Author Archives: Pat_Morden

There’s a sign in front of a pizza restaurant in my small town that infuriates me every time I drive by. It reads: “Mother’s Day: Mom’s get free dessert.” Okay, don’t even get me started about Mother’s Day. I think … Continue reading →

If you follow this blog, you’re used to me carping about common errors in grammar and awkward, wordy, unclear writing. I often sound like a bitter and hyper-critical wannabe writer, which pretty much covers it. But the fact is, when … Continue reading →

Okay, confession time: I’m not a fan of the word “however.” What do I have against the unoffending three-syllable word, you ask? Well, it’s three syllables, for one thing. But mostly it’s because I prefer the alternative “but.”  I like … Continue reading →

Earlier this week I was working with a client developing a set of key messages, and it got me thinking. A key is usually used to open something, right? Yet the “key messages” developed by corporate communicators often lock up … Continue reading →

Bafflegab is a pandemic in the health care industry. Consider the following: “As our population ages and age-related chronic conditions are on the rise, the right things are happening in terms of the shift in focus away from acute care … Continue reading →

  This blog is called “Words, words, words.” But that doesn’t mean that we have no respect for the power of non-verbal communication. In fact, we know that it often has more impact than words alone. I was reminded of … Continue reading →

Recently I received an email from a client for whom I was doing some writing. She said that the draft I had prepared had been well received by her client. I wrote back enthusiastically, “Yeah! So glad everything went well … Continue reading →

Everyone has their own way of celebrating the holiday season. For Max and me, it’s finding a quiet day or two to sink into a Christmas book. Our living room is equipped with two well-lit and comfortable couches in front of … Continue reading →

Over the holidays Max celebrated a special milestone. The highlight of his family birthday party was a song written by his sisters and sung to the tune of “Away in a Manger.”  The very clever lyrics included references to mixed … Continue reading →

            Recently I was watching a Christmas pageant when a thought suddenly occurred to me: those shepherds must have had help! Here’s the result.            A Border Collie Christmas My name is Patches. I’m a border collie, but not a very … Continue reading →