So you’ve Been Invited to a Wedding

Planning a wedding is a trying time for every couple. I, for one, looked at my husband-elect during the planning process and wondered if I could really spend the rest of my life with a man who couldn’t tell the difference between a very slate-like blue and a cool blue-toned gray. As you can surmise, responding to a wedding invitation incorrectly, giving a gift inadequately or dressing inappropriately, and thereby making this stressful time more difficult than it has to be, is a sure-fire way to have your friend/cousin/sister screaming at you and her mother/your aunt/your own mother bad mouthing you to anyone who compliments or congratulates her on anything concerning the wedding.

“The centrepieces are lovely.” “Yes, it really is too bad Mary didn’t tell the cashier that she was purchasing something from the registry.”

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How to: Wash Your Shoes

One spring time ritual I really look forward to is boxing up my winter boots and bringing out my summer shoes. If you are anything like me, this ritual takes place while you are in the midst of an overwhelming compulsion to make your interior as bright and fresh as the new spring time exterior, making the dinginess of your favourite summer shoes the first thing you notice as you revive them from storage. The good news is, your shoes are easier to clean than your windows, walls, ceilings and all the other places you’ve suddenly noticed are in dire need of a good bubbly scrubbing. Continue reading

How to Write a Comparative Essay

The Essay

  • The broad term “comparative essay” can cover both comparison (focusing on the similarities between two or more things) and contrast (focusing on the differences) within one essay.
  • There are two approaches to comparative essays:
    1. The block method, where one item is discussed fully and then attention is turned to the second item. This method is better suited to shorter essays.
    2. The point by point method, where each paragraph applies a point of comparison or contrast between two items. This method is better suited to more complex topics, as it is easier for the reader to follow. Continue reading

How To Write a Birthday Invitation

In this modern world of the internet and cell phones (yes I’m that old now), I haven’t sent out a proper birthday party invitation since I was a child, spelling out ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘when’ and ‘where’ my party was to be on a piece of pink construction paper cut to the shape of a heart. This year, I decided to bring back the formal, paper invitation. Continue reading