Metrolingua

I finished two [simple] books not in English

2026-08-20T11:58:18.310-05:00

I should have posted this a while ago, because I accomplished it before my summer French and Italian classes started, and the French class is already done, and the Italian one is almost done.

First of all, it took me a long time to finish reading Suivez La Piste. I just checked my archives, and I did a post about acquiring the book during the early months of the pandemic. I got sidelined by other stuff, but I committed to finishing it this summer because I needed to finish what I started. I was more focused on the audio version, which is fantastic. The voice actors are really good and the narrator is classic. The book has a lot more content than the audio, and the writing tends to be a bit repetitive, but maybe that's to make sure we are grasping the vocabulary.

What's interesting is that when I started reading the book, it was too difficult for me. That's probably why I didn't finish it sooner; I kept getting tripped up by the grammar and vocabulary. But after taking more French classes and translating it on Twitter/X, my French improved to the point that I didn't have to look up many words. The audio is more succinct and emotive, which gave me more motivation to continue.

The other book I finished is way easier, but was still sort of difficult for me, even though it's just A1 level: Due Amiche e un Album di Fotografie. We started reading it in Italian class, then I finished it on my own. I had to get used to the Italian syntax and had a challenging time doing the grammar and comprehension exercises at the end of each chapter. It was a struggle, but I'm proud that I got through it. Surprisingly, it had some German sentences and words in it because it takes place in South Tyrol, where they also speak German. So I had no problem with that!

Steve Dale interview: Ask the Dog

2026-08-14T18:35:14.177-05:00

I did an interview with Steve Dale, who is a WGN Radio host, pet journalist, and certified animal behavior consultant. His book, Ask the Dog, is about how to approach a dog we don’t know.

Why did you write the book?

Dog-bite numbers are on the rise, and I wanted to do something about that. One thing that, to my knowledge, really hadn’t been addressed in a book was paying attention to what the dog is saying, not what we think the dog is saying.

Dogs are communicating with us all the time. Even the way a dog lies beside you or behaves around you is communication. In our homes, with our own dogs, and outdoors with dogs we don’t know, they’re always telling us things. We often don’t pay attention. We pick up a dog because we want to pet it, or because we feel it’s our right, without noticing that the dog may be telling us, “Not right now.”

From the dog’s perspective, the dog is trying to tell us something. Dogs can’t talk, but they are communicating. Kids especially need to be taught to recognize those signals. If we can do a better job of understanding what dogs are telling us, I suggest dog-bite numbers will decline.

Why is the book called Ask the Dog?

Imagine you’re walking down the street and see a dog you don’t know. What do you do if you want to pet that dog? We’ve been taught that the first thing we should do is ask the person with the dog, “Can I pet your dog?” That’s still appropriate. But we also need to ask the dog.

I tell a story about walking our dog and encountering another dog that was sniffing the grass. The dog’s owner actually encouraged me to pet the dog. But when I looked at the dog, it was pulling toward the other end of the leash and wasn’t making any attempt to interact with me.

I said no. Maybe the dog was hungry and wanted to go home. Maybe it didn’t like interacting with strangers. Maybe it wasn’t feeling well. I don’t know. But the dog was clearly telling me something, and I needed to pay attention.

What is the book about?

The book follows a little girl named Morgan as she walks through a park with her mother. In a city like Chicago, or in any major metropolitan area, you’re likely to encounter lots of dogs—different sizes, colors, shapes and, importantly, different dispositions.

The question is: How do you read what the dog is saying? Sometimes the person may say, “Go ahead and pet my dog,” while the dog is saying, for whatever reason, “Not right now.”

Even with our own dogs, we often don’t recognize that. I know canine signaling and understand what dogs are communicating through their behavior. The book is an attempt to explain that in a way that children can understand.

The book has received some impressive endorsements.

Yes. Although Dr. Jane Goodall never got to see the book, I was told that she was willing to give it a blurb because she knew me and understood the premise.

The American Veterinary Medical Association also gave the book a blurb. To my knowledge, they had never done that before for a book. They have to decide how they draw the line and determine which books they endorse, so I was very honored that they did it for me.

Dr. Patricia McConnell, a revered veterinary behaviorist in Wisconsin, wrote the foreword. It’s only three sentences, but it’s beautiful. And Dr. Marty Becker, who I consider one of the most influential veterinarians in veterinary medicine, also gave me a blurb.

Those endorsements speak well, I hope, of the book and the message in it. I don’t believe this particular idea has really been done before.

What do you hope Ask the Dog accomplishes?

What I want to do is get the word out about the book any way I can, because I believe it can make a difference, particularly for kids. Kids account for a large percentage of dog bites. And even if someone says, “I don’t have a dog, and I don’t care about dogs,” this still affects them.

As dog-bite numbers go up, there are consequences beyond the person who is bitten. There are insurance implications, and dogs could potentially lose some of the freedoms they’ve gained in recent years, such as going to restaurants, baseball games, local stores and other places.

There is also the trauma experienced by the person who is bitten, and the effect on the dog and the human-animal bond. Dogs rarely get up in the morning thinking, “I’m going to bite someone today.” Often, they’re communicating something that we don’t notice. A dog might develop an ear infection, for example, and the family may not recognize that the dog is saying, “Don’t touch me there.”

The dog may not growl. The signaling can be subtle. Then the dog bites, and the human-animal bond is fractured. That doesn’t have to happen. It’s preventable.

What’s one of the biggest misconceptions about approaching a dog?

We’ve all been taught to put out our hand or fist in a dog’s face so the dog can smell us. I don’t understand that. It doesn’t make any sense.

