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Side Trips
Side Trips Has Moved to Wordpress...
It's Moving Day!
Check out my new, improved Side Trips blog on Wordpress. Here's the link:
Its and It's
One of my biggest grammatical "pet peeves" is the misuse of its and it's. Examples of this little word being used incorrectly are everywhere!
It seems so simple to me, and I want it to become simple to you, too! The only time you insert the apostrophe is when you are using the word as a contraction for "it is" or "it has." There are NO other times when it is appropriate (or I could have said - when it's appropriate) to add the apostrophe.
If you cannot read the sentence aloud, substituting "it is" or "it has" for "it's," then you've used it incorrectly!
Examples:
It's cold outside today. (It is cold outside today.)
It's his favorite sport. (It is his favorite sport.)
It's been a long time since I've seen you. (It has been a long time since I've seen you.)
In all other cases, use its, with no apostrophe, to show possession. Its is a possessive pronoun (belonging to it). You are replacing a noun with a pronoun.
Examples:
When you show possession using a noun, you DO use an apostrophe: The kitten's tongue was rough when it licked me.
When you replace the noun with the pronoun, you DO NOT use an apostrophe: Its tongue was rough when it licked me.
Other examples:
The sun's rays were intense. Its rays were intense.
The sailboat's length is 42 feet. Its length is 42 feet.
I've been "side-tracked!"
After initially planning to frequently update my blog, I got side-tracked with writing articles for my Tropical Travel column on Examiner.com. Since announcing my travel column, I have recently broadened my scope and am now the National Tropical Travel Examiner.
I invite you to check out my page here: http://www.examiner.com/x-12498-Tropical-Travel-Examiner
Two of my recent articles have involved my personal "close encounters" with dolphins. The first was in the early 90's in the Turks and Caicos Islands, when I had an up-close-and-personal encounter with JoJo, a solo dolphin who has become a "national treasure" known worldwide. If you'd like to read it, here's the link:
The second article, entitled "Close Encounters of the Dolphin Kind, part II: diving with dolphins in Curacao," allowed me to share the once-in-a-lifetime experience Stephen and I had diving with two dolphins on a reef in Curacao in July 2008. It includes video of part of our dive.
Announcing my Tropical Travel Column on Examiner.com
Are you ready for a trip to a tropical island, or are you an enthusiastic "armchair traveler?" No matter which category you fall into, I invite you to take a look at my tropical travel column on Examiner.com. I have been passionate about tropical travel, especially to the islands of the Caribbean, for nearly two decades, so this is an exciting, new venture for me! I am the Dallas Tropical Travel Examiner and the link to read my articles is:
http://www.examiner.com/x-12498-Dallas-Tropical-Travel-Examiner
So far, I've written articles on packing for an island vacation, and a multi-part series on What does your ideal island vacation look like?, to help you determine which island(s) you may want to consider when planning a trip to the Caribbean. I also have posted articles on Tips to stay healthy while on vacation, travel specials to various islands/resorts, and a Caribbean Travel Trivia quiz.
I would love for you to visit my page, check out the articles, leave comments, and click on
"Subscribe to Email" so you'll be notified when a new article is posted.
A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it. —John Steinbeck
Don’t Try to Control the Journey! Instead, Embrace It!
I’m ‘fessing up right away. I have been there, done that. Tried to control things, that is.
When it comes to planning a journey to a new place, for example, I’m the ultimate trip researcher — some might say “over-researcher.” Before our departure date, I will have familiarized myself with the not-to-be-missed restaurants, downloaded menus, and read customer reviews. For our island journeys, I’ll have checked out the scuba diving operators, the dive sites, and local car rental agencies. I will have devoured any scrap of information I can glean from reviews on travel websites like TripAdvisor (www.tripadvisor.com).
Is there a difference between being an informed traveler and trying to control the journey? I like to think so. I enjoy every minute of my research, and am convinced that planning and anticipating the journey is at least half the fun of the whole experience!
While I will never transform into the “free spirit” type of traveler who leaves with a backpack and an airline ticket to somewhere, agenda unknown, I am not too old to learn. Over the years, I have gained a new perspective about controlling the journey, which has allowed me to relax more and embrace it instead.
