Mark My Words

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  • The Tittle Becomes an Umlaut

    Maybe I’m naive, but I have no idea how to type those two little dots over the word naive. Nor do I know what they’re called or why they’re there. naïve Fortunately, I’m a pro at cutting and pasting. Normally, there’s just one dot over the letter i. This is called a tittle. Adding a second dot turns the…

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  • Gathering, Remembering

    Saturday felt like a day straight out of a Hollywood film. The plot: a cantankerous but big-hearted character beloved by many passes away unexpectedly, and friends and family from near and far gather in the front yard of his small-town home to honor his memory and swap stories over beers and a barbecue. They laugh,…

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  • Their Home Will Be a Pleasure Palace

    Shortly before Tara moved in last year, I christened my townhouse the “Pleasure Palace.” This raised a few eyebrows, and had my mom admonishing me for “writing about such stuff” back when I was unemployed and desperately searching for work. (She also chided me anytime I mentioned raising a glass of alcohol to my lips…

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  • Wine Makes You Do Crazy Things

    Dear Neighbors, I would like to apologize for running through the sprinklers in your backyard while whooping and hollering late Friday night. I have no excuse for my boorish behavior other than to say, wine makes you do crazy things. I hope all is forgiven. Best Regards, Mark Prior to the dashing-through-the-sprinklers bit, it had…

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  • Go Break a Leg

    A couple of months ago, an email hit my In Box at work. Congratulations, it read. If you are reading this, you’re one of the lucky employees selected to give a presentation at our upcoming member symposium in September.  I didn’t understand how my boss could use words like “congratulations” and “lucky” in an email that announced…

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  • Champagne Tastes Like Coca-Cola

    A woman I used to work with years ago was pregnant, and we were discussing names one day. She was expecting twin girls, and as her due date drew near, she and her husband had narrowed down their choices. “We’re going with Layla!” she declared one day. “Great name,” I replied enthusiastically. “You guys must…

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