If I see you and you put your fist in my face, that’s kind of rude. And it’s kind of the same for dogs. More importantly, if the dog is predisposed to bite, you’re putting your hand right in front of its face. We don’t need to do that. If you’re standing five feet away from a dog, or four feet or three feet, the dog can smell you. You don’t need to put your fist in its face.

Instead, wait for the dog to come to you. If the dog is coming toward you with its hackles up, growling and snarling, that’s obviously a very different situation. But if the dog comes toward you with its rear end up, its tail going back and forth, or rolls over or leans on you, the dog may be saying, “I want you to pet me.”

Professionals will tell you the same thing: wait for the dog to come to you.

What about hugging dogs?

That’s another problem. Dogs don’t naturally like to be hugged. They may learn to tolerate it, or they may learn that being hugged comes with something they value: attention from us. But they’re not born wanting to be hugged.

People understand what a hug means. It’s something we use to say hello or to comfort somebody. Other primates understand it, too. Dogs aren’t primates. Hugging a dog can be asking for trouble, particularly with a dog you don’t know.

Adults don’t often walk up to an unfamiliar dog and hug it. Kids do it all the time. And that’s another reason this book is important.

Cool pic of cakes

2026-08-10T12:28:36.143-05:00

I suggested that one of my students do a presentation about her cake-making endeavors. She's been baking unique cakes for over 10 years. It started for a friend, then that friend told another, and so on and so on. She spoke English as she showed several pictures of her beautiful cakes. This is a collage that she put together of her cakes, but it's just a tiny fraction of her vast creative output.

English expression

2026-08-03T11:56:15.464-05:00

One of my ESL students created this video. When I met him at the beginning of this year, he couldn't really understand nor speak English very well. Now he's really improved because he spends a lot of time studying English on his own. He does several things every day to learn English. This is what passion and motivation look like, and I could definitely learn from his example (though I'm juggling a handful of languages simultaneously, so it's a kind of diluted pursuit 😅).

Maybe too much

2026-07-27T09:34:11.884-05:00

I was really excited to start studying three languages simultaneously, but it's been sort of overwhelming. I study languages every day, but it's casual and happens randomly because I've been translating posts on X/Twitter, which is super-fun and challenging. Taking a class requires finishing homework and studying the concepts that we've learned, because it's not enough to just go to class once a week, and it would be a super-human task to immediately understand everything they tell us. My schedule overall is varied because I work four gigs and take three classes and create content, but I've been feeling sort of scattered.

This evening is the last German class, and then I'll be doing just two language classes: Italian and French. Italian is online and French is in-person.

I've been studying French at the excellent Alliance Française Chicago for a couple of years. I only started taking classes there because I live nearby and someone recommended it. I'd passed by it for several years but didn't think it would be so great. And I've been studying French on my own and took a couple of online classes because I'd like to go to France one day. Basically, I signed up because I can walk there, and since I had acquired extra time, I wanted to study languages more. Now that I've taken different classes at different places, it is very clear that Alliance Française has the best teachers and a pleasant environment. I feel like I'm stepping into another culture, and all the instructors are totally professional, educated, and nice.

I should write another post about work-life balance because ever since I slowed down a couple of years ago and returned to doing more of what I want, life has been way better.

Creativity can be control

2026-07-07T10:04:27.615-05:00

After creating a lot of content for other people and places, and just working to make others shine, I broke away from such a hustle and have had more time to do my own thing. And I've realized that always following others' wishes can lead to a feeling of a lack of control.

But life doesn't have to totally be all that. Creating something that comes from within is very satisfying, and no one can take that away or dictate what to do. We often have to follow what others say or conform to the group, but creating is just about what we want to express, and doing that gives us control.

We can post something online and may never get feedback, but at least it's what we've created. The problem is when it enters the marketplace and has to be assessed. Then the power isn't only ours anymore. The public has control, and a negative or apathetic response can mean failure, and a sense of hopelessness. But if we're just doing something that is totally unique to us, from us, we are the control; we don't need externals.

Of course, if we get success, that's fantastic because it is validation of our efforts. But many times we don't get approval or attention, so just spending time in that independent slot within our lives is enough to break us free from dulling external effects.

I find it hard to always be motivated, but when I think about the power of creating, that can be the motivation, because "real artists ship."

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

I will soon be studying three languages simultaneously

2026-07-01T15:59:53.497-05:00

The language-learning lifestyle is continuing, and this month I will be taking three different language classes. I've been studying French for a couple years at the excellent Alliance Française, started studying Italian at the beginning of this year, and will be taking a German grammar class.

I'm going to have a lot of homework, though of course it won't be as rigorous as credit homework. Homework in an adult class at a language school can take a couple of hours. And that's in addition to ingesting the language in other ways; it's not enough to just do the homework, because it's just a tiny sliver of what's out there. Now I'll be doing it with three languages at the same time.

The in-person German classes are not near my place, and I don't want to commute late at night. I thought I'd give up trying to find something that fits, then I saw an A2 grammar refresh course at a convenient time. Since I reached A2 at GLS in Berlin, I've wanted to advance but haven't been able to find classes that fit my schedule. But there's a more urgent need because I'm going to Germany in October, and I need to get back to the level I achieved when I was there. I at least have to know how to put a decent sentence together again.

I'm continuing French because the teachers at Alliance Chicago are highly trained, organized, and caring. I've also considered French a friend for several years as I've treated it like a fun pursuit. Now I want to be able to know enough to travel there; I don't want to stick to just the tourist areas.

If I were rich, I'd amp up the hours and take credit courses to be able to speak and write well. But I'm not rich, so I'm doing what I can, which is important because we all should leave space for enjoyable endeavors.

