10 (Mostly False) Things You Didn't Know About Canada

by Lindsay Shapka in ,


In Canada, the tuque (a winter/all-year hat that is usually made of cotton, wool, or a beaver pelt) is the number-one-selling article of clothing — more popular than underwear, t-shirts or jeans. (And that's not including the ones that are handmade by your grandma or your crafty friends.)

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Don't Make These Mistakes! Editor Pet Peeves You Need To Know

by Lindsay Shapka in ,


We all make mistakes — I am sure there are many of them on this site that I've missed!

Nobody is perfect, and making errors (every once and awhile) is normal. When I am wearing my Editor hat, however, I have a lower tolerance for certain mistakes when it comes to resumes, query letters, professional emails, and professional writing.

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What's The Difference Between An Agnostic and An Atheist?

by Lindsay Shapka in ,


Ever wonder what the difference is between someone who is agnostic and someone who calls themselves an atheist?

I don't know about you, but because I don't personally identify with either of these terms, the meaning of each of them can get a bit confusing.

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6 Things To Know About Biodynamic Wine

by Lindsay Shapka in ,


I was recently invited to an intimate dinner with special guest Mike Benziger, the founder of the Benziger Family Winery in California. Though he is now the head of an incredibly successful wine business, and a world-wide example of the farming philosophy Biodynamics (I'll get to that soon, don't worry!), Mike started his career in wine as a bagger in a local liquor shop in Sonoma.

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What are Idioms? They're A Piece Of Cake!

by Lindsay Shapka in ,


If you think learning a second language as a native English speaker is hard, be grateful that it isn't English that you have to learn! I never realized how complicated my own language was until I started teaching ESL in South Korea.

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Macarons! The History of These Beautiful French Treats

by Lindsay Shapka in , , , ,


The first time that I ever saw a macaron was 14 years ago in Paris and I wasn't really sure what I was looking at.

Why?

Well, these tasty treats (which hadn't made it into the cafes and bakeries at home yet) are very brightly colored, often neon green, pink, yellow, and even blue.

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Reads For The Road: Beyond Belief—My Secret Life Inside Scientology by Jenna Miscavige Hill

by Lindsay Shapka in , ,


If you read one book this year, make it this one.

Published in 2013, Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape is an absolutely fascinating first-hand account of what life inside the little-known world of Scientology is really like.

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