Category: Uncategorized

National Cash Mob Day is Saturday March 24 / Concord NH 2 PM

I learned, from NHPR’s Word of Mouth, that there will be a Cash Mob in Concord on Saturday at 2 PM.  And that is just when I’ll be in downtown Concord!

I learned that a Cash Mob is an event organized via social media in which shoppers descend on one area with cash in hand.  The Cash Mob blog says: “The general idea is to encourage people to go into small, local businesses and spend their money, en masse, to give the business owner a little bit of economic stimulus.”

You can learn more about the Concord event and the overall movement, here: Concord to Welcome a Cash Mob.

A Picture is Worth…

nothing to some people.   First of all, not everyone is into pictures, diagrams, two-dimensional depictions.  I have learned that you can spot these people because they don’t try to illustrate things with these tools.   Then there’s the lesson that some people don’t take to MY pictures.  I’m into the second round of trying to describe abstract multi-faceted options with basic pictures, and I may be on my second round of falling on may face with it.

Words, anyone?

That Comma Can Cost You

From Sal’s friend Katey S: two lessons for two days!

“The first is one that you taught Sally that I am constantly having to teach other people. It is the justification for the comma before “and” in a list of items. I knew the comma was important but couldn’t explain it well until Sally shared the example you used… of a will. If someone passed away and stated in her will she wanted to leave “$150,000 to Tom, Dick, and Harry” then Tom, Dick, and Harry would each get $50,000. But, if the will stated “$150,000 to Tom, Dick and Harry” (missing the imperative comma) then Tom would get $75,000 and Dick and Harry would each get $37,500. Big difference! Especially to Dick & Harry! I know it’s not exactly a moral mind-blowing life lesson, but boy people like to leave that comma out!

Note: This exact legal example came from a Business Writing class I attended in 1998.  Different style guides have different opinions, but this held up in court for “Harry”, who actually got 50%, according to our teacher.

Play Nice!

I am watching someone I care about burn bridges and I am learning the value of playing nice!

But I am also learning that I can’t MAKE someone play nice.  I can ask.  I can ask nicely.  *I* can play nice.   But there is a limit to what I can do.  And that is probably a bigger lesson.  But a sadder one.