Dead links

2026-06-20T09:19:37.698-05:00

I was going through my old drafts and found this one from 2010:

Someone from Book drum noticed that I listed The Great Gatsby as one of my favorite books in my profile (read the entire book online here), and they suggested that I look at its multimedia profile over there. It seems like a very interesting site that makes books multi-dimensional, so if you're into books and want to express your love for them in various ways, feel free to join or just check out what's already there.

I ended up doing a post about it, so I don't know why it was in my drafts as well. What's cool is that editor Hector Macdonald left a comment on that post, and I finally thanked him 16 years later 😅

Back then, orgs and authors would ask me to check out what they were doing. I guess they did research and considered my blog popular enough to warrant such communication with moi. Now social media takes care of mentions and promotions, and I'm never hit up. Well, that's not totally true because I get respect for my Radiogirl podcast, and people still contact me or recommend people to me. But in terms of my blog, attention has shifted. But it doesn't mean I'll stop blogging; after all, I've managed to toil in obscurity here for over 20 years 😅

Also back in the day, we used to share our discoveries on our blogs because there was no social media to share on ["on which to share" for the dangling preposition opponents]. Now it's way easier to share on socials; no need to fire up the blog for a brief mention.

I looked for Book Drum, but it stopped operations in 2018. Sorry it didn't last. Good luck Hector!

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

I miss Fluffy Bunny

2026-06-19T09:31:37.699-05:00

In the early 21st century, a coworker was often reading Fluffy Bunny, which was a personal variety-type of site, with a diary and lists and essays and whatever else interested the guy. It was so different than what we see nowadays; people seem to be performative, competitive, boastful, and guarded online. The content has to achieve something publicly, has to have a goal for greater reach and elevation.

When I see all the stuff online and get nostalgic for the early days of the Internet, I think about Fluffy Bunny. I read it, though not as often as my coworker. It was one of many personal sites that were easy to discover. At first, there wasn't a label for people's confessionals and expressive writing. Then "weblog [web+log]," became "blog," and we had a label for what Fluffy Bunny and other early adopters were doing. I don't know if Substack and Medium would be considered blogs, but they don't have the same vibe as what existed before the algorithms took over.

Before social media proliferated, I read various blogs for fun and communication. At one point when I was feeling isolated in a toxic job, I started reading more LiveJournal entries, which were really personal. That's the type of writing I'm trying to replicate in my own fake blog because you pretty much never see such sharing anymore. I remember working in a quiet office and reading a blog by a bored receptionist to see how our experiences compared (I don't remember the exact title, but I can't find it). There were so many corners to discover online and fresh content to follow. It was more organic back then; Google describes it as "a shift from a creator-led web to an extraction-led web, where the value generated by individual human labor is being harvested by massive systems and the people who optimize them."

Eventually Fluffy Bunny decided to call it a wrap. At the end of 2004, he said he'd had the site for more than seven years, i.e., he started in the late 20th century and finished in the early 21st. "I started this before the deluge of blogs, livejournals and the like. Now it's time to step back and let the next wave of folks crank out their material while I move on to other projects and other places."

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

Jill Hargrave interview: documentary writer and producer

2026-06-12T15:41:34.295-05:00

I recorded this interview with producer and writer, Jill Hargrave, whose latest documentary is "Road to Liberty: Through Their Eyes" about the American Revolution.

What has your career basically been?

I had a very different life in England. I was a pop singer in the 1960s on the Parlophone label (the same as the Beatles). I was only 16 when it happened. I stayed in show business for about three and a half years, then became a blackjack dealer. Through that work I got the chance to work on the QE2, where I met Americans who told me I’d fit in well in the United States. They sponsored me, and I arrived in 1972.
I went back to college in America and majored in journalism, graduating around age 30. An internship at WCBS led me into documentaries. I’ve been producing, writing, and directing them ever since, eventually forming my own company, Eagle Vision Productions, in 1997. I work because I love it; I don’t consider myself retired.
How did you manage to stay consistently employed in such a tough industry?
I could do everything: raise the money, write the scripts, shoot, and edit. I learned linear editing, then taught myself Avid. I became a one-woman band while still collaborating with strong team members. Being reliable and willing to learn new skills helped me keep getting work.
How do you raise funds for a documentary?
I use the Foundation Directory (free for nonprofits) to match my project with foundations and corporations whose interests align. For "Road to Liberty: Through Their Eyes," I combined small grants, a successful Kickstarter campaign, and support from longtime contacts and family foundations. You have to be persistent, unafraid of rejection, and good at selling your passion.
Tell us about your current documentary, Road to Liberty: Through Their Eyes
It focuses on the formative years of the American Revolution, especially the often-overlooked 1776 New York–New Jersey campaign. It includes the African American experience from 1775 onward and uses many contemporary quotes from Washington and others. The film is now complete and will be distributed via public television stations and other channels.
You’re British. Has anyone given you a hard time for making a film about the American Revolution?
Not really. After 52 years here, I tell people that if I had been in America in 1776, I would have been a rebel. I tried to show both sides fairly; it was in many ways a civil war.
How do you write a documentary script?
I start with a detailed blueprint/outline. Then I interview historians, transcribe the interviews, pull the best soundbites, and build the script in short segments: narration, quotes, and visuals. I lay down the full audio track first (narration + interviews + quotes), time it, cut it to length (max 58 minutes for PBS), and only then add the images and B-roll.
You were a pop singer as a teenager. How did that start?
My brother wrote songs and my sister originally sang them. One night I sang along in the car and a producer liked our voices together, turning us into the sister act “Jackie and Jill.” We signed with Northern Songs (the Beatles’ publisher) and recorded for Parlophone/EMI. We worked clubs in northern England and entertained American troops in Europe. It was an amazing experience at 16 and 17.
What were some of the challenges of being a teenage girl in the music business in the 1960s?
The main challenges were the expectations from men in the business and suddenly having a lot of freedom. My sister and I were very different personalities, which eventually led us to part ways professionally.
You also write screenplays. What advice do you have for writers?
Keep writing and find or form a supportive writers’ group. I joined Stage 32 during COVID and built a wonderful ongoing writers’ room that still meets regularly. Writing doesn’t have to be lonely. Enter good festivals strategically (Austin Film Festival is excellent for screenwriters) and just keep practicing.
Any final advice for people who want to produce documentaries?
Have real passion for creating. Be willing to learn every aspect of the process and be ready to troubleshoot constantly. Build relationships, network, and never be afraid to ask for support. Most of all, enjoy what you do — the money comes second.

