I’m not a runner. But for several reasons, the Boston Marathon holds a special place in my heart. Back when I lived on Commonwealth Avenue in Brookline, I watched Johnny Kelly go by. In Boston, Johnny Kelly was a legend. Over his lifetime he ran 61 Boston Marathons and won two of them. By the… Continue Reading
Wit and wisdom for wordsmiths
Author Archives: Jean Gogolin
Why you should sweat blood to find the absolutely right word
Flickr Creative Commons Image “The Lightning” by mhdhasan Not long before he died, a scientist friend objected to the title of Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass” on the grounds that grass has spears, not leaves. “But,” said Whitman, “Spears of Grass would not have been the same to me.” Indeed it wouldn’t. Mark Twain called… Continue Reading
Alan Alda’s guide to reaching kids and other smart people
Actor Alan Alda, who’s also a science nut, once used a walk with his 5-year-old grandson to explain evolution. Later, he heard the boy asking his older sister about something he didn’t understand. “Why don’t you ask Grandpa?” she said. Answered the boy, “I’ll never make that mistake again.” Find out below what Alda… Continue Reading
The secret revealed: How to make science and IT writing compelling!
African Dung Beetle, Flickr Image Let’s say you’re a scientist or an IT professional who has to write something from time to time – say an article or a speech. Or you’re a communications person in a scientific or IT organization who writes press releases and web copy. Here’s a quiz: What’s the only reason… Continue Reading
Does your writing have rhythm? Take a lesson from Brubeck
I’m not much of a jazz fan. But when Dave Brubeck died last week I remembered a joke his son, Chris, once told about rhythm. At the time, I was singing in a small chorus in Wilton, Connecticut that performed everything from madrigals to pop. But for one concert we did a Brubeck piece full… Continue Reading
An idiot’s guide to commas – and why a good one should make you smile!
At last. The Big Spenders have stopped writing checks, The People have spoken, the East Coast is picking itself up after Hurricane Sandy, and we can all get back to writing. Today we’re going to talk about those little grains of grammar called commas and periods. Stop! You’re reaching for… Continue Reading
The shocking, unknown secret of creativity
‘If you resolve to give up smoking, drinking and loving you don’t actually live longer, it just seems longer.’ Clement Freud Sometime today you’re going to get bored. And it won’t be pretty. You’re going to feel foggy. Anxious. Even scared. When we’re bored the clock doesn’t move. We feel trapped. We’ll do anything to… Continue Reading
6 ways Trader Joe’s can make you a better blogger
If you live on either coast of the U.S. and buy food, chances are you’ve been to Trader Joe’s. If you have, you’re probably a regular. And if you’re a regular, you probably enjoy shopping there; their stores are just plain cool. But did you ever think Trader Joe’s could make you a better blogger?… Continue Reading