Category: Education

“Echoes of the Criminal Mind” – a Thought-Provoking Read for Any Writer Wanting to Fine Tune Character Development – Especially Their Villains!

This book, “Echoes of the Criminal Mind” by Merle Davenport, scared me so much that not only did I decide staying home most of the time sounded like a mighty fine idea, but also, it is so effectively shocking that I am incorporating it into the curriculum for the Novel Writing class I teach at Tulsa Community College. Students and writers of all genres need to write authentic characters—especially villains. And who better to teach about the mind of a criminal, outside of an actual criminal, than Merle Davenport, who holds a Master’s degree in Education, done extensive research into Criminal Behavior, and has taught GED and reentry classes behind prison walls for 25 years. He is also the president of the Tulsa Night Writers – a community of writers in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with over 180 members.

“Echoes of the Criminal Mind” is organized not only around personal experiences (he tells many stories with dialogue that is unbelievably true) from Merle’s many years teaching prisoners, but also around explanations of fundamental (and shocking) characteristics of criminals and how to incorporate them into villains authentically. The last two chapters have charts for writers to use in building and assessing their villains, with examples of what that looks like. This book is brilliant. Merle’s magnum opus. I’m grateful that he wrote it, that I can use it to inspire writers to plumb the depths of character development, and even grateful that the words in it have me paying more attention in public as I go about my everyday life.

Thank you to Merle for his willingness to help us write our characters and villains, drawing on his wealth of experience and knowledge. Now, let’s get to writing our villains, folks … especially the anti-hero … because we do discover that some of them want to be good, but life happens. Ahhhh. You’ve got to read this book!

The Edutainer in Heaven

If money didn’t matter, I would still do precisely what I do now for a living. That is my first response to the ‘daily prompt,’ and it is sincere. I love what I do. Being a professor who facilitates student engagement and learning of communication skills through writing techniques, exploring creativity, and promoting critical thinking is a dream come true. I’m one blessed girl, and for as long as God has me doing this thing, I will do it to the utmost of my ability.

Now, while I do love being a professor, I confess that I have daydreams of living in the mountains – in a cabin tucked away in the woods. There must be a cedar wraparound deck that overlooks a clear mountain lake, lined with pine trees and surrounded by snow-capped mountains. The occasional fish should burst through the water and send ripples through still, quiet waters. The birds will soar overhead and tuck themselves into trees, where they nurture their young and sing their sweet songs, and I’ll guess at their conversations as they sing back and forth to one another across treetops. On my deck, I will sit in a comfy reclined chair, taking deep breaths, and allowing the fresh air, the scenery, the songs to fill every one of my senses. A table will be on my right, and there will sit a hot cup of peppermint mocha latte. My MacBook will be nestled in my lap, and I will write. I will write novels. I will write short stories. I will write poems. I will write how-to books. I will write songs. My dog will recline happily near the base of my chair, and we will pass the day away with no spoken words, only the stories in my soul making their way through my fingers and onto the page. The sound of a drill will break the silence from time to time, and I will smile, knowing my husband is nearby and doing what he loves as well. Building, creating, living every moment. We two, in the mountains, doing what we love. Ahhhh.

The daily prompt wants three possibilities – and I can do that. I also want to be a motivational speaker. What fun would that be?!?! For me? A lot of fun. To get to travel and do what I already do in the classroom, but for companies and organizations? Wow, are you kidding me? Heck yeah. And then, I could write a book or five about those subjects on which I love to motivate people! Like career education and the fact that everyone can be a writer! I could travel and do speaking engagements on the subjects I love, but also about the books that I’ve written … and I could also have that mountain cabin because this girl needs some downtime here and there. On personality tests, I’m 53% extroverted and, well, 47% introverted, so I’m middle of the road, and some days, I need quiet to recharge. Other days, I need a crowd of people to talk to. A microphone and a crowd and a lot of space because I am active in front of a group of people. That sounds like a heck ton of fun. Yes, please. Something happens to me when I’m in front of a crowd. I get funny, and my brain clears. It’s wild. One-on-one, I tend to fumble and cannot get my words out, but put me in front of a roomful of people, and I come alive. Absolutely alive. An ‘edutainer’ is what I like to call myself and what I do.

I love being a professor.

I love writing.

I love talking about what I’m passionate about.

Combining all of those things sounds like heaven.

Writer Interview: Me, Interviewed by a Former Student. Q&A.

  1. What got you interested in writing?

My earliest memory of enjoying writing is Ms. Campbell’s English class in 6th grade. One particular assignment was that she gave us a list of random words, and we had to write a short story that included each word. It has been 41 years, and I still smile when I remember that assignment. It was a challenge, and it inspired me. She is also the teacher who stirred my interest in reading. During 7th grade, under her tutelage, I ventured into “Wuthering Heights,” and the rest is history. Ms. Campbell was my English teacher in 6th, 7th, and 10th grades. She encouraged me. She pushed me. She challenged me.

  1. Was there a specific moment when you realized you wanted to become a writer, and when was that?

Although I dabbled in writing a never-seen-the-light-of-day book during high school, it wasn’t until I was deep into my Master’s in Creative Writing that I submitted a memoir piece about something that scared me as a child, which I did. When the teacher, Craig Schneider, handed it back, he said, “You should get this published in a horror magazine.” THAT is a moment I will never forget. Who? Me? Horror? Oh my. It turned out to be my first published piece.

  1. What have you done in your career as a writer?

In addition to teaching creative writing courses (Novel Writing, Introduction to Creative Writing, Poetry) and Composition courses, I enjoy writing on my blog. I have four published short stories (“The Devil’s Promenade,” “Full Moon,” “The Echo of Alone,” and “Mom in the Middle”), three novels, two of which are in current publication (“A Kiss in the Rain” and “The American Queen” – the third is “For Love of Words”), and two children’s books (“Not Real and Never Will Be” and “Giraffes are People, Too” with my daughter, Kennedy). This past year, I headed up the creation of a Writer’s Series that is housed in the TCC Library, in which I am blessed to interview authors, poets, publishers, and editors for TCC’s students. https://guides.library.tulsacc.edu/TCCwritersseries.

  1. What do you do currently in your writing career?

Teach creative writing. Write on my blog when I can. https://lenazyslife.home.blog/. I have been making notes for a memoir on recovery and survival, which I will accomplish with Stonebrook Publishing (hopefully) sometime in the next two to three years. I also challenge students to improve their creative writing, so I talk about writing daily! I stay affiliated with the Tulsa Nightwriters, though I don’t attend as regularly as I should.