Chuck Swirsky interview

2026-06-02T12:58:36.554-05:00

I recorded this interview with Bulls broadcaster Chuck Swirsky, He wrote a book, Always a Pleasure, about his sports broadcasting career.

Why did you write the book?

I wrote it because even if I can help one person, whether it’s encouragement, inspiration, or just the basic staples of our industry, then it was worth it. I’ve been very, very blessed. I’ve experienced challenges, introspective moments, and a lot of joy in this business. I don’t believe in luck, I don’t believe in breaks. I believe in hard work. I believe there’s a journey laid out for us, and along that journey you’re going to go through different things—some good, some difficult—and you have to stay with it. That’s really the foundation of why I wrote the book.

You talk about your faith publicly, but the book itself isn’t very religious. Was that a decision?

Yes, that was intentional. Not because I don’t profess my faith (I do, many times) but I wanted to stay within the parameters of my career and how I got into the business. When people read something like this, I think they’re more interested in the path—how you moved from place to place, why you made certain decisions, what you experienced along the way. So I stayed with that. The stories, the movement, the work. Maybe down the road there will be another book that gets more into my personal life and faith, but for this one I wanted it to be about the career.

You emphasize hard work a lot. Where does that come from?

That comes from my parents. My mom was an educator; she taught high school and then grade school, and she loved her students. She was a tremendous communicator. My dad was a United States Naval officer, very decorated, very disciplined. So I grew up in that kind of environment. But discipline doesn’t mean what people think it means. It’s not punishment. It’s what I call “freedom within boundaries.” You’re allowed to have freedom, but there are lines. If you go outside those lines, you’re going to pay the price. If you stay within them, there are opportunities there. People go through life sometimes as the constant victim; blaming this, blaming that. Everybody has issues. Life is not a straight line. The competition isn’t with the person next to you; it’s within. And if you understand that, you’re going to be better off.

You’ve seen that play out in sports too?

Yes. I talked to a professional athlete years after he left the sport, five or ten years later, and he told me something that really stuck with me. He said in the last couple of years of his career, he went on cruise control. He didn’t work as hard as he should have. He should have trained more, should have pushed himself more. And he said it still bothers him. That’s the thing: we’re only given a certain amount of time. Whether you’re an athlete, whether you’re in broadcasting, whether you’re doing anything else. You have to make the most of that opportunity. Tomorrow is promised to no one. I’ll never forget that.

You tell that story about the jazz club; what happened there?

I was 24 years old, working in Columbus, Ohio, right before I came to Chicago. I went to a jazz club with a friend. It was packed, loud, people everywhere; just one of those nights. During a break, the lead singer came over. He knew someone in our group, introduced himself, and started talking with us. At some point he asked me what I did. I told him I was a sports talk show host. And he said, “I’m going to give you some advice.” And I’m thinking, okay, here we go. But then he looked right at me and said, “You better take care of your homework, because if you don’t, somebody will.” And he repeated it. And I don’t know why, but everything just went quiet for me in that moment. I tuned everything out. Because what he was really saying was: if you don’t prepare, if you don’t bring it every day, somebody else will. There are always people behind you who want your job. That stayed with me. It reinforced what my parents had taught me, but it hit me in a different way right then and there.

What was it like when you first got to Chicago?

I came from Columbus to Chicago, WCF L, and I did get a raise, but I was way over my head. I was not ready for that market. But the station itself was struggling, and because of that I was afforded the opportunity to make mistakes. We didn’t have a producer. It was just me and an engineer. Every day was a challenge. You’d do an interview and think, okay, I should have done that better. Or how do I connect better? What do I need to change? And you just keep adjusting, inch by inch. It wasn’t polished. It wasn’t easy. But it was a place where you could grow because you had to.

How did you move from there into bigger roles?

A big part of it was exposure. There was a radio-TV critic in Chicago, Gary Deeb, and his column carried a lot of weight. Everybody read it: program directors, general managers, people making decisions. He wrote some very flattering things about my work, and that led to opportunities. One of those was the Loop, which at that time was the number one rock station in North America. They had major personalities, they really owned the city along with WGN. They wanted to push the envelope and bring in a sports voice, and I ended up doing both morning and afternoon drive there. That was a big step. From there, I moved around and worked at WGN, WJR in Detroit, University of Michigan, the Raptors, eventually the Bulls. Sometimes I took pay cuts along the way. But I was always looking at opportunity, not just salary.

So you weren’t making decisions based on money?

No. Money has never dictated a job for me. I’ve taken pay cuts at different points, to go to Detroit, to do Michigan, to go to the Raptors. But I can’t tell someone else what to do. Everyone has different responsibilities, different situations. What I do believe is that if it’s feasible to chase your dream, you should. Because you don’t want to look back and say, “If only.” And whatever you do, you go to work with energy, enthusiasm, and as a team player. Leave your ego at the door. Ego can be healthy, but if it gets out of control, it can hurt you and the people around you.

How do you deal with egos in the business?

