Donna

I was playing online and ended up visiting the website of Ali Hale.  I found her writing interesting.  Here is one of her articles for your enjoyment:

I probably don’t need to sell you on the benefits of reading. Many of us have experienced the power of books to make us laugh, cry or even give life-changing insights. But many of us also have stacks of unread books on our shelves.

Life can seem so busy that it’s hard to find the time - or the energy - to crack open a book. Here are five simple ways to find (or make) more time to read:
Standing in line

How often do you end up waiting in line? It might be at the bank, the post office, the bus stop, the train station or the supermarket. You might be waiting around for your child to finish an after-school class, or waiting for an event to start.

Keep a book with you at all times - ideally something that’s easy to dip into and read a few paragraphs of. It’s a great way to kill a few minutes which would otherwise be spent in terminal boredom.

Commuting

If you commute to work on public transport, why not read en route? Ditch the free newspaper that’s handed out, and take a book along instead.
Don’t discount reading if you drive or walk to work, either: buy MP3s of audio books and load them onto an MP3 player (you don’t need an expensive iPod - you can get a cheap model and it’ll do just fine). Listening to books counts as “reading” too, and for many people, it’s the most practical way of squeezing reading into a busy life.

Lunch hour

Do you end up working through your lunch hour - or sitting around watching clips on YouTube? Take a book into work instead. If your office is too noisy to read at your desk, head out to the nearest park, coffee shop or library. (As well as the benefits from the book, you’ll also get a productivity boost in the afternoon by taking some time off to clear your mind of work.)

Evenings

Why not have one evening each week where you refuse to turn on the TV or computer? Both of these can just eat up hours - without much to show for it.
Let yourself relax into a book instead; you’ve got several hours to take your time, to read and enjoy. Why not get a mug of tea, coffee or even a glass of wine to sip while you’re reading? If you can make the evening feel like a treat, you’ll be setting up strong positive associations with the act of reading - busting through any negative thoughts that “reading is boring”.

Pick A Book You Love

Don’t struggle to get through tedious books because you feel you “should” read them. There are far more great books in the world than you could read in your lifetime - so pick the ones that you actually enjoy!

If you’re reading a book that you love, you’ll find that the time to read it appears out of nowhere. Ask friends for recommendations, or browse a few books at the library or bookstore until you find one which really grabs you.

Ali Hale is a postgraduate student of Creative & Life Writing, and a freelance writer working for several large blogs. She also runs her own blog, Aliventures, writing in-depth articles on “getting the most from life”.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ali_Hale

Donna

Punctuation does matter.  As a misuser of commas, semicolons and the likes, I spend a lot of time reading books to improve my writing and proof reading skills.  But, we have to be honest; we live in a country where most people have no clue about writing.  How many times have you seen an advertisement that reads “3 DVD’s for $20.00” when it should read “3 DVDs for $20.00”?

The main problem with a bad punctuation is that it can change the whole meaning of a sentence.  Case on point:

An English professor wrote the words, “Woman without her man is nothing” on the blackboard and directed his students to punctuate it correctly. 
The men wrote: “Woman, without her man, is nothing.” 
The women wrote: “Woman: Without her, man is nothing.”

Do you see what I see? Same words, different punctuation, different meaning!

A bad punctuation that changes the meaning of a sentence not only can get you fired, but it can cost you or your company millions of dollars. 

That was the issue surrounding the 2006 case of the “million dollar comma.”  The argument over whether Bell Aliant, a telephone company, can cancel a contract it had with Rogers Communications, the large cable television provider.  The dispute turned on a single comma in the 14-page contract. The dispute was worth 1 million Canadian dollars.

The dispute was over this sentence: ‘This agreement shall be effective from the date it is made and shall continue in force for a period of five (5) years from the date it is made, and thereafter for successive five (5) year terms, unless and until terminated by one year prior notice in writing by either party.’

Bell Aliant argued that it could end its five-year agreement with Rogers at any time with a one year notice.  However, Rogers argued that the contract was for a minimum of five years and automatically renew for another five years, unless a telephone company cancels the agreement before the start of the final 12 months.

Citing the ‘rules of punctuation,’ a regulator of Canada’s telecommunications ruled that the meaning of the clause was clear and unambiguous and that the comma “[the comma before ‘unless and until terminated’] meant that the part of the sentence describing the one-year notice for cancellation applied to both the five-year term as well as its renewal. Therefore, the regulator found, the phone company could end the contract after as little as one year.

Well, not so clear and unambiguous after all. 