  1. What is your favorite thing about writing?

Expressing my thoughts and feelings, they flow more smoothly through my fingers than they do my mouth. Unless I’m in front of a group of people, one-on-one talking ties my tongue; I’d rather have a keyboard and my fingers. I can write for others, and I can write for myself. It is an expression of what is deep inside me, either way.

  1. What are the things you don’t like about writing?

That my fingers move faster than my mind sometimes because I get excited, and my fingers fly, and the squiggle lines occur in abundance on the screen! But I’m okay with letting them sit there. I’ve learned to let go and let the fingers fly. However, there’s a part of me that wants to slow down and beat the timed typing test every time.

  1. What has been a challenge as a writer?

Initially, negative self-talk. Not thinking I had anything to say or to offer. Once I began my Master’s courses, peer review tested me and almost knocked me out of the game. I stuck it out, though, and I came to love peer review and workshopping. Understanding the vital necessity of critique to make the writing better. Through workshopping and peer review, I learned how to set my feelings aside and focus on making the writing its best.

  1. What surprised you most about this career?

I don’t write for a career, so I cannot necessarily speak to that, but as for teaching creative writing, it brings me joy! That doesn’t surprise me, though. What surprises me is that 17 years ago, I was a stay-at-home mom and had been for the 12 years before that. I’d forgotten that I had a mind and how to use it. Now, to see myself as an Assistant Professor, Career Faculty Fellow, and President-Elect of the Faculty Association at my school is a dream. Something completely unexpected.

  1. Any advice for someone considering a career in writing?

It’s not a quick way to wealth. That’s for sure. This is something we do for the love of writing and expression. This is something you do because you are passionate about it. You write whether you make money at it or not. In “On Writing,” Stephen King says he would write even if he didn’t make a dime at it because he is compelled to. I get that. I often feel compelled to write – like I have to write, or I will lose my mind. So … write … write so you don’t lose your mind. 

  1. What does a typical day as a writer look like?

This one does not apply to me as much; I write when and where I can.

  1. What does your writing process look like?

Before writing a larger work, I take notes on paper, getting to know my characters, giving them quirks, and dreaming up scenarios that might take them where I want them to go, although they’ll ultimately decide where they go on their own. When writing fiction, it is me and my laptop. I play instrumental music to match the mood of what needs to be written. When writing nonfiction, such as my blog, I write the piece in Word first, freewriting and then editing. Once completed, I copy and paste the piece into my blog. If I were to write a research paper, there is a whole other process that includes outlines and notecards, rough drafts, and peer reviews. So, the writing process is situation-dependent for me. Kind of hypocritical because I teach students one method for the writing process. But shhhhh.

  1. How do you think AI will affect the writing field, and what are your thoughts on AI?

AI “hallucinates,” is what my friend Adam the Librarian told me, and I’ve seen it in essays “written” by students. AI is easy to spot. It fabricates quotes and attributes them to sources that they are not from.  AI cannot write creatively. It cannot write conflict.  It steals your voice if you allow it to edit your writing; it words things how you, the writer, would never dream of wording your pieces. It’s not you. It cannot be you. What you, the writer, have to offer is far better, more creative, and imaginative. I allow AI to help me with grammar and punctuation from time to time, especially when I’m doing the flying fingers thing, though I keep my own voice and style; I give the AI suggestions the boot. How will it affect the writing field … sadly, it can take the place of artistic writing voices and replace them with lack of imagination and dullsville writing. I hope more writers will avoid AI than will choose to use it. I will continue to do my own writing – good and bad.

  1. Overall, do you think the internet has improved or worsened the writing field?

It has greatly improved opportunities for sharing your voice and publication; however, the field is oversaturated, which means that voices, if they get heard, don’t get much more than their 15 seconds of fame. It’s the same in music and art. We are oversaturated, and because of that, it isn’t easy to stand out. Push, though, don’t stop. Keep going because you love it. Write because you’re compelled to. I am not fully answering the question, so back on track … in the sense that there are more opportunities, this is a vast improvement. However, those same opportunities have saturated the writing field with overwhelming amounts of poor writing.

  1. Does location (the state you live in) matter when looking for jobs in writing?

I’m a college professor, not a full-time writer, so I’m making an educated guess, but I would think that states with large cities would offer more opportunities.

  1. Is writing a fairly flexible job, as far as having an independently made schedule, juggling a family, and other things in life?

It depends on what variation of writing you’re involved with. Are you a freelancer? Are you a blogger? Are you a reporter? The answer to this is also dependent on the person. Go-getter? Get-by-er? Personally, as a college professor, I have time for writing when it isn’t a day of nose-to-the-grindstone essay grading. My schedule is fairly flexible, allowing me to find moments here and there to pour out my thoughts on a keyboard. But speaking to writing as a job, again, that’s not something I can fully speak to.

  1. What is something most people don’t know about careers in writing?

That not everyone can be Stephen King. Each semester that I teach Novel Writing, students come with high expectations of publication and living that writer life, and then I give them writing assignments that have about half of them second-guessing their life choices. In my world, these are not challenging assignments, but for those who underestimate the amount of thought and planning that goes into even beginning the work, it can be daunting. Writing takes thought, planning, and determination. It takes the ability to push through, have thick skin, and care less. It takes understanding that editing is the magic and the work, and you cannot expect to write anything well right out of the gate. There is work involved. Also, people have no idea how much work a writer like Stephen King puts into the novels that decorate our shelves. He has a strict process, thick skin, and determination. He also has an author, who King says, will not let him be Stephen King.

  1. What are good skills to have as a writer?

Beyond skills, having an open mind, a creative and curious spirit, a love of language and communicating ideas, and determination are essential. As far as skills, at minimum a decent command of vocabulary and grammar/punctuation, plus the ability to use tools such as Hemingway Editor without letting it change your voice. Computer skills are imperative. The ability to use Word or Google Docs, or a desire to learn how to do it, and the stubbornness to figure it out for yourself. I had a ‘learn it or else’ attitude with myself, and it paid off when it came to formatting a manuscript, which I had had no prior knowledge of how to do. I am self-taught – that stubborn determination got me there. Also, and this is essential, the skill to participate in peer review—to accept feedback from others and be willing to edit your work, putting the benefit of the work above your feelings. My husband frequently says, “F*&^ your feelings,” and he’s not wrong.

  1. Can you describe writer’s block and how you deal with it?

Writer’s block, schmiter’s block. You have writer’s block? Write about it. Write about how it feels. Write about the frustration. Be raw in your description … let the anguish out. Say it all. Say things no one else will. We all have these pent-up irritations like “writer’s block,” so write it all out. Write about what it feels like to be blocked, to be stunted, to be held back, even by yourself … and then, once the “writer’s block” loosens, which it will, give all of that emotional gunk to one of your characters! Because, hey, characters need to get stuck in their thoughts, too. Use your “writer’s block” to push yourself to better descriptions and characters built out of authenticity that pours out of your own negative experience. Heck yeah. No more excuses. No more “writer’s block.”

  1. Are you working on any books or writing projects right now?

Yes. I have a lot of pre-work completed. Somewhere around 50,000 words of pre-work. That writing is a fictionalized account of my life story because, at the time I wrote it, it was too personal, and I needed to separate myself from it. So … fiction. Now, an intense year and a half of growth, open heart surgery, and healing has passed, and I have new eyes with which to view my own story. It has grown and changed in my heart, and it will now be more than a description of surviving abuse; it will now be a focus on recovery and living life to its fullest despite the past. I have notes. I have ideas. I’m constantly mulling it over, and I have a potential path toward publication. Timing is essential, and the day is just not right yet to get fully started on my memoir. I aim to achieve this feat within the next three years. Additionally, I have considered creating a writing textbook for my Comp II courses, which is also on the burner. Not necessarily the back burner, but it is behind the memoir.

Writing on my blog is a fairly regular occurrence, so that doesn’t fall in this answer/category. Every time I hear of a writing contest, my ears perk up, and I think, I could do that! And then, it’s time to grade papers ….

  1. Any advice or resources when narrowing down and deciding career paths?

Find what you’re passionate about and pursue that.

When you do what you love for a living, you never work a day.

Those are cliché sayings, but they’re true. I live them. Every day.

Vatterott College Taught Me to Work Harder Than You

When I hear folks who work in a community college environment or a state college/university environment complain about their workloads, I disingenuously smile; internally, I roll my eyes and think they’d have never survived at Vatterott College, a high-stress, high-stakes environment.

Big boy pants, people.

At Vatterott, we were expected, as faculty, to retain our students. Every one of them. Any student who missed class had to be called, messaged, and recorded in our data system until an actual connection with the student was established. All communications (including attempts to contact and actual contact with the student) were to be documented in CampusVue for all staff and administrators to access. If you did not contact each missing student (and in our general education classes, we had 30 students per class; most terms I taught 7 classes, giving me 210 students every 10 weeks), your position at the school became endangered. If too many students dropped your classes, your position at the school was jeopardized. Retain. Retain. Retain. Talk them into returning. Keep them in the seats. Make them stay for 4 1/2 hours each day and don’t sit down while you’re teaching. No calling 911. (One day, one of my students threatened to shoot the place up, and it was determined, after he calmed down, that he would remain in the classroom … I put my foot down on that one and said, No. I took a risk even after being told there would be consequences if I canceled my class that day. I canceled the class. Student safety was worth it.) We were to note all interactions with all students in the system. High expectations. Fear of losing your job. Negative critiques. Walking on eggshells around corporate-level employees. Always knowing you’re being watched. Convincing students who are just trying to stay out of jail that they can and are students and can achieve – partly so you can keep your job by keeping them in the classroom, but also because you grow to care about the students who have complicated, unbelievably hard lives and drama in their lives. I learned how to connect, engage, and reach students in that environment. I believe that those of us who worked there developed a trauma bond with our students and with one another. Those of us who stayed, anyway.

I’m a survivor. I navigated 8 years and 2 months at Vatterott, collecting various positions (instructor, program director, member of the interview committee, registrar, retention officer, and subject matter expert) and recognitions (2013’s Most Innovative Instructor) until Vatterott closed its doors forever on December 17, 2018, at 4:00 p.m. I’ll never forget going home at 4:00 that day, sitting on my couch, and staring at the Christmas tree. What now?

Had it not died that day, I’m sure I’d still be in the Vatterott family; I grew to love it – probably that trauma bonding. I’m privileged to know so many wonderful people from those days. Bobby, Sam, Colleen, Brandi, Katie, Marcy, Shane, Ric, Craig, Scott, Virilyaih, Cheryl, Rhonda, Patrick, Maria, Charles, Al, Keegan, Cody, Melanie, Gonz, Rich, Jessie, Suzanne, Julie, Juan, John, Michelle, Velma, Velma, Celeste, Melanie, Barbara, Beth, Casey, Veronica, Brian, John, John, Rich, Jeff, etc. I’m smiling as memories flood my mind as I just write their names down. Strong people. Tough environment. #survivors #grateful #vatterottcollege

The opportunities since those years have been a blessing of ease; it is normal to hear me say that people who complain about their workloads should be required to spend a minimum of 2 years in a trade school environment. Then, they can come back and hit the ground running with gratitude for environments/schools/campuses that give autonomy and do not have the red-tape expectations that for-profit education places on their employees/teachers. Perspective is essential. Sometimes I think that colleagues who have only worked in a particular type of educational bubble don’t realize how blessed they are, how free they are, and, really, how spoiled they are. Me? Puh-lease. I know exactly what I have now and how blessed I am, and I could not be more thrilled to be an Assistant Professor of English at Tulsa Community College. It is a beautiful school with a beautiful mission, and I’m two feet in – Community Unites Us!

Two of my former Vatterott coworkers and I get together from time to time, and we laugh about how ‘easy’ our current positions are in comparison to what life was like before. We swap stories of the types of complaints we encounter in workplaces since our time at Vatterott and try to imagine those complaining folks working in the environment that the three of us survived—and not only survived, but thrived in. We know that the majority of these complaining individuals would not have lasted long in those roles we held and grew in. We are strong women, tough women, who can handle adversity and rise above it, who will work harder than most – we have proven this. And speaking of strong women, sometimes I think about reaching out to our former CEO and saying, “Thank you for being tough on us all.” Actually, the language I joked that I’d use was, “Thank you for being a tyrant.” I know, though, she was doing what she believed was best for the entire Vatterott system, and I’m beyond grateful for the lessons I learned there. I am the employee and the professor I am today because of my time at Vatterott College.

Some people say they’ve been to the school of hard knocks. Others attend Universities. Some choose state colleges or private schools when they desire higher education. Me? I attended a private Christian college for my bachelor’s degree, then a private University for my second bachelor’s degree and my master’s degree. But the school that taught me the most was the first school that took me in as an instructor, Vatterott College. I am grateful for a demanding work environment and a CEO with high expectations. I think everyone should have at least one experience in a place like that.

A Vatterott reunion would be ‘tops.’ Does anyone say ‘tops’ anymore? Probably not. A Vatterott reunion would be welcome. Good to have some trauma-bonded hugs. Perhaps one day.

Me? A Leader? Heck, Yeah.