There are a lot of them. And I’ll be honest; sometimes I didn’t handle them well. I wasn’t mature enough in certain situations. You have to go through those moments. You go through the fire, and that’s how you become better, as a person, as a leader. If you don’t learn from your mistakes, something’s wrong. I can tell you I was a much better sports director later in my career than I was earlier. When I was younger, especially in Chicago, I was under a lot of pressure and surrounded by very experienced people. You’re learning in real time. And over time, you get better at handling those situations.

American English - vouch for you

2026-05-22T09:27:49.338-05:00

I've got a lot of American English phrases to share, and here's one I hear or see often: "vouch for you." When someone says they can “vouch for you,” it means they are willing to say that you are trustworthy or reliable.

For instance, let’s say you are applying for a job, and you ask a former boss if you can use them as a reference. If they support you, they would say, “Don’t worry--I’ll vouch for you. You’re a great worker.”

Or if someone wants to join your private club and asks you to be a reference, you can tell the person, “I’ll vouch for you.”

The word “vouch” means to support someone’s character or confirm that they are honest or dependable. You might see it in emails; if someone wants a referral, they'll ask, "should I hire him?" to which the answer would be, "yeah, I can vouch for him."

So when someone says, “I can vouch for you,” they’re saying they trust you and are willing to say that publicly.

I also posted the audio of this explanation online. If you have suggestions for future phrases, let me know.

Things are getting real

2026-04-17T10:10:00.001-05:00

I'm sitting in a park right now, and I'm writing this because today was the latest example of seeing people doing real things that seem like a novelty nowadays, but were always in my world.

A few days ago, I saw a guy walking outside, smoking a cigar. The next day, I was walking through this park sitting in the same bench, reading a massive, 1000-page novel. And it was a hardcover. He was just reading it with no sound device in his ear. I asked him what he was reading and said it's rare to see someone reading a hardcover outside. I don't remember what book he told me, but another Gen Zer nearby said she read the same book, and they talked about the series. *This used to happen all the time*.

After seeing vinyl stores that were still in business on subsequent days, today I saw another guy smoking a cigar while he was walking and talking to his associate. I told him that the smoke and smell reminded me of my uncle (who I dedicated my novel to), who was really successful, smart, and mulitifaced. Then I said I rarely see people smoking cigars, and he said people are discovering cigars due to the perceived decreased health risks and how they're better than plastic vapes. He also said non-AI activities and things are satisfying.

Maybe it's something that's happening, or just a few random people I happened to see.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

When I started thinking more

2026-04-10T12:25:00.003-05:00

As I've said here and offline many times, I used to work a lot and no longer am. The first adjustment from cutting back was having time in my schedule and head to think. I didn't want to think, just wanted to do. I liked being busy and filling my time and avoiding introspection. Fast forward many months and days, and I'm carving out time to think and reflect. I recently had 12 hours of working directly with people, not at a computer near people, but directly talking to them, teaching them, etc. Then today is free, and I have more than 4 hours tomorrow. In the past it would've been no big deal, and I would've worked on top of that, and I wouldn't have had a day off between the 12 and 4+ hours; I would've looked for something to fill my day off, such as working at another gig that would've already been lined up. Or writing and editing a novel. Or something. But thinking was not a part of the plan; the goal was to stay busy and outward-facing. And in addition to dealing with workplace challenges, all the stress and stuffed schedule would keep me occupied.

But I'm no longer like that. Today I didn't schedule anything and have been doing my own thing, which requires thought and silence. Of course, I won't stay in such a condition all day because I need to see the outside world.

So of course, I'm not an introvert and never will be. I get energy around people and if the people like other people and are cool, simpatico, and interesting, then I'm super-happy and energized. A good example is the most recent train trip I took from LA to Chicago. I'd taken that trip several times before, and have gone to and from the East Coast via train. This time it was fantastic: not only were the workers all friendly and seemed to like people (which is essential for a people-facing job), but I met really interesting passengers from a variety of backgrounds. The train was also really busy and it was a combination of quiet and talkative fun. When I got home, it was very hard to adjust to my non-trip life. It was so quiet and dark and still, it seemed spooky. For a non-introvert like me, going from a stimulating, people-oriented environment to the total opposite can be jarring and disturbing.

So what I'm writing about here is not me turning into an introvert by needing downtime, but me finally calming down enough to quietly create.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

Stop using comma splices

2026-03-28T07:00:00.002-05:00

What is going on? I see all kinds of comma splices popping up all over the place, even by people who have a couple of Master's degrees. I can see why some pro writers use them; they want to break the rule for style and rhythm. But other people aren't trying the style thing; they're just wrong.

"Let me know what you think, I'll call you later." This is a comma splice because there are two independent clauses here that are separated by a comma. They each can be a sentence or can be separated by a semicolon because they relate to each other.

"Let me know what you think; I'll call you later." I just used correct punctuation because it's a teeter-totter, two independent clauses balanced out by the semicolon.

Before, I couldn't explain all this grammatically; I just knew it was wrong. Now it seems like quick texting/posting/whatever have affected decorum 😅

Does this mean that comma splices are becoming archaic, like what's happened to "whom" and "who" (writing "She's the person I was speaking to" instead of "She's the person to whom I was speaking")? And is using a semicolon considered uptight and rigid at this point, the comma used as a casual way to communicate?

Please, everyone, at least use correct punctuation in your work emails, and even in other emails to people you don't really know well.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

American English - you're good

2026-03-27T10:39:00.005-05:00

Here's another phrase that is often used in the United States: "you're good." I just heard it yesterday when two people were talking at work; one person said they tried to get some information for them but couldn't find it, and the other person responded with, "You're good."

