I hope 2012 is awesome for YOU!

Write your horoscope

So today I was proofing the page that contains the horoscopes and thought, "What would I like my horoscope to say?"

So here's today's writing challenge: Write your horoscope for Jan. 1, 2012.

Here's mine:

Cancer (June 21-July 11) ***** Today is the beginning of a great year in which you will see multiple book deals and career advancement beyond your wildest expectation. Good news will come to every member of your family and while you might not always be together physically, you will be forever close in heart. Tonight: Relax and spend time with a loved one. Aquarius provides heated romance. Watch the gin and tonics. 

Now let's see yours:)

Tuesday trivia

Q. What year did Dick Clark’s “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve" debut and who were the performers?

Merry Christmas to all...

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

I hope that each of you has a blessed Christmas filled with peace and joy and love, Buffy

Google Doodle plays 'Jingle Bells'

Just what I've been waiting for -- holiday Google Doodle!

Under each letter in "Google" is a colored light. Click on a light and the screen turns black and the letter above the light changes into an object (Santa, Snowflake, Bell, Snowman, Candle and Present) When you've clicked on all of the lights, you will hear sleigh bells and then "Jingle Bells." The presentation finishes with search results for "happy holiday."

Love it!

Other cool Google Doodles
Google Doodle honors Diego Rivera
Google Doodle honors Mark Twain
Create your own hand turkey for Thanksgiving
Google doodle honors Louis Daguerre
Google Doodle honors veterans
Google Doodle honors Marie Curie
Google Doodle celebrates Halloween
Google Doodle honors Art Clokey, creator of Gumby and Pokey
Happy Birthday Google
Jim Henson

'Dark Knight Rises' trailer

This looks sooooo good! Can't wait to see the final film in Christopher Nolans’s Batman trilogy.

Grammar tip: That vs. which

Here's a mistake that I see a lot -- folks using "which" when they should be using "that."

So how do you know which one to use?

Ask yourself; is the information that follows "that" or "which" essential to the sentence? In other words, is the information vital to understanding the sentence? If it is, use "that." If it's not, use "which."

In most cases, you need to use a comma before "which" and a comma after the phrase you are adding.

Some examples:

A poem in honor of my birth

I was reorganizing my basement  (Photos here) when I came across this poem my aunt wrote for her sister, my mom, in honor of my birth. Definitely a keeper. I will see Aunt Maddie at the holidays and can't wait to share my find with her. Enjoy!

Here are the words.

Grammar tip: Over and more than

Lots of us get confused about when to use "over" and when to use "more than."

You use "over" when you're talking about spatial relationships. As in, I hurt my knee when I jumped over the hurdle. (Note: True story. Ended up having knee surgery)

"More than" is used in nearly all other cases, especially with numbers. Our annual charity auction to benefit the food bank raised more than $10,000 this year. 

(Long) quote of the day from me

I never understood how someone could step up to the plate and not whack the ball as hard as they could. It's not always going to be a homerun. Heck, it might not even be a single. Could be a out. But you have to try. You have to give it everything you got. If you fail, you fail. Tomorrow's another day. You step up to the plate again and maybe, just maybe, this time you'll succeed.


I've watched too many people step up to that plate and cower in the face of the big man on the mound. He's scary, I know. But you're scarier. And, you've got something he doesn't. And that, my friend, is the determination to succeed. You know that it might not be today. Could be tomorrow or the day after that. But one day, hopefully soon, you'll hit that ball out of the park and the dude on the mound will shake his sweaty head in disbelief. "He did that?" he'll ask. And you'll look at him, a smirk sneaking onto your face, because you know something he never figured out -- that all the curve balls in the world won't stop you from going after what you want.


That, my friend, is called determination. It's knowing with every ounce of your being that you succeed even when you try and fail. That success isn't something you're owed, but something you make. And you make it through not giving up, but by stepping up to that plate time after time and whacking that ball as hard as you can. So no wimpy hits here. I want to see big-ass tries, people. I know you can do it.

Pet peeve: First annual

OK. Just got to get this off my chest. There is no such thing as "first annual." It drives me insane when I see this.

An event must be held at least two consecutive years to qualify as "annual."

Here's an example:

Instead of this:

The Northeastern Senior Citizens will hold its first annual Jingle Bell Journey from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Say this:

The Northeastern Senior Citizens will hold Jingle Bell Journey from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. The group hopes to make it an annual event.

And thank you for listening to my rant. Have a marvelous Monday!

Sharing an Aha Moment

OK. So I admit it, this doesn't have to do with writing, but it does have to do with being creative and thinking outside of the box.

Here's a link to a post I did on the Smart blog. For those not-in-the-know, Smart magazine is a glossy, bi-monthly women's magazine that my staff produces. Brand extensions include a Facebook page, Twitter account and a way cool blog.

Anyway, I turned a Starbucks cardboard coffee cup sleeve into a napkin holder and two gift tags. Find out how I did it.The post includes a video, but you got to promise not to laugh.

A writer's wish list

Dear Santa, please bring the following (in no particular order):

1. A strong voice
2. Muse
3. Creativity
4. Time (can never have enough writing time)
5. Thoughtfulness
6. Patience

P.S. I will probably add to this list and will send you revises (via email, Twitter or Facebook)

What would be on your list?

Grammar tip: Might versus may

"May" implies permission to do something:;

My parents said I may go to the prom.

My mom said I may not wear my torn jeans to school.

      

"Might" means that something is possible: 

The school board might vote to allow torn jeans in school. 
I might get an interview with George Clooney. 

TV commercials Part 1: Dolls

Watching all of the Christmas commercials reminded me of some vintage ones. Enjoy! 

Chatty Cathy




Barbie

Sign on my computer...

This is the sign that I have tapped to my computer. And don't look at the dust! 

In case you can't read it, it says:

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain."