MikeL

Being the boss is not easy. It does change your outlook. While you are to be congratulated on your promotion, it's certain that you never bargained to be in this position. You don't have to like your job, but you do have to do it. While dismissing those who have been deemed redundant, you face the equally important task of rebuilding your relationship with those employees who remain. That may well the more difficult task. Nothing hurts employee morale and productivity more than seeing coworkers lose their jobs and, when there are wholesale cutbacks as you are experiencing, the effect on them may be devastating. They don't know when the next round of cuts is coming and if they will be a victim. There are other factors to consider. The questions are: Was your company so grossly overstaffed that these large reductions will not affect performance? Will you be able to get the work done with the reduced staff? Will you be blamed for the resulting debacle if you can't? Will you be able to keep your job or will management decide it's time to cut the "hatchet man"? When you lose a job, you never want to burn bridges. The single mother's comment was not appropriate even if understandable. I think it's important that you, as the boss, not burn any bridges with the departing workers. Your unspoken response to her may have been the best thing to do. Just consider that the day may come when you are seeking another job. The interviewer you face across the desk or your new boss may be one of the people you have fired. You are learning valuable lessons at an early age. Make the experience work for you. Good luck.

Never heard of Marcia Brody? I think you will enjoy these videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGRKTkS7pW8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1soi77QTd8&NR=1

Sorry...double post. See Marcia Brody.

On of the best dictionaries around is http://www.wiktionary.org/. I frequently keep a browser tab open there while reading. I can't recall a single time when it has failed to provide a definition of any word whether of British, American, or other usage. Go ahead; look up gaol or lollies. One of my favorites is the word tump. It has two totally different meanings (even different parts of speech) in British and American usage. Check it out at http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tump.

I think you are both saying the same thing. Should have and would have are the correct words. In speech, many people say "should of" or "would of" and it sounds to our ears much the same as the correct words would. Unfortunately, some authors write the words based on phonetics and never realize their error. I hasten to point out that, when editing or proofreading a story, I draw a distinction between narrative and dialogue. Dialogue should appear as the character would speak. If he would say "should of" in his usual speech or accent, then the author would properly spell it that way. The narrative should use proper English and spelling and read "should have". There is an exception to consider on the narrative. If the story is in the first person, a character is the narrator and the narration appropriately could be in that character's normal manner of speaking. English is fun! (Maybe not.)

Moi? What did I do?

Cliff James has posted Chapter 9 of Jake, "Party Time". Brett helps Jake with a big problem and Jake returns the favor...sort of.

Happy Birthday, Matt! Sweet Sixteen!

X Here's the real challenge that you didn't address, Camilo. How do you as a multiplier or enabler or whatever, remove that big red "X"? Once a person has been branded as a nobody or a dufuss or simply dumb, how do you move them to the smart side of the street? Perhaps that's something a certain member of the Swarthmore Class of 2014 will have learned.

English must be an exceptionally difficult language for a non-native speaker to master. As writers or editors, we should always strive to use the language correctly. I do agree with you that we should be understanding of the writer's situation as one who uses English as a second language. Phonetic pronunciation in speech doesn't present the same challenge as phonetics presents in the written word.

A lot of writers seem to be using the words "past" and "passed" interchangeably. They are two very different words with very different meanings. It's likely that the use of phonetics in the teaching of English has wrought confusion here as it has so often before. "Passed" is the past tense of "pass". Hmmm...note that "past" was used to help define "passed". What a grand language English is. "Pass" and "passed", as verbs, imply movement (from one place to another, one state of being to another, etc.). "Pass the salt and pepper, please." "He passed his math exam." "Pass" may also be a noun, but as such, still implies a form of movement. See pass for examples. ------------------------------------------------------- "Past" may be a noun, adjective, adverb, or preposition. As a noun or adjective, it always refers to a period of time that has already occurred, the past as contrasted with the present or future. As an adverb, "past" always implies direction. "I watched him walk past." As a preposition, "past" always refers to something that is beyond in terms of place, quantity, or time. "His room is the one past mine." "He can't count past twenty." "It's half past nine." ------------------------------------------------------- Hopefully, we can all leave phonetics in the past when we've passed our English test with flying colors. Your comments, including any disagreement, are welcome.

I have just posted a new poem, my eighth, titled The Simple Man. I hope you will read it and write a review if you are so inclined. You may also comment in this forum.

From Chapter 34: Jim said that Dirk is not gay. That's all he said.

You make two very good points. As for the second one, it appears it has been left to Ryan and Simon to decide if they should tell their parents. It really should be the school's responsibility to inform the parents as the parents need to know of physical and psychological problems which may ensue. In this case, Simon is not even a party to the discussions which affect him. If you haven't already, you may wish to read the discussion on New Hampshire's new school bullying law.

Riley has released Chapter 18 of An English Teen, Circumcised in the USA, "Confrontation". And it is quite a confrontation with some surprises and surprise participants.

Chapter 44 of Belov

Chase, best wishes on making the grade and making the move to Boston. A lot of determination...and a little political correctness...can take you a long way.

And Shane is making a new friend in the process...one who has to be impressed with his chutzpah. Who knows where the friendship may lead? Dan knows, of course. The rest of us have to wait two more weeks.

If you'd had eight wives, you'd look like that too.

I wouldn't want to look like Justin Bieber. At my age, it would be rather silly.

Sick...but funny.

Now that food has replaced sex in my life,I can't even get into my own pants.

May be. Is there a hidden sociopathic reason? Probably not; you just like sex (or need to get more).

I'm guessing Riley wishes he hadn't asked this question. An author's best bet is to include a sex scene, if he is capable of writing a good one, where it is needed to further the plot, but only to that extent. If a lesser amount of graphic description will suffice, use a lesser amount. Sometimes less is more. An author should never include sex scenes that go on paragraph after paragraph, page after page, ad infinitum, ad nauseum.