Sometimes it’s better to not say anything One of my favorite advice columns is Miss Manners. I enjoy Judith Martin’s wit and style, and I’m fascinated by the questions people ask. I’m especially intrigued by the “What should I say when …” type of question. We’ve all been in situations where we didn’t know [...]
Are you making it hard for people to respond to your message? QR codes are everywhere these days. And they’re great for smartphone users to respond instantly to a promotional message. But what if your customer doesn’t want to use a QR code? Assuming that everyone else prefers the same communication method they do [...]
If you have old books, keep them—don’t throw them away Language is constantly evolving. Words that were in common use years ago are forbidden now. Words that were insults years ago are acceptable now. And definitions are changing. For example, when I was growing up, calling someone “queer” was a slur. It was a [...]
If you want to write a book, start with a plan. Not just a plan for the book itself (what it’s about, its structure, your writing schedule, etc.) but a more comprehensive plan that treats your project like a small business with a single product. Write a business plan for your book. The idea of [...]
Get your tabs under control with groups in Chrome When it comes to how we browse the internet, there are two kinds of people: those who never have more than two or three tabs open at once and those who often have 20, 30 or even more tabs open at the same time. I’m [...]
Backlinks (links from other sites that point to your website) can drive new traffic to your site and are an essential element of search engine optimization (SEO). Backlinks tell people and search engines that other sites find your content engaging and valuable; they’re basically a vote for a specific page. Of course, backlinks are not [...]
Recently an advice columnist I read regularly suggested that a letter writer learn the practice of freudenfreude. It was the first time I’d seen the word. As best as I can determine, freudenfreude is a relatively new term combining two German words: freuden (of joy) and freude (joy). It means taking joy in the successes [...]
We send our Shareable Saturday emails to fulfill our mission to create, teach, and inspire, not to get responses. Still, Jerry and I love reading the emails we receive when our messages have touched people. We especially appreciate the creativity and wisdom behind Mark Goldstein’s comments. It’s been a while since I’ve shared any of [...]
Generative AI should excite and empower you. The headlines are full of dire warnings about AI and how it’s going to be the end of society. Even Elon Musk called it “dangerous technology.” There’s a lot about the development of AI that I don’t understand. I’m not a tech creator, I’m a tech user. I [...]
We’re never too old to learn from others. Recently I saw a version of this poem by Dorothy Law Nolte quoted in the Dear Abby advice column. Children Learn What They Live If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn. If children live with hostility, they learn to fight. If children live with ridicule, [...]