What he meant was that he wanted to tell the other person to not worry. It’s a way of reassuring people, to let them know that they can relax. It also means that nothing else is necessary.

For example, at a coffee shop, you might ask the barista if you need to sign anything after paying with a card. If they don’t need a signature, they’ll say, “No, you’re good.” Or if your backpack is in the way when someone is trying to get on the train and you apologize, the person will tell you, “You’re good” if they don’t have a problem with it.

So when someone is telling you, “you’re good,” they’re telling you, “don’t worry about it” or “there’s nothing else to do.” It doesn't literally mean "you're a good person."

I also posted the audio of this explanation online. If you have suggestions for future phrases, let me know.

Talking Love Boat

2026-03-18T14:43:00.001-05:00

As long-time readers know, I've posted about TV here, but never really had the chance to talk about it publicly (as opposed to just writing about it). Well, I got a chance to do it! I was invited to John Siuntres' (Word Balloon) new podcast, "E-Motion Sickness," a rewatch of "The Love Boat." It was great to watch something critically, research background information, and make connections. I will be a guest on future episodes, so stay tuned.

Here's the video, and you can also listen to it.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

Visual joke

2026-03-16T17:07:00.005-05:00

I was watching "The Brokenwood Mysteries," which is a show out of New Zealand. I sometimes don't understand what they're saying, so I have to turn on the subtitles 😅 It's a really good show that has really good actors; every single character, whether a small part or major one, is played by a pro. It's amazing that such a small country can produce so many skilled performers—more than a larger country that I want to mention but won't 😏

In one scene from season 4 episode 2, "Stone Cold Dead," two of the detectives are visiting the boss in a hospital, and there is poster that says, "All pain, no gain," with a picture of a woman on a treadmill. It looks like something very large is on her back. Is it a person? Luggage? I can't tell. Or maybe it's a mirage, because the image isn't clear (it's in the hallway, outside the hospital room's shaded window). But it definitely seems like a visual joke, which isn't surprising because there seems to be traces of humor among the deaths. I did a search online and couldn't find anyone discussing this, nor could I find any use of "All pain, no gain," so it's a unique creation (because, obviously, it's a flip of "No pain, no gain.")

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

American English - no problem

2026-03-02T16:11:00.002-06:00

I just started a short segment on my podcast called "American English Minute," based on everyday English that I notice around me in Chicago. A student suggested I start something that explains English here, and I decided to link it to my podcast because I often talk about writing with broadcasting pros.

Today’s phrase is “no problem.”

In the United States, when someone says “thank you,” the other person might respond with “no problem.” You can hear this in various places, especially stores and restaurants, and in casual conversations. For example, at a hot dog stand, if you ask for extra mustard and say thanks, the worker might say, “no problem.” Or at a store, if you ask for a bag and they don’t charge you, and you say thank you, the person might say, “no problem.” Another example is if you miss someone's party because you're sick, the friend will say "no problem" when you apologize for not coming.

This expression is similar to “no worries,” which has become more common in American English in recent years. Both phrases are casual alternatives to “you’re welcome.”

If you have suggestions for future phrases, let me know.

Not using periods

2026-02-28T09:19:00.004-06:00

I've gotten into the habit lately of not using periods at the end of a text. I might say, "Let me know what you think of the article. It's sort of long" then send it, not thinking I'm being negligent by omitting the period. It's like I want to keep it casual and soften the end. If I include a period, it would sound final, abrupt, closed.

I didn't know this was a thing until I saw some articles about it. This one says that people get upset when they receive texts with periods. That's not true with me. I don't care if other people use periods, but I care if I do. If the person is not a native English speaker, I use periods to signal that my sentence is done. But with native speakers, I want to soften my speech.

There have even been academic studies about periods, and the resulting suggestion is that you shouldn't use them: "if you want to ensure that your messages are received and understood with the level of sincerity you intend, leave the period off the final sentence." Researchers found out that "text message responses to questions that ended with a period were perceived as less sincere than those that did not." Other researchers "observed that the period has taken on a particular pragmatic and social meaning in texting because its use is optional in this form of communication."

I had no idea it's a deep issue; I just started doing it, just because.

Someone told me she uses emojis instead of periods. That's a good option and fun, and even creative. I'm pro-emoji; I like trying to figure out which emoji I should use, and express my emotions when my words may seem flat.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

George Ofman interview: the best story

2026-02-24T15:42:00.001-06:00

I recorded this interview with sportscaster George Ofman, which was an update to an interview I did with him ten years ago. He wrote a popular book and now has a new career when a lot of people his age are already retired.

It’s been ten years since I interviewed you. You recently were promoting your book. What was your book called again?

It’s called Tell Me a Story I Don’t Know. It was a compilation of 50 of the 100 interviews I did with top sports personalities with connections to Chicago. That included people like Mike Greenberg, who, along with me, was hired at The Score five days before it went on the air in January of 1992. We were hired on my birthday — December 28, 1991. Michael Wilbon, who of course made his real claim to fame on Pardon the Interruption. Bob Costas. Locals like Adam Amin. Jason Benetti.

Jason was probably the only interview I did that was more of a conversation than an interview. He’s just an extraordinary person. I had a lot of fun doing the podcast. I had a lot of fun writing the book. The book’s been out there for a couple of years. I considered it a success. And basically, that was the end of my professional sports journalism career.

I want to talk about your writing process. How did you learn to write like that?

First of all, I started writing backwards, which was really good. Then I said, you know what, if you start writing forward, it might be a little better. I had some pretty good English teachers in grammar school. I remember particularly a fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Anderson. She was very much into figures of speech. I learned how to use metaphors and similes and things like that.

