I love words. I love Scrabble and crosswords and Boggle. I love languages. I love trying to figure out what people are saying when they speak and write in a language I am not familiar with. I have studied Spanish, but I am really fluent in Menu French, Menu Italian, Menu Greek and just about any other Menu cuisine you can think of—can you tell I love to cook and eat?
I majored in English at UC Berkeley back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Others had to study, but I spent four years reading great literature. As my kids got older, I got an MA in English at UCLA in addition to a graduate degree in teaching ESL. For quite a few years I taught in the Los Angeles-area community colleges and at UCLA Extension. Then I took a flyer and reinvented myself as a consultant, spending over 25 very happy years leading business writing seminars in the corporate world. Many of the participants told me they dreaded my classes, but after laughing and learning for two days, they invariably said they wished they had taken it earlier.
I have been sending out weekly business writing tips to hundreds of corporate employees, whose companies disseminate them to all their personnel. I have no idea how many people read them (or don’t). Some have urged me to start a blog, and I now I am finding my way through this new-to-me medium. Forgive me my errors and send suggestions. I’ll trade you my writing tips for any help you can give me!
I also have written articles for most of the nation’s major newspapers and for the “My Turn” column for Newsweek.
When I’m not reading a good book, I am traveling for pleasure, or painting. I don’t do rooms; I paint pictures with which to decorate them. I am a multi-media artist, using anything that makes a mark on paper or canvas: watercolor, acrylic, encaustic, collage, pastels, colored pencils, etc.
Enough about me! On to unravel the not-so-complicated mysteries of the English language. If you have an idea for a topic, I welcome your suggestions. Thanks for checking in.
WordThoughts 
I’m so glad my daughter was one of the participants in your corporate seminar, otherwise I would never have met you. Will your blog be a place to comment & complain when we hear people butchering the language or making up their own words?
By all means, send me those atrocities. You know they float my boat. This is a place for all words: good, bad and indifferent.
Welcome! We can always use another warrior in the battle for clear and correct communication!
I can tell just by your ‘about’ page, I’m going to enjoy your work. You deliver with such beautiful rhythm and prose, and it seems to come so naturally, although I know it’s not.
I could probably learn a thing or two from you.
I’ll do my best. I taught English for a couple of zillion years and have written many articles. It rarely is easy. Good writing almost always takes revising. That word comes from the Latin meaning “to see again,” which is what we do when we put our writing down for a while and come back to it—with new eyes.
Thank you for sharing that with me, and isn’t that the truth. You always see something new, in something you’ve written before.
Revising is to see again, even if it’s sometimes a typo. Better before than after clicking Send.
Since you enjoy travel and culture I presume, you might actually enjoy my book which is due out shortly (in just a couple of weeks!). It is about my affection for the Japanese culture and my life as a Japanese wife, mother, and later translator for the automotive industry. It has plenty of insight on the culture and I believe you will learn much from reading it. Normally I don’t write comments promoting my own work, but your “about” really made me think you might enjoy such content.
Most definitely I look forward to reading your book. What is the title? Do let me know when I can get it. I was so moved by your post, “The Six-Foot Bonsai,” and know I will find your book fascinating. Thanks for alerting me.
Thank you for your kind comments and well wishes! It encourages and spurs me forward. The book name by is the same as this blog. The target release date is November 11th; which after so much work over the past couple years…seems to be just around the corner! By following my blog 🙂 you should receive notice but I’ll message you specifically. Thank you again for making my day!