As a professor, yes, I see myself as a leader. In my classrooms, it is both my responsibility and my privilege to impart my insights, experience, and knowledge to students, with the hope of enhancing their ability to think critically and independently. I understand the gravity of shaping the minds of tomorrow, and I take my job very seriously, although I approach it with light-heartedness and a passion for the subject matter and the futures of each student. I like to call myself an “Edutainer.” I’m going to teach the subject, but I’m also going to provide respite and fun, a mini-vacation from the “real” world outside the classroom door. That’s important to me – for learning and for students’ state of mind.

Outside my classrooms, it is my normal practice to hang back and watch. I’m an observer, but if the situation calls for it or if an opportunity to step into a leadership role presents itself, I will step into that space and assume a leadership style that is conversational, interested in different perspectives, curious, inclusive, and kind. This is what I have seen work in previous work environments, and it flies in the face of other leadership styles, such as micro-management, which I have seen fail utterly and miserably. My favorite boss of all time is Bobby Donnell. He led our campus in North St. Louis with a Mr. Rogers vibe. He was kind, yet firm. His presence commanded (in the best way) respect from his entire team. He never demanded control; he worked alongside of us, he respected us, and he chose his battles. I’ll never forget when the CEO moved Bobby to a different campus and replaced him with a “leader” with a completely different vibe and leadership style. The campus fell apart. People complained.

Students were unhappy. Teachers were threatening to quit. No one enjoyed being at work. Eventually, the CEO moved Bobby back to the campus, and we fell back into rhythm within weeks. Smooth like butter. I like to lead like Bobby when given the opportunity. I might even change my sweater and my shoes before a meeting. Sing a song. Smile for everyone. Listen to opposing ideas but hold firm to ideals that need to remain unchanged. I’m so grateful to Bobby for his leadership, his encouragement, and his critique. He’s my #1 reference, and I’ll always be one for him!

For me, leadership is about working alongside my students and colleagues. It is about guiding and pushing toward the betterment of oneself and seeing life from a larger picture. I love to inspire people to think, to achieve, to know themselves, and to embrace differences of opinion.

So, yes, I see myself as a leader. Thanks, WordPress prompt. 🙂

Gynotykolobomassophile

This, and no other, is my favorite word. When we discuss unfamiliar terms in my Composition courses, I inevitably throw this word into the mix, and students must try to figure out the word without looking it up. Hilarious.

I like to look around the room and pick on a student or two by saying, “Maybe you are one?” And then, everyone really wants to know what the word means.

The point of the ‘lesson’ is that you cannot use terms that are unfamiliar to your audience and expect to get your message across. The responsibility is on you to detect words in your writing that might cause a reader to stop, be pulled out of the reading, be confused, be embarrassed, be mortified, or whatever emotion they might feel. Unfamiliar terms are stop signs in an argument for most readers and listeners, though some will pause, look up the word, add it to their own vocabulary, and enjoy feeling just that bit more intelligent. I try to be one of the latter types of readers/listeners.

By the way, for those of you wondering, a Gynotykolobomassophile is …. drumroll … someone who likes to nibble on a woman’s earlobe. Bada-dum.

I found it on a Balderdash game card, and I fell in love with the word; I even used it in my book “For Love of Words,” which I need to get republished. When there’s time …

Career Advice from 72 Students in Mrs. C’s Comp II Courses – Spring 2025.

The assignment was “Consider life up to this point and what Career Advice you have encountered. Write an essay in which you determine the most helpful advice you’ve received – whether it was spoken to you, or you read it somewhere/heard it in a TED Talk, etc. Come up with three pieces of advice that have been helpful. You will share about these in 1,250 words – keeping the most helpful as the third main point of the essay.”

It was essay #1, which assesses where Comp II students stand with writing skills and proficiency before the course is fully underway. It establishes for me, the Professor, where we are beginning and gives me the information necessary to know how best to proceed as I keep course outcomes and my goals for student achievement at the forefront.

The outcome of this writing assignment, which spread over five Comp II courses, astounded me. Seventy-two students wrote passionately about the career and life advice they’d been given by parents, employers, coworkers, books, articles, mentors, singers, TEDx presentations, video games, friends, etc., how the advice affected them, and how it could benefit others. After several essays, I decided to track the collected advice in one document – one I could share with the students after I completed grading all five classes. I expected it to be a couple of pages, maybe three, with most advice being repetitive that I would combine to save space. This is NOT what occurred. The result of this collection of career advice is incredible! For the most part, student after student wrote out unique and equally valuable career and life advice, and according to Word, it is eight pages long in its single-spaced and bulleted format. .5” margins. Garamond font. 12 pt. Over 4,400 words of career advice. These are in no particular order. Nuggets of golden advice exist throughout – and for each of us, what a golden nugget is could be different. That’s the beauty of it and why I’m sharing it.

“The only thing to do with good advice is to pass it on. It is never of any use to oneself” (Oscar Wilde).

For anonymity’s sake, the student’s names are not shared, but if any of the advice contained in this document is helpful and something you’d like to quote elsewhere, here is a Works Cited page citation suggestion.

Cunningham, D. L. (2025, January 31). Career Advice – Collection of Student Insight from 72 Essays in Mrs. Cunningham’s Comp II Courses – Spring 2025.

Career Advice from 72 Students in Professor C’s Comp II Courses – Spring 2025.

