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Author: Nichole Bernier

Nichole started her writing career as an editor at Conde Nast Traveler in New York, and has contributed features to a wide range of sports, lifestyle, and regional magazines. During her diaper decade working from home with five young children, she wrote a novel (The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D, Random House), then discovered that storytelling skills could enrich the corporate world, too. As a content consultant, she works with companies to add clarity and creativity to their messaging. She has shaped assets, blogs, and op-eds in the technology, health care, education, energy, and political sectors, with clients including IBM, Yale School of Epidemiology, UPS, and athenahealth. Nichole’s happy place is raising chickens, fostering orphaned wildlife, and beekeeping — plus her artistic alter ego, TheHiveLives.com, where she sells hand-casted beeswax candles.

AI is Only as Good as its Ingredients

Chat GPT on cell phone

As AI grows, here’s how you can use well-engineered prompts as a starting point and how to add your personal touch to the writing.

Contractors and Freelancers: A Finger in the Dam in the Face of Layoffs

COVID Layoffs creating more need for freelancers and contractors

As the tech layoff epidemic continues, we take a look at how freelancers and contractors can lend a helping hand.

Words We Love

Micturate [mik-chuh-reyt] verb –

The polite way to say “urinate,” though micturating in public is anything but polite.

Akimbo [uh-kim-boh] adj, adv –

To stand with hands on hips, elbows bowed outward. Goes really well with the expression, “Oh, no you didn’t!”

Gesticulate [je-stik-yuh-leyt] verb –

To express oneself using excited, animated gestures; especially useful during sporting events and election years.

Juxtaposition [juhk-stuh-puh-zish-uh] noun –

The placing of two things side-by-side for comparison. The reason broccoli tastes worse next to ice cream.

Boarding [bohr-ding] noun & verb –

In ice hockey, a penalty for hitting an opponent into the protective boards surrounding the rink. In airport delays, the happiest moment of your life.

Gobsmacked [gob-smakt] adjective –

Utterly astounded or astonished. Often experienced when finding a parking space, or when not finding a parking space.

Loquacious [loh-kwey-shuh s] adjective –

Talking freely and sometimes excessively. Don’t even get us started on loquacious people, you’ll never hear the end of it.

Analysand [uh-nal-uh-sand] noun –

A person undergoing psychoanalysis. Usually blamed on the mother.

Thither [thith -er] adverb –

To go toward, the forgotten antonym to “hither.” Or, Sylvester the Cat saying “scissor.”

Luddite [luhd-ahyt] noun –

Someone who is opposed or resistant to new technology. We tried to Google it, but we never could figure out how to work that thing.

Mashugana [muh-shoo g-uh-nuh] noun –

Yiddish for nonsense, silliness, or craziness. Or the person behaving as such.

Bespoke [bih-spohk] adjective –

Made to order, custom-made. We’d use that word in our tagline, but nobody would know what it means — except maybe a tailor.

Tittup [tit-uh p] noun –

An exaggerated prancing, bouncing movement or manner of moving. A twerk is a tittup, but not necessarily the other way around.

Antagonist [an-tag-uh-nist] noun –

The person who is opposed to the hero of the story. You might call them a “villain,” but we like to keep an open mind.

Pontificate [pon-tif-i-keyt] verb –

To drone on and on about something in a stuck-up way. The Hipster’s Special.

Maven [mey-vuh n] noun –

An expert or connoisseur. Usually a buzzkill at a cocktail party or wedding reception.

Ruminate [roo-muh-neyt] verb –

To ponder or consider something deeply; not always caused by rum.

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