Copywriter, technical writer, translator (FR>EN, ES>EN, IT>EN), journalist

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My favourite productivity tips, tools and strategies

On Tuesday, January 20, 2015, fellow freelancer Jane Langille and I will deliver a panel discussion on Enhancing Productivity: Tips, Tools, and Strategies to the Toronto chapter of the Editors Association of Canada. To prepare for my portion of this event, I drew up a quick mind map to

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Effectively filtering junk mail

Many people mark messages as junk in their email software (Outlook, Mac Mail, Thunderbird and so forth), then wonder why messages from addresses marked as “spam” continue to land in their computers.

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File and software associations

When you double-click a file that ends in “.doc” or “.docx” you expect Microsoft Word to start, then the file to open. Do you ever wonder why that is?

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BMW i3: commuter's choice electric car

This might be the first time I went to test-drive a car and found myself asking: “What’s a guy dressed as a panda doing here?” Answer: the event I attended was hosted by World Wildlife Fund Canada CEO (and former mayor of Toronto) David Miller. Partnering with the

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Clearing the Sent Items email folder

On this blog, I’ve gone on ad nauseam about why and how to keep your inbox uncluttered. I’ve even repeated certain posts to provide greater detail. But if all you manage is your incoming email, you might be missing something important.

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Review: Chrysler 200S AWD

Everywhere I turn, I note the stiff competition among carmakers to turn out roomy, comfortable sedans. Chrysler just updated its 200 and lent me the 2015 200S AWD for a week to let me see how it stacks up.

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Multiple operating systems on one Mac using Parallels 10 for Mac

When a client needs documentation for Windows-only software, I need to fire up Windows to explore that software. I mention this because my everyday computer is a Mac. Before I submit documents to my clients, I like to run them through WordRake, a “plain language” plugin for Microsoft

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Software makers respond to spam law

Earlier this year, in reaction to Canada’s anti-spam legislation (CASL), various organizations flooded their contacts’ inboxes across the country with requests for permission to continue sending them e-mails. Software developers also responded, marketing systems that help businesses comply with CASL. Knowing little about CASL or the systems being

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Review: 2015 Subaru WRX

Parked at my parents’ place one fine Friday, my mom told me how she noticed three kids checking out the sedan I was driving. They even came up the driveway to give it a thorough once-over, going so far as to look underneath the sedan. I suspect

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Handle content marketing as a white paper

If white papers sound to you like a relic of an earlier time, you’re partly right. White papers have been around since they were first used in Britain’s parliament more than a century ago. At some point, other organizations co-opted white papers to champion ideas beyond politics. They’re still around

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