  • Keep track of everything you try and what you accomplish.
  • Figure out what values are most significant to you.
  • Give yourself the space to change.
  • Let yourself try different jobs, experiment with different hobbies, and make each situation you face a learning experience.
  • Surround yourself with a community.
  • Make sure to serve others.
  • Make a difference in the lives of other people.
  • Find meaning in your job every day.
  • Don’t get too comfortable; be patient because nothing is permanent.
  • There is always an opportunity for things to get either extremely good or extremely bad. Nevertheless, trying to make things good instead of bad is important.
  • Work hard.
  • Be patient when life gets hard.
  • Do what you love.
  • Keep smiling even through the tough times.
  • Be confident, and who cares what people think or say?
  • You are the only one who can accomplish your goals.
  • People can hear a smile. I may have the worst migraine and little to no sleep, but I will be smiling. It makes your day so much better. Life is hard; the last thing we need is to make it worse with a bad attitude and a frown on our face. Just keep smiling!
  • Don’t be afraid to say yes.
  • Progress is the killer of success.
  • Hard work beats talent.
  • Retire early.
  • Make a ton of money.
  • Love what you do.
  • Take it all in and prioritize my well-being.
  • Accept feedback and criticism.
  • Avoid being paralyzed by fear.
  • Set goals.
  • Focus on your own position.
  • Never let your mistakes define you.
  • Prioritize a work-life balance.
  • Be open to change.
  • Find passion in even the mundane tasks of work.
  • Pay attention to your outward appearance, personal performance, and overall presentability.
  • Be on time. This is paramount to respect and success. Being on time and present at practice, school, work, and any other activity proves that you respect your superiors and yourself.
  • Prepare for retirement early.
  • Strive for excellence in everything you do professionally.
  • Embrace the “work hard, play hard” mentality.
  • “Your fear of looking stupid is holding you back” (SZA).
  • “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”
  • Embrace your uniqueness.
  • How you dress is how people see you. Therefore, at your job, you should use every day to dress your best.
  • Treat every customer like they are the boss undercover.
  • Show a willingness to help and take on tasks, even when I don’t feel like it, and approach my work urgently.
  • Control your face and your emotions.
  • I am replaceable, and many people want my job, so I must always be at my best, no matter the circumstances.
  • When you communicate effectively, it demonstrates to your boss that you are mature, reliable, and capable of working independently.
  • Finding a balance between work and personal life is essential for career success.
  • Be able to accept feedback and take it. This shows open-mindedness and maturity.
  • Be positive, do your job, and do your best.
  • Always strive to be a great employee.
  • Create a meticulous schedule (meaning done perfectly and with great scrutiny towards every element).
  • Do tasks for my boss that they did not ask me to do.
  • Ask myself, “Why not me?”
  • Use every bit of spare time during your workday to your advantage.
  • “Take a gamble that love exists and do a loving act” (Red Dead Redemption 2).
  •  “Sometimes life is like this tunnel; you can’t always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving, you will come to a better place” (Avatar).
  • “After all, tomorrow is another day” (Gone with the Wind).
  • Make sure you make a good first impression.
  • Have good communication skills.
  • Find a job you will enjoy.
  • Do not compare yourself to others.
  • If you say you will do something, do it.
  • Contribute your best efforts to every project.
  • Maintain a positive and healthy work environment.
  • Find a true passion for what you do.
  • Plan things before you do them, stay organized, and remain focused on the task.
  • Never doubt themselves in anything that they do, no matter what.
  • Show and do my best no matter what the situation is.
  • Make sure I have everything ready for the next day.
  • Even a bad day can be turned around and flipped upside down.
  • Never let someone else get me down because of their bad attitude.
  • Understand that your strengths in the workforce is key for both personal growth and professional accomplishment.
  • When searching for a career, being flexible opens opportunities, unlocks new skill sets, and can sometimes provide an outlook on professional approaches to situations.
  • Why not learn different skills, such as electrical work, plumbing, people skills, technology, etc., even though this might not be your career choice? Growing your knowledge of many skills helps expand opportunities.
  • Make meaningful connections; this is especially important because, like professional flexibility, relationships often open doors to opportunities that are not advertised or widely known.
  • There is no shame in asking for help; it’s how we learn and grow.
  • Developing a solid work ethic benefits my education and leaves a lasting impression on professors, employers, and peers.
  • Always tell the truth.
  • Take initiative, even when it’s not explicitly required.
  • Have a good work ethic.
  • Find a job that pays well.
  • Do what you love; this is crucial.
  • Arrive on time; this is vital for a job as it shows a good work ethic and desire to work. Showing up late not only indicates a poor work ethic but also shows a lack of responsibility. Get to your job ten to twenty minutes early. This has helped me never be late for work.
  • Don’t have your nose glued to your phone. It looks bad on you and is destructive to the company. I started using this perspective at my job and avoided using my phone in front of customers to save the company’s reputation. This advice can help students understand that what you do at your job also reflects your company.
  • Steve Jobs once said, “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do” (Jobs).
  • Make sure I am always the first one there and the last one to leave.
  • Work smarter, not harder.
  • Always put pride in everything I do.
  • Do not jump into anything right away; you have time to consider, so take your time.
  • Try to find something with a happy pay medium and personal fulfillment.
  • Do NOT let a paycheck decide your future.
  • In taking time to learn more about yourself and explore the different aspects of different careers, you can set yourself up to succeed in an environment that you have selected based on your knowledge of yourself.
  • Talk through demanding situations.
  • Work efficiently and effectively.
  • Prioritize work first.
  • “Pain creates memory.”
  • “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”
  • “If those other dummies can do it, so can you.” If you won’t believe in yourself, no one can believe in you. So quit being a normal ‘dummy’ and go be the better you. The you that achieves your dreams and goals without fear.
  •  “The only thing you can control is your attitude and your effort, and the only people you need are your family and God; those are the constant things in your life.”
  • If my attitude is preset on being negative and I am already doubting my intelligence, I have just set the stage for myself to fail.
  • Work every day like people are lined up for your position.
  • Be the employee you would love to have on your team if you were a business owner.
  • Pursue the career that I truly desire. A career worth having will serve the spirit.
  • Prepare for interviews ahead of time by preparing questions, showing up early, and being put together.
  • Continue to work hard and push for more.
  • Every one of us only has ourselves; nobody else will wake up looking through your eyes, feeling with your heart, or cuddling with your teddy bear…hopefully. Live your life for you.
  • Work to live. Do not live to work. Your entire life cannot revolve around your job. Work to earn money so you can live. Do not live a lifestyle that solely centers around your job.
  • Find a job I love.
  • Show up to work prepared punctually.
  • Resist the criticism of those who do not have your best interests at heart. Value and accept the criticism of those who do have your best interests at heart.
  • Cultivate professional relationships. It’s important to know who you surround yourself with. The people around you can change your life completely, so choose wisely.
  • Maintain perseverance and passion in my chosen field.
  • It is crucial to surround oneself with individual friends or mentors who encourage growth and display no envy.
  • “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence.” – Calvin Coolidge.
  • Discipline and respect are key to success. Be considerate of how your actions impact other people.
  • Discipline is still showing respect when you are disrespected. Other people show their character by how they act, and having discipline is keeping your character the same when you are disrespected.
  • Life is hard; get a helmet.
  • Let go or be dragged down. People will always do things that hurt you or something that you would never do to them, but you must realize that they chose to do that, not you. You must rise above and let it go.
  • “People think of education as something they can finish.”
  • “No one is coming to save you.”
  • “The struggle itself towards the heights is enough to fill a man’s heart.”
  • Show up early.
  • Explore opportunities.
  • Find a work/life balance from personal experience or the lives of people I hope to mirror.
  • At an interview, be mindful of your mannerisms, words, and how you dress. The employer does not know you yet so that they will judge based on the first impression.
  • Understanding a company’s values can help answer questions like “How would you best fit in this role?” or “Why would you be good for this job?”
  • Always value your time over money.
  • Get out of your comfort zone to learn new things.
  • Do something you love if you must do it 40 hours a week.
  • Kindness and compromise will take you a long way.
  • Work hard and compete, and you will be successful in life.
  • Never be afraid to chase your dreams.
  • Always be confident.
  • Set goals on how to measure your success.
  • Learn to forgive your mistakes. Learning from your mistakes gives you the opportunity for self-reflection.
  • Always give one hundred and ten percent and work hard at the task you receive.
  • Always treat your employer with respect, and they will respect you.
  • Pick something I love doing and make good money while doing it.
  • Start work at a young age.
  • Participate in continuous learning.
  • Good integrity is the best way to build trust in any profession.
  • Practice interviews.
  • Be persistent in getting your prospective employer’s attention. After applying, send follow-up calls to ensure the hiring manager knows your name and confirms that they will check your application. Two weeks of applications and calls and eventually a walk-in got me an interview and the job all on the same day.
  • Review and adhere to policy. Ignore anyone who tells you, “Oh, we don’t have to do that,” because they will never be promoted to anything more than a base-level employee. Read and ask questions to best understand the company you work for and its specific ways of working.
  • Show up and express yourself to others.
  • Show up early.
  • Have all your equipment.
  • Be friendly to others.
  • Be aware of how you hold yourself on the field and in the dugout.
  • Work Ethics involves what you do behind the scenes, such as working extra hours and doing the right thing when no one is there to hold you accountable.
  • Work Ethics are something you should never be satisfied with.
  • Dress to impress.
  • Find purpose in what I do.
