Visiting Olympic Houses: Lessons Learned
Today, Switzerland House opened at Granville Island.
Most country houses don’t open until next week, so I appreciate the Swiss’ “better early than late” attitude.
In retrospect, I should’ve anticipated that everybody else in Vancouver had the same idea. A little wiser and poorer, here are some helpful tips that you may find useful as you travel to the various country houses.
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Getting started with Twitter: Using @
Before jumping in, make sure you understand the conversational conventions on Twitter. Here is one particular feature with examples that show traditional and innovative use.
I will concentrate on explaining @ but I highly recommend that you study other guides so you’re somewhat introduced into the world of Twitter.
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Getting started with Twitter
After hearing so much about Twitter, you finally got an account and posted your first tweet. Days go by and not much is happening. In fact, you’re not quite sure why Twitter is all the rage and you may be just ready to give up.
Like most forms of social media, tweeting needs some TLC and work on your part before you start seeing results.
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Review: Irish Heather’s Long Table Series
Located in Gastown, the Irish Heather battles the recession through its Long Table Series (LTS): a nightly dinner event that seats about 50-70 people along a long table (hence the name). A dish and a pint of beer are served for $15. I’ve gone on two separate occasions and while I think it’s reasonably priced, the LTS is a definite springboard for you to spend more money than intended.
Congee Noodle House
One of my favourite restaurants is one of those places where ignorance is bliss: Don’t peek into the kitchen. Avoid the washrooms. Try not to think if the servers wash their hands after sneezing. Though I’m a slight germaphobe, I keep going back to Congee Noodle House: an unpretentious Chinese restaurant featuring cheap, generous portions. Read more…
War of the plural suffixes: childs vs. children
To pluralize a noun, we usually add an -s to the word. Sometimes, we may even add an -es. For example, we’ll say:
- tree/trees
- flower/flowers
- car/cars
- box/boxes
- fox/foxes
Yet, we come across weird plural words such as “children” and “oxen,” rather than “childs” and “oxes.”
The reason in a nutshell is that, way back when, English had two competing plural suffixes: -s and -en.
Warning: Wikipedia is an unreliable source
Recently, I was asked to write a short biography on a prominent member of the Canadian government. To my dismay, one of the provided resources was a link to this individual’s Wikipedia page. Read more…
Don't be afraid of the Twitter soapbox
Some people refuse to join Twitter because they have concerns about privacy.
“I’m not comfortable with the entire world knowing my thoughts and my actions,” they argue.
Well, I pooh-pooh your excuse! Pooh-pooh, I say!
Twitter does not control what you think or do. It communicates what you choose to share with others.
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Lose Money Wisely: Take a Car Class
For the last few weeks, I’ve been taking an automotive maintenance class through the Vancouver School Board’s continuing education program.
The course set me back $200, but it’s probably one of the best educational investments I’ve made (Dear English 220: I know you were mandatory, but I could’ve done without you).
Hello World
Welcome to my humble blog.
First off, a quick introduction:
Hello, my name is Karen. I’ve spent all of my twenty-something years growing up in Vancouver. I have an English Language degree from UBC. But my career aspirations aren’t in teaching English. For the last few years, I’ve been working as a communications freelancer. My usual to-do list for work involves writing, editing, and co-ordinating projects and special events. In my spare time, I’m usually eating out with friends, exploring the world of social media, or embracing my inner geek.
By focusing on topics that interest me, I hope my blog entertain, inform and engage you.
Feel free to share your thoughts either in the comments, or on Twitter.
