I had a tad too much to drink last night and, this morning, as I was lying on my bathroom floor, cuddling my toilet bowl, it occurred to me that Nauseous v. Nauseated is a good place to start this blog. If you are experiencing that sick to your stomach/headache/dizzy feeling associated with certain illnesses or an excess of fireball shots at the bar, you may be tempted to say you feel “nauseous.” In actuality, what you are feeling is “nauseated.” The word “nauseous” means to cause a feeling of nausea. So, if you say you are “nauseous,” what you are saying is you make others feel sick.

Than v. Then. “Than” is used for making comparisons. For example, “I would rather use proper spelling and grammar than sound like a raging idiot.” The word “then” shows a sequence in time or activity, such as “I had a boyfriend but then I killed him.” (more…)

I’m going on a year of unemployment and I’ve learned a lot these last 11.9 months about survival, about separating wants from needs from really, really needs, and about the “survival of the fittest” evolution experience that is the current job market.

And, most recently, I learned about job-search heartbreak when I failed to land a job I really wanted and, more importantly, really needed. I had put in so much work, so much time, so much money even, to get to the finals in a very competitive and multi-step application/interview/testing/second interview/phone interview/final test/final interview process. I made super thick, awesome sample packets of all my writing and work samples. They called my references. I took a business suit out of storage and had it dry-cleaned for heaven’s sake. (more…)

Dear Job:

It has been nearly a year since you left me. I know we have had our differences in the past. I know things haven’t always been easy. I know I have sad mean things about you. But all that is in the past.

I am here to tell you now, I want you back. (more…)

Lately, I’ve received a disheartening amount of requests from people, many of whom I otherwise respect, asking me for help in “getting rid” of their dog. It has gotten me so angry, saddened, angry, and sad and angry, that I am dedicating a blog to it.

I am not referring here to the people with genuine issues of unhappy, formerly-adopted pets who they have to re-home because their home is a bad fit for their dog’s size, age or breed. I am referring to people who simply go to “get rid of” as their first option when things have gotten a little less than ideal with their animal. I am addressing all these people, and everyone else who wants to “get rid” of their dog, here:

1). First off, you get rid of debt, you get rid of old shoes and you get rid of bad boyfriends. You do not get rid of pets. That is just terrible. It’s called “re-homing.” (more…)

I am 34 years old and I don’t have kids. Before you start crying for my wasted and empty life, please brace yourself for this other bombshell: I am completely happy.

And furthermore?

I have no plans to have children, either before or after my non-existent biological clock stops ticking.

Know what else?

I don’t feel bad about this. Not at all. Not one single, solitary bit.

I am not selfish, am not self-centered, am not barren and have no fear of diapers, dirt or stretch marks.

What I am is a woman who loves kids, has many children in my life (including eight nieces who I spoil, a little sister who I raised, two toddler step-children who I care for two to three days per week and many friends with many kids). I also have an associate’s degree in child development and just under a decade of professional experience working with children from birth through preteens.

In short, I know, from education and experience, what a huge, life-changing decision it is to have kids and how much actual work it takes to do the job correctly.

I also know that way too many people take the decision to have kids, the most important life decision you could ever make, way too lightly.

And the result is an over-populated planet, over-populated prisons, too many people on welfare, too many people on the roads, too many people in our schools and too many people continuing to have more kids that they are ill-prepared to care for. (more…)