  • Always do my best.
  • Never expect perfection from any job.
  • Keep your work life and personal life separate.
  • Find your why in the job. Remember why you wanted this, and when you feel like giving up, go back to that reason.
  • Work harder than everyone else because having a good work ethic is key to gaining
  • respect from others.
  • Choose a career path that aligns with your passions and interests.
  • Do not let the fear of failing stop you from pursuing your hopes and dreams.
  • Treat others how you want to be treated.
  • Pursue your calling, even if it pushes you out of your comfort zone.
  • Be a thermostat, not a thermometer. Like a thermostat, you can change the temperature of a room, but don’t be a thermometer and let the room’s temperature change you. My attitude can change a room; I am a thermostat.
  • No matter what others say or do, how I respond is the only thing that matters.
  • Choose a career that means something to you; it should be based on your passions.
  • Keep learning something new and try making yourself look better than other candidates.
  • Your resume should highlight your strengths and weaknesses and have good references.
  • Be open to change.
  • Develop soft skills.
  • Track achievements that have proven relevant to life and beneficial for a career.
  • Clear and effective communication promotes collaboration and correctly transfers ideas and goals between people.
  • Seek regular feedback and reflect on past experiences.
  • Maintain a healthy work-life balance.
  • Seek continuous learning.
  • Learn from past failures.
  • Proper preparation prevents poor performance.
  • Grit is a common component in the lives of some of the most successful people in athletics and beyond. Grit can be defined as “never giving up, grinding through adversity, finding a way to make it happen, and not leaning into excuses.”
  • Nothing can replace good ol’ sweat equity and earning opportunity the old-fashioned way, which is outworking everybody else. I may not be the most gifted or the most talented, and that’s ok, but there’s never an excuse to be outworked.
  • “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”
  • “If you love what you do you’ll never work a day in your life.”
  •  “Learn to love to practice” and “fall in love with the process” of being exceptional.
  • Be as efficient as possible.
  • Volunteer in the industry in which you’d like to work.
  • Be able to get the best grades possible.
  • Say it is not impossible and set about making it happen.
  • Be punctual.
  • Work hard and give your best effort.
  • Maintain integrity and a strong character.
  • Always be knowledgeable about the company or organization that you wish to work for.
  • Understand that honesty is key.
  • The connections I make will get me ahead of the game.
  • Learn to think on your feet.
  • Prepare for anything that can be thrown your way.
  • Pay attention to detail.
  • Do the work with silent integrity.
  • Willingness over capability, because everyone is capable, but not everyone is willing.
  • If you don’t believe you are something or at least have the potential to be, no one will.
  • You have to be a champion before you get to become a champion.
  • “One cannot teach unless he himself is still learning.”- Confucius.
  • “If money didn’t exist, what would you do with your day?” Some folks would say something similar to “sit around and play video games all day.” Don’t be that person. How would you contribute to society? To Nature? To your family/community? Take whatever it is and pursue a career with it. I’d garden and raise animals and live self-sufficiently.
  • Be willing to go the extra mile to validate yourself and set yourself apart from your competition.
  • Finish school.
  • Go to trade school or take the college route.
  • Live the life of your dreams.
  • Never depend on anybody else.
  • Pick a career that genuinely makes me happy and causes me to want to get out of bed in the morning.
  • Don’t be a know-it-all. Be humble. You can always learn; never stop learning.
  • Have a good work ethic, don’t procrastinate.
  • You will get out of it what you put into it.
  • Use proper language.
  • Dress appropriately.
  • Have a positive attitude.
  • Setting goals is an excellent approach to creating clear, realistic expectations that assist in staying focused on what is essential.
  • When creating your goals, consider these questions: are my goals specific, realistic, measurable, and relevant? Asking yourself these questions when creating goals is essential for providing direction. Specific goals clearly outline what you want to achieve. Realistic goals are achievable within your time frame. Measurable goals give a way to track your progress. Relevant goals ensure alignment with your overall objective.
  • Leaving your comfort zone fosters personal growth by pushing you to adapt to new situations, build resilience, and learn new things.
  • Give your all when you are able.
  • Get out of your comfort zone and take a risk even if you are unsure of the outcome.
  • Take breaks.
  • When you do uncomfortable things, you show yourself and others that you can do anything, and that determination is the key to ultimate success.
  • Actively embody, with intent, the qualities and outcomes I desire.
  • If I seek workplace recognition, I need to produce notable work. If I want respect, I must extend respect to others.
  • My grandmother would encourage me to read and reflect on a particular Bible verse. She would say, “You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you” (Philippians 4:13, King James).
  • Be a champion for those who cannot be champions for themselves.
  • “Having over-the-top positive nice feedback can harm your performance, it can make it very difficult for you to climb up, difficult to kind of know where you stand, what you should do better, what you should stop doing, but can also damage people in ways that we often don’t think about. It can affect their reputations outside of the interaction context” (Tessa West – TEDx).
  • Building a successful path requires discovering your passion, which proves difficult yet necessary for creating effective path-building strategies.
  • Let go of uncertainty and fear.
  • A strong foundation of knowledge and critical thinking skills is essential to stand out among other candidates. These qualities provide an edge in securing opportunities in competitive fields.
  • When you prioritize learning and personal growth, your professional success becomes achievable and enables potential opportunities that have been impossible before.
  • Just do it. Continue moving ahead by taking purposeful steps.
  • Learn to play the long game in life. Playing the long game in life is one of the most important pieces of advice because it inspires a mindset rooted in patience and resilience.
  • Prioritize actions that align with my overall goals in life rather than falling into distractions and temporary pleasures.
  • “Listen more than you talk. Nobody learned anything by hearing themselves speak” (Richard Branson).
  • Surround myself with the right people who inspire and challenge me. You are who you surround yourself with, the people in your life influence your actions and mindset.
  • Is what I’m doing today getting me closer to where I want to be tomorrow?
  • Find a career that will help you change the world, not just your financial situation.
  • “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough” (Oprah Winfrey).
  • Be prepared. Have everything ready to go versus running back and forth to grab things. This reassures my clients that I am professional at my job, increasing the likelihood of them becoming repeat clients.
  • Being prepared gives me those extra couple minutes I may not have had otherwise, ensuring I do my best work.
  • Understand the importance of teamwork. Cooperating improved our work relationships and helped the company continue to grow.
  • Speak up. Advocating for myself or someone else, whether expressing my ideas, setting boundaries, or asking for help, is often a key to success.
  • Always keep learning.
  • Be open to feedback and criticism. Receiving feedback is a part of every aspect of life, whether it is good or bad. What you do with that information can shape you and help you grow into a respected employee and, maybe one day, a respected employer.
  • Speak up.
  • Consistency shows dedication and effort.
  • Asking for help does not show that you are incapable; it does the opposite. It shows that you have the courage and determination to learn.
  • If you truly want it, you can achieve it.
  • Stay accountable for your actions.
  • Prioritize tasks and continuously try to learn.
  • Set clear goals.
  • Celebrate the big and the small wins.
  • A hand-up is not a handout. “There is no such thing as a self-made man. You will reach your goals only with the help of others” (George Shinn).
  • Take things one step at a time.
  • Love what I do and know when to move on from a position that is not fulfilling anymore.
  • No job is insignificant; respect every title.
  • Find the job that best suits you.
  • Do what makes you happy. Other people’s opinions should never stop you from doing what you love.
  • Never give up when things get too harsh, hard, or challenging.
  • We would not value where we are and how we have developed ourselves if we had all lived without adversity. I would not see myself as a kind, compassionate person who wants to help people around me if I had not experienced some life-altering events and setbacks.
  • Do not be afraid to ask, whether it is asking questions or asking for help.
  • Keep an open mind and be willing to learn because you won’t always know everything.
  • You are never too old to start or start over.
  • Life is always changing. Count on that, no matter what. Be willing to learn and change to keep up.
  • Focus on progress rather than perfection.
  • Embrace lifelong learning to stay adaptable and innovative. This means continuously seeking new knowledge and skills throughout your professional life. This approach is crucial in today’s fast-paced society, where businesses constantly evolve.
  • Take care of your well-being to maintain energy and motivation. This can sustain energy and enthusiasm for careers, leading to long-term success and fulfillment while maintaining a balanced home life.
  • Build a strong professional network. This is crucial. It can help you by opening doors to new opportunities and providing support during challenging times at work, ensuring you are never alone in your journey.
  • When not preoccupied with achieving perfection, you are more inclined to take risks and explore new methods.
  • The journey is just as important as the destination, and with the right mindset and support, you can navigate your career path with confidence and resilience.
  • Develop skills that can be used in different careers.
  • Explore your passion.
  • Recognize that a job is something you tolerate, and a career is something you love.
  • Do not settle. Life is too short to do a job you hate and do not have a passion for just for the sake of a job.
  • Show up early and leave late.
  • Dress for the job you want in the future. You only get one shot at a first impression.
  • Network.
  • Know myself and be confident.
  • Have an excellent work ethic and skills.
  • You can’t pour from an empty cup.
  • Be like a rubber band and flex. If you can go with the flow, you will be a desired employee.
  • Be a lifelong learner.
  • Show your potential every day.
  • Leave your problems at home.
  • Always be willing to learn and grow continually.
  • Find a mentor.
  • Focus on the 3 D’s: dedication, devotion, and discipline.
  • Be dedicated to goals, professionally and personally. Reach them by keeping them at the forefront. Write them down on sticky notes and place them where they are visible daily.

