Called it. July 2, 2015 - Corporate Speak Destroys Another Perfectly Good Word

My previous blog on fabrics curated by.

Curated by? Not.

And now the recent New York Times article

Everyone's a Curator Now.

Real curators, I mean ones with the official designations are the ones who suffer. I am a proponent of plain language. Misuse of perfectly good words is unfortunate.

How Can I Help?

What if you had a boss like Dr. Max Goodwin? A boss so different from any boss you've likely had before. A boss who:

• is not a narcissist.
• is not a sociopath
• is not out to take credit for your work
• doesn't blame you for his/her mistakes
• defends you and your work
• challenges you to do better
• doesn't think it's all about him/her.

How can I help? What a wonderful world it could be if we all had a Dr. Goodwin for a boss.

I'm Such a Nasty Woman

This blog shows my nasty side. This is where I rant about what bothers me in the world of retail and elsewhere for that matter. I call out, First Lady style (I wish), the behaviours that I find inappropriate or unacceptable or just plain hurtful. Because many people in the service world take a lot of nastiness from the general public. And I would like to see it stop or at least tamed down.

I have to admit I was one of those self-entitled people, when I was younger. But I have mellowed and been humbled by a lifetime of experience. And I wish someone had of called me out when I was acting so poorly.

Eight Words A Vendor Doesn't Appreciate Hearing

Christmas season will soon be upon us. Vendors will be plying their wares at local craft and consumer shows. Most of them have worked very hard to be there.

So what they dread hearing are these eight words, "I promised myself I would not buy anything."

If you're not going to purchase from a vendor, don't feel compelled to justify it to someone who is trying to make a living. It may make you feel better, but the vendor is not your therapist.

Try this instead. Politely greet her and ask if you may have a look around. Thank her when you are finished. Small kindnesses go a long way.

P.S. Personally, this doesn't bother me. What prompted this article is the upcoming Creativ Festival and my many vendor friends tell me how frequently (a lot) they are told this. People think it is well-meaning but it is a little unkind at the same time. All of the vendors handle it with grace but if I can educate even one person to avoid saying this, the show world will be a better place.

Thoughtless or Ignorant?

I recently exhibited at QuiltX in the lovely town of St. Marys, ON.

A woman came into the booth, admired the sample garments and looked through the patterns. She seemed in a hurry so I didn't engage her other than a welcoming look.

To my surprise she asked me, "Is there somewhere else I can buy these patterns?"

I replied, "There is but you can't expect me to give you that information."

She pointed at a box of patterns and said, "I can buy Burda at other stores."

I said, "Yes, you can."

She said, "The only reason I asked is that I don't have any cash with me."

Me thinks, 'As if', but says, "I take credit or debit."

She dashes across the aisle to another booth.