But I wasn’t really writing until I got on the radio. I had a different bend to the way I wrote. Sometimes people said I was throwing opinions in there. They weren’t wrong. When I started at The Score, it allowed me to be creative. Print is different. In the book I’m using quotes, but it’s not just quotes — it’s writing around the quotes, writing the story of the story.

News radio was perfect for me. You’ve got to make stories short. You have to use sound. But I always felt the need to be creative. Whether I was subbing for Red Mottlow, working at The Score, WGN, or WBBM, I wasn’t going to change my style. Nobody told me I had to. I wanted to inform people, but I also wanted to do it in a way that was enjoyable to listen to. That format worked perfectly for me.

You established that early on?

Oh yeah. In college. In 1974, when I stepped into the newsroom at Southern Illinois University. I was working at one of their small stations, but when I walked into the main newsroom, I thought, this is where I need to be. Within six months I was named sports director of the radio and television department. It was supposed to be a two-quarter position. They let me do it for six.

Whatever happened, it worked. I kept honing it and honing it. I didn’t have a full-time radio job in Chicago until The Score. Before that I freelanced. I wrote for National Public Radio. Back then NPR used freelancers to do sports. I aired about 150 stories on NPR over 20 years. I worked for the BBC. I worked for the CBC. That writing was a little more straightforward than what I later did at The Score and WBBM, but it was a great training ground. Really solid editors. They honed my writing.

With NPR, did you have more time to tell your story?

Yes. Those stories were usually three and a half minutes. Sometimes five. In three and a half minutes, you can weave in sound and tell a story. At WBBM you might have two minutes to cover multiple items. With NPR you had that time for one subject. CBC sometimes gave me five or six minutes.

When I started in 1980 there was no internet. You called the editor. You unscrewed the phone receiver and attached alligator clips into your recorder. You played your story down the line while talking to the editor. That’s how they edited it. That was the old days. It was great fun.

You covered over 3,500 sporting events. Why did you eventually stop liking covering games?

I got tired of doing games. You go to a baseball game, you’re there nine hours. Evening games, you’re not home until midnight. Near the end, before COVID, I remember sitting at the United Center watching a Bulls team that was awful. Maybe 10,000 people in the building. They were bored. I was bored.

But I still did the job. Nobody would notice the difference. I’m still a pro. It’s just that it became a job. That’s funny to say, because what I did for a living really wasn’t a job. I loved it. But when it started becoming a job, that’s when it felt different. I would have much rather been in the studio. Let me write. Let me do the updates. Let me do interviews. I loved being creative behind the microphone.

You were part of that short-lived station that didn’t last long. How did you deal with that and turn it into something positive?

The Score was already making moves to eliminate sports anchors. Fred Huebner had already been let go. I was going to be next. So the choice was simple — let’s see how this works with Mike North and the group. They had no idea that this fellow named David Hernandez was running a Ponzi scheme. It lasted nine weeks.

In the meantime, I was traveling. I traveled with the Blackhawks to Calgary, Vancouver, Detroit. I covered a Bulls playoff game in Boston. It was a lot of fun until it wasn’t.

By June of 2009 it was gone. It was over. I called Dave Eanet [WGN] and asked if he had any work for me. At first he said no. A week later he called back and said maybe there was a little part-time work.

I told him I had a problem with my voice. I thought it might be laryngitis. It wasn’t. It was a paralyzed vocal cord. I basically couldn’t talk. I could whisper for about four months. I went to the Bastian Voice Institute in Lombard. They tried different methods. Nothing worked. Finally they said they would inject a gel into my vocal cord. I did it. I got about 80 percent of my voice back. It took about a year and a half to fully return.

I called Dave. He still had the job open for me. I went back to work in November.

Then in 2020 you were let go from WBBM.

Yes. July 14, 2020. Cost-cutting. I was 66. I wasn’t done. I’m far from done. I had to learn about podcasts. I didn’t listen to podcasts, but I had an idea. That became Tell Me a Story I Don’t Know. I talked to about two dozen people in the industry about how to put it together. TJ Reeves helped me enormously. I started doing pre-interviews. I monetized it. Vienna Beef was a sponsor for two years. I convinced Triumph Books to publish 50 of the interviews.

I kept that going for three years. Eventually it became a task to chase people. Some would respond no. Most wouldn’t respond at all. I probably could have done more interviews, but I got tired of chasing. So I said, we’re done.

And now you’re on another path.

Yes. I work for Midtown Athletics, which used to be Midtown Tennis. It was the largest indoor tennis facility in the country. In 2017 they did an $85 million renovation, everything except the courts, and added a hotel.

How did I get there? It’s probably the best story of my life. In 2002 I was doing a Saturday afternoon show during the NCAA tournament. On the air I said I had covered four Final Fours but never covered the U.S. Open. I’d never even been there. I said I’d love to go.

After the show I checked my voicemail. A deep voice said, Hello John, this is Alan Schwarz. I’m the vice president of the United States Tennis Association. He said he had heard my show and admired my passion, and he wanted to invite me and a guest to sit in the President’s Box at the U.S. Open.

It was real. He sent the invitations. I brought a friend from high school who loved tennis. We went. Alan Schwarz had built Midtown Tennis in 1970. I didn’t know that at the time. He took us on a tour. That evening we were sitting in the President’s Box watching Serena Williams and Pete Sampras.

Over the years we began having lunch twice a year. For the last eight years of his life we did that — sometimes at a restaurant near the corporate office, sometimes at Midtown’s restaurant, Chromium. In November of 2023 we had lunch. He had just turned 91. I joked with him and said, one day I’m going to come to work for you. He laughed.

