Curiosity, Kevspeak And What To Call A Street

by Kevin Burton   I am a former fulltime newspaper reporter, but maybe my wife Jeannette would have been better than I was.    Maybe much better.    She stuns me with the questions she asks sometimes.