How to Increase Your Word Count

BE DESCRIPTIVE.

  • Utilize the Rule of 3’s – for any item that needs describing – if your reader MUST know how that chair looks or how this thing smells or what that bird sounds like, then DESCRIBE it.  Use the 5 senses to create a description, but give the items being described no more than 3 bits of description each.
  • Imagine your reader as ignorant of what you know; most often, the reader is, in fact, ignorant of what you know.  Never assume they know what you’re seeing in your own mind.  Be descriptive.  It adds to the word count too.  Win!

    INCLUDE EXAMPLES: STORIES AND STATISTICS.

    • To strengthen an idea, include stories (Pathos) and statistics (Logos).  Be thorough.

    USE A SIGNAL PHRASE FOR ALL QUOTES / PARAPHRASES

    • To strengthen your argument.  Random quotes carry little to no weight.  If you explain who said what’s coming and why their word is important, all of a sudden, the quote carries weight to your argument.  Example:  Stephen King, author of many short stories, including “The Man Who Loved Flowers,” gave an example of repetition in that particular short story that is bone-chilling; he wrote, “And he swung the hammer.  Swung the Hammer.  Swung the hammer.  As he had done five other times” (King).
    • GREAT EXAMPLE drawn from a Comp II paper:
      The writing center at the St. Louis Community College, a reputable academic establishment serving over 30,000 students a year, defines Logos as “[an] appeal to the audiences’ sense of reason or logic. To use Logos, the author makes clear, logical connections between ideas, and includes the use of facts and statistics” (St. Louis Community College).
    • To mark boundaries: Signal phrases mark boundaries between your words and the source’s words. By marking the boundaries, you also provide a smooth transition for the reader between your words and the source.
    • To emphasize the source, Call attention to the author or source being used. In some cases, such as a literature review or the use of a well-known author, specific information about the source is important for the reader to know. Giving adequate and specific details regarding the source adds to its credibility.
    • To avoid plagiarism: All source material must be cited, and signal phrases are one way to cite a source—however, additional citation formatting may be necessary depending on your citation style.  Signal phrases are used WITH in-text citations.  Both are necessary for proper source citation.