When we try to control our journey, be it a trip, or our all-encompassing journey of life, we stifle it, reducing the possibility of experiencing those inspired, serendipitous moments, thoughts, and events, which bring us to the edge of all we know.
“When you have come to the edge of all the light you know, And step into the darkness of the unknown, Believe that one of the two will happen to you. Either you'll find something solid to stand on, Or you'll be taught to fly!” —Richard Bach
Does this mean we should embark on our journey without a map? Of course not! May we use a compass to find our way? Definitely! Should we have a destination in mind before we begin? Yes, even though detours may alter it, and experiences along the way may persuade you to take a different route!
In a similar way, word journeys must also be mapped out and have a direction. The writer must know where the words are taking him or her, yet be open to inspiration. Have you ever looked at a blank screen or a blank piece of paper and had no idea where to begin?
Some call it “writer’s block.” However, it usually happens when you haven’t mapped out your journey. You’re unsure of which direction to go, and you haven’t truly decided upon your destination. Most writers have found themselves in that place at one time or another but, over the years, I have found my own personal key to creativity. I have expressed it in my Word Journeys tagline:
“The longest journey begins with a single word.”
So, here’s the key, succinctly expressed in three short words: Just start writing! Type a word, then another and another, even if you think it’s all rubbish and not worth reading! Once you have released your thoughts and committed them to paper (or, more likely, your Word document – don’t forget to “save!”), you are on your way to unblocking, and restarting the creative flow.
Embrace the journey of the writing project — the article, the letter, the book — word by word. It’s all part of the creative process. Let the ideas flow. Write, and then read it aloud. Delete words or sentences that don’t resonate upon a second read-through. Add others. Save your work and come back to it hours or days later. Let it marinate, if you have the leisure of time. And keep in mind that you can’t totally control your word journey, or you may reach a destination that you won’t particularly like after you’ve arrived!
If your word journey simply never progresses from thoughts to reality, or if your ideas seem to be stuck in your head, and are never expressed in the way you think about them, there is help. Allow me to work with you to complete your journey, to accompany you on the path.
After all, journeys are often enjoyed most when shared with another. We can embrace it together, and once the destination is reached, your project will stand on solid ground, ready to be shared with the world. Or, who knows? Maybe we’ll be taught to fly!
"Then" or "Than?"
Do you confuse the words then and than? Lots of people do! Here is an easy way to remember which to use when.
Then is always related to time. Think of it this way: Then relates to when, i.e. then and now. Example: "I went to the store, then I went to the post office."
Than is used to compare things. Example: "Ben is older than Tom." "Ann gets better grades in English than Math." When you are comparing one thing to another, use than.
Word Journeys has been Launched!
In 2008, I set a goal to have my own website, and it has finally been achieved! Word Journeys has been launched! Thanks to all who have responded with positive comments and words of encouragement. I look forward to hearing from more of you as you have time to look over the site! Love the comments! Keep them coming!
Adventuring
Since moving to Texas in 2006, my husband and I have found a new pastime. We call it adventuring, as we venture out into unknown territory to explore the sights in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. It's fun to take a small risk, to dare to go somewhere new, and to do something different, even if it means you take the wrong road, you find yourself in the middle of a downpour or, worse yet, a traffic jam!
In a similar way, launching this website – and this blog – is
also an adventure. It's exciting to think about where we might go and what
types of journeys might lie ahead.
I plan to take lots of "side trips" in my blog,
covering topics as varied as commonly misused words and verb agreement issues
to observations on life in general. I hope you will also post comments and ask questions
– about writing, word usage, and grammar – or anything else related to the world of words. If you are struggling with your own
word journey, tell me what's on your mind. I may be able to help. If you are
like me and mistakes in signage or a newspaper headline stick out like a sore
thumb, let me know what you have seen. We'll start our own version of Jay
Leno's "Headlines."
Sometimes I may just post a photo or favorite quote, or share my muses about life in our changing world. I may tell you about my latest travel adventure, or my latest Word Journey project. Every day is an adventure, and "the longest word journey begins with a single word." So let's take the journey together. Let's go adventuring!
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