On August 20, 2007, the 2006 interpretation of the comma was reversed. In the 2007 decision, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission issued a decision concluding that the French-Language version of the Bell Aliant-Rogers contract clearly indicated that Bell Aliant could terminate the contract only “upon notice one year prior to the end of the initial term or one year prior to the end of a renewed term.”

To have some fun while learning, check out Lynne Truss’ Eats, Shoots & Leaves (my favorite punctuation book) or check out “Clear Writing with Mr. Clarity,“ a wonderful blog about writing maintained by Mr. Clarity, Joe Roy.

Donna

I finally finished reading the #1 New York Times Bestseller Skinny Bitch, by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin.

Skinny Bitch

Skinny Bitch is a “no non-sense, tough-love guide for savvy girls who want to stop eating crap and start looking fabulous.”  I was drawn to it because I, too, want to look fabulous!

In their book, the authors explained that “sugar” is “the devil”, carbs are “bastard bad boys,” and products labeled “fat free” or “low fat” are nothing more than a “chemical shit storm.”  They also stated that the need for a morning coffee is “pathetic” because “coffee is for pussies.”  I was honestly enjoying the tough, direct, and sometimes cruel tone of the book.  But, then it hit me.  I need my morning coffee!  Somehow, calling the need for my ritual morning coffee “pathetic” because “coffee is for pussies,” is more than I can handle.  Especially because under the theory of this book, needing my morning coffee makes me a pathetic pussy addicted to caffeine, right?

It’s way too much for me to handle in a day.

I have to admit that I eat tons of carbs, fast food, fats, munchies, sugar, and every non-healthy food available in the market.  In other words, I am a crappy eater.  I really am. But, I am not just any crappy eater.  I am a proud crappy eater.  My day cannot begin without a big bagel with extra cream cheese and, certainty, a morning coffee (I guess that does make me a pathetic pussy caffeine addict after all).

I admire people who eat healthy, those that prefer a carrot snack over a bag of Crunchy.  I secretly envy all those “skinny bitches” that use their lunch hour to work out at Curves rather than stuffing themselves with leftover pizzas like I usually do.  I watch them with admiration.  I really do.  And I daydream about how wonderful it will be if I can get rid of those 20 plus pounds that are parked on my body for free.  But, I just can’t.  At least, not yet.

The way I see it is that I should not deprive my palate from those delicious prohibited foods that make me temporarily happy.  My days are too busy; too many responsibilities, deadlines, payments, clients, co-workers, and bosses to deal with.  I need the happiness that food brings to my life.  Crappy food makes people happy.  Case in point:

A movie night is not fun without a bag of popcorn.
A stadium game is not fun without a beer and a hotdog.
A birthday cake is not good enough without a scoop of ice cream.

For now, this book is going straight to a box that I will bury in my basement.  One day, however, the revolution will begin and I will take control of my weight, body fat, blood pressure, and all those weight related nuisances. 

Until then, pass me the cheesecake with extra whipped cream, please!

Jenny

You may not be young any more, and you may consider yourself to be fabulous, but in today’s economy you may also certainly fall into the “broke” category.  The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous &  Broke gives you a wealth of financial information.  From explaining to you the importance of knowing and maintaining a good FICO score to knowing whether you are ready to make that next big purchase, e.g. a home. The author, Suze Orman, explains sometimes complicated financial concepts in easy to understand layman terms.  She offers “the broke,” solutions and ways to fix their financial woes. 

This book is one of those books that you don’t have to read all at once.  You can pick the chapter or part of a chapter that is relevant to your situation, study it and then apply it to your problem.  Each chapter is divided into three sections: the “Lowdown,” where Suze explains the financial concepts in layman terms; the “Strategy Session,” where she takes real live problems and offers readers a tangible solution, or way to go about resolving a problem.  Finally, in the “Quick Playback” section, found at the end of each chapter, you get a checklist or summary of all the important points that were discussed at length in the Lowdown and Strategy Session sections.  I find the Quick Playback section to be very helpful, sort of like an action list of things that you should be implementing to steer you to that healthier financial place you are seeking.

So ladies, if you need a guiding light through what might feel like financial darkness, this book may be the book for you. 

Donna

I loved this book, absolutely hilarious. I was giggling from the first page to the last page.  Set in London, Bridget Jones’s Diary follows the life of a young thirty-something year old single woman.  It chronicles her efforts to stop smoking, lose weight, and find true love (sounds familiar?).  The author beautifully draws us into her daily struggles and romantic gaffs as she wrestles with her feelings for her dashingly handsome boss, Daniel Cleaver, and the infuriating, but handsome lawyer Mark Darby. 

I couldn’t put this book down.  It is definitely a page turner.

GS seal of approval?