Three days later he died. I was crushed. A few months later I called his son, Stephen Schwarz, who is now the CEO. I told him about my relationship with Alan and about that comment I had made. Starting in June of 2024, I went to work at Midtown Athletics. I work with their pickleball and paddle divisions. I’m having a tremendous amount of fun.

If Alan Schwarz hadn’t happened to be listening to that Saturday afternoon show in 2002, none of this happens. Sometimes you create the path. Sometimes the path shows up.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

Took a German break

2026-02-20T09:28:00.002-06:00

Honestly, I haven't actively studied German until recently. I pretty much took a break after I got back from Germany last fall, and wasn't really motivated to do anything with it.

Before my break, I had already watched several Easy German videos and was a member, so I got access to transcripts and exercises. Then I went to Germany with their German-learning and activity program, came back, joined a Discord group with some wonderful people from that trip, and eventually stopped going because of the time difference; they were seven hours ahead of me and while it was Sunday or Wednesday night for them, it was daytime for me, when I was doing things IRL. I cancelled my Easy German membership because I needed to take a break. And since I was back in the USA, there weren't any in-person classes near me, and though I met a couple Germans or heard German on the street, it was so minimal here, I just didn't feel it.

And I wanted to get back to focusing on French, since I'm taking classes, and Japanese, which I study on my own and by watching some NHK shows (with subtitles). And even Spanish, which my ESL students and coworkers speak, and is pretty much the second language here. It also helps that the Spanish-speakers here are very friendly and will speak Spanish with you, even if you're not that great. If you're interested in languages, learning Spanish is the best experience and is practical, as well.

I've been watching Easy Italian before going to Italian class and was thinking, wow, what a friendly culture with a beautiful language. So different and seemingly easier than German. Then it hit me: other than reading and sometimes translating tweets on Twitter/X, I hadn't studied German nor looked at Easy German videos for four months. I think it was because some of the people in the Easy German videos were more like media talent than educators offline (and I've worked in both media and education, so I know the difference), and I didn't really want to see them in videos for a while, and I didn't really want to deal with the difficulties with German for a while, either. I just didn't expect that "while" to last more than a few months.

Now I'm over my disillusionment and dread of complex and wordy German challenges, and I'm definitely motivated to keep trying. Earlier this week I had a couple hours before I had to go outside, so I watched 1.5 hours of Easy German videos. Today I plan to read some entries in Meyers Kinderlexicon and probably do stuff in my textbook from GLS (where I studied in Berlin).

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

I might be back

2026-02-12T09:29:00.002-06:00

I've been talking to some people about what's been going on creatively. When I started this blog, I had an outlet to express myself (social media didn't dominate), but then it led to paid work. All people had to do was an online search and find me, or I could show them what I was writing. So I got hired to write articles, blog posts, and even helped write a couple of books. None of it was under my name and I didn't care because I was being paid.

Because I'm not an introvert, I tried to find people-oriented jobs but kept getting isolating ones. I even didn't pursue certain opportunities because I just wanted to be me and talk. Someone I'd written a lot for said I should teach writing, and they even said they'd help set me up because they had a lot of connections. I said no, which was probably not a good idea, because I didn't want to think it through or manage people, just write.

And an even better idea that I passed on was writing a textbook. I was a writing instructor at a university, and a publisher's rep came to the school to talk about books. I asked if there was a book on business writing, and she said, "No...do you want to write one?" I said I wasn't qualified to write one, but wanted one for my class. I could've written it! I had already done a lot of business writing and could research what I didn't know. I could have interviewed lots of business pros to share their insight. I had an opportunity but was too insecure and modest to accept it. Now it is almost impossible to get published. But I don't regret that decision.

I'd rather talk about what I really know than talk about something that's on my periphery, becoming an expert just through scaffolds, not through substance. I see that in various areas, which is probably made easier with social media.

Anyway, I was working at home so much (way before it was trendy) doing translation and writing and editing, that I needed to connect with the world, and decided to do it through this blog. Then I got busy with being paid for what I was doing, working in media and podcasting, which led to more gigs, until I was thinking a lot for other people instead of myself.

When I stepped back from the chaos, I couldn't write much creatively or introspectively, and I thought those days were over. Then I started thinking and noticing more, read about how people get ideas, and started thinking that it's okay to produce something that won't make money, get noticed, or get an award. It's okay to create without the payoff.

That's why I'm thinking, "I think I'm back," because I feel like I can do my own thing and not worry if "it matters."

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

There is entrepreneurship going on

2026-02-10T11:53:00.002-06:00

I was looking for a site that translates Modern English into Old English for a tweet I was constructing, and found the Old English Translators site. I looked around the site, and it didn't seem like it was created by a history fan or linguistics professor, so I wondered what it was about. It was created by a company last year, owned by a guy in Canada with a Chinese name.

The testimonials seem to be from real people, and the site has good information. But since it doesn't seem like home-made, or an intense blog, it makes me wonder if the company is creating a niche online, building something different, because the internet is so crowded with content already.

If I remember, I will check in some months to see what's happened to the site. Maybe a bigger fish will swallow it to get access to its technology and concepts.

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

Faux French: the accent aigu

2026-02-06T10:27:00.003-06:00

I wonder if French speakers living in the U.S. have noticed how some businesses don't use the accent aigu (é) correctly. I've seen it mistakenly used on various signs and surfaces over the years, and saw one the other day (unfortunately, I didn't take a picture; I'll post it when I have it).

Many years ago, I bought a dress at Gigi's Closette. The sign has been fixed since then, but when I first went there, they had an accent aigu on the final "e." I knew enough French to know that wasn't correct and wondered why they did it. Sometimes I theorize that people are trying to be "fancy" or sophisticated or worldly by using the é unnecessarily.

Amazingly, I was able to find an image with that old spelling at an online seller:

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.