turlington 