    INCLUDE OPPOSING PERSPECTIVES IN YOUR ARGUMENT.

    • Including opposing perspectives can double the word count of an effective argument essay. This is a simple concept.
    • It strengthens your argument as well.  It builds credibility (Ethos) when you, the writer, are willing to admit there are other perspectives than just your own. 
    • State what the opposing perspective(s) is/are and argue it in the paper, combating it with your own research and opinion.  Show that you understand the opposing perspective by the seriousness with which you treat the addition of that information into your essay.  Let your own argument meet the opposing perspective at every point. This is exciting and makes you credible.

    DEFINE UNFAMILIAR TERMS

    • In our writing, we often have information that our audience does not have. We understand concepts or tools, rules, and words our audience is ignorant of.   Ignorance is not a negative word – it simply means without information.  When this is the case, and it will require you to look at your topic and work from the audience’s perspective, add definitions to your writing. Just like I did here in this paragraph with the word ‘ignorance.’
    • In this case, it is okay to assume the need for definitions. It is better to err on the side of clarity than to lose an audience because of a lack of clarity.
    • Defining words and concepts adds to your word count! Woot!

    BE WARY OF PRONOUN USAGE

    • There are instances where pronoun usage confuses a reader. For instance, if I said, “Paul and John went to the grocery store. He bought a soda.” The obvious question here is, WHO bought the soda? It is not clear. You may think this does not occur in your writing, but chances are, and I say this with kindness, it does occur in your writing. To correct the situation, some rewording of the sentences is necessary. For instance, “Paul and John went to the grocery store. He bought a soda” is better written as “When Paul and John went to the grocery store, Paul bought a soda.” Now, this didn’t add a difference-making number of words to the basic tenets of this small story, but the concept of clarity with pronouns is here.
    • Here is another fantastic example of an unclear pronoun: “To keep birds from eating seeds, soak them in blue food coloring.” Soak who? The birds or the seeds? To better state this, say, “To keep birds from eating seeds, soak the seeds in blue food coloring.” Be clear. This is not bad repetition – it is clarity. Again, this does not add a life-altering number of words.  However, …
    • Demonstrative pronouns are exceptionally capable of confusing readers. What are demonstrative pronouns? These are pronouns that specify a particular person or thing. They include such, that, these, this, and those. At times, using these pronouns leaves the reader with questions and confusion. For example, “We can either choose to be clear or unclear with our pronoun usage. This is important to discuss.” While this statement might not be completely vague in its meaning, a reader might wonder which part of “choose to be clear or unclear” that ‘This’ refers to. To go for clarity, the statement could read, “We can either choose to be clear or unclear with our pronoun usage. Using clear pronouns is important to discuss.” Often, I find replacing the demonstrative pronoun with the actual words it represents provides strong clarity – and increases your word count!
    • In the realm of pronoun usage, too, we must consider that in today’s world, people sometimes choose their own pronouns. When writing these into stories/essays, we must be clear. If a character is going to choose they/them pronouns, but soon a second character is introduced, and the pair are then referred to as they/them together – this can lose a reader. It is best to be clear upfront by stating that the character chooses they/them pronouns, and then work to only use those pronouns in reference to that particular character and use fully flushed-out words/names/descriptions (more words!!) to clarify when speaking of more than one character. Hope this explanation makes sense.

    YouTube Mini-Lecture: https://youtu.be/iy7EgQrKtWk

    How to Make Your Essay Classic Double-Spaced

    Previously called … Word’s Pesky Default Spacing Settings & How to Fix Them

    Prior to fixing the Spacings settings in Word, your essay will look like this:

    Extra space exists between each header item, between the header and the title, between the title and the text, and between each paragraph.

    See it?

    For YOUR essay to be in correct MLA format, this must be corrected.

    How?

    Good thing I can show you.

    NOTE********BEFORE you begin to write, perhaps you might want to go ahead and choose to use the MLA Template in Word.  If you do that, you do not need to read further.  The spacings are CORRECT on the MLA Template in Word.************

    If you choose not to use the MLA Template and have not changed the default settings in Word to be correctly formatted for your MLA papers, then you will need to follow these steps …

    When your paper is wonky, it will look like this in Word:  See the horrendousness?

    To fix this monstrosity of an essay and make it visually pleasing with correct spacing:

    Select All (This is on the right side of your screen).

      Push “Select,” and the drop-down box will allow you to “Select All.”  Do that. 

      THEN, your paper will be fully highlighted like this …

      The next thing to do is find this button – and push it.  Click it.  Whatever. 

      Once that button is clicked, the drop-down box will give multiple options … you want it to be 2 spaced (double-spaced), and you want to click/push “REMOVE SPACE AFTER PARAGRAPH” … Do That!  Do it.  Don’t wait.  Do it fast.  Do it now.

       Wa-La!!!!!!

      Once you click “Remove Space After Paragraph,” your paper will be in CORRECT spacing format.

      It will look like this …

      Good stuff.  This is very good stuff.

      Fix your essays with this information!

      The Old Man

      There was an old man who lived in a small village. I don’t know when, and I don’t know where, but this old man’s story stays with me, and I hear his words on replay in my soul. 

      This old man was poor; he had a small piece of land and 1 horse. One day the old man’s horse broke down his fence and ran away. The villagers came to the old man’s home, as villagers tend to do when they know everyone’s business, and they said to him, “Oh no! This is terrible! This is awful!” And the old man replied, “Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t. I don’t know.”

      The next day, the old man’s horse returned bringing with him a pack of wild horses! They all went right into his pen following the old man’s horse. The villagers returned to the old man’s home to exclaim, “This is amazing! This is wonderful!” The old man replied, “Maybe it is. Maybe It isn’t. I don’t know.”

      The following day, the old man’s son went out to begin to work on breaking in the wild horses they’d acquired, and the son fell off the horse and broke his leg.  The villagers came to offer comfort. They said, “This is awful! This is terrible!” The old man replied, “Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t. I don’t know.”

      The next day, war broke out in the land, and the army drafted all able-bodied men to go to war at once! Except, they refused to take the old man’s son because of his broken leg …

      This story! What a reaction to events in life!

      This is a Chinese proverb, and I heard it on an AA message called “Surrender” by Bob D. Since hearing it, it replays in my mind, my heart, my soul. It adds to the Serenity prayer for me … only now, I ask … is this terrible? Is this awesome? Maybe. Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t. I’m going to accept what I cannot change. Have courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Is it awful? Is it good? Let’s wait and see what God does, and in the meantime, I choose serenity. #goals