In all my years of following and writing about education in Delaware, no topic stirred as much emotion as the battle over school desegregation (“forced busing” to its vehement foes). With its roots in the 1950s (a Delaware case was part of the U.S. Supreme Court’s original Brown vs. Board of Education decision, whose 60th…

As a writer, I’ve learned that it’s easy to tell a story when all the participants quickly agree to talk to you, but it’s more rewarding when you find a way to tell the story without their help. I faced this challenge recently when Delaware Today magazine asked me to take a close look at…

You would think it would be hard to be hopeful and optimistic if you’re living on the East Side of Wilmington, Delaware, where street violence seems to be a way of life and researchers guided by Professor Yasser Payne of the University of Delaware found that less than half the residents have high school diplomas…

A couple of weeks ago, about the time I launched this website, I achieved another milestone — running my own business for 10 years. OK, I am a one-person shop, so some of you might think that makes it easier. But I just looked at two articles on business failure rates, and one said that…

Welcome Welcome to my new website and to Words at Work, a blog that I hope will be as diverse as the topics I explore every day. If you’ve looked at my home page, you know that I write and edit, and that I also do public relations consulting. I intend to use this blog…

No matter what our lives are like, we all have our comfort zone — the day-to-day routine that keeps us going, providing order, stability and at least a moderate degree of satisfaction without excessive stress. From time to time, we must stretch beyond our comfort zones. In my career, I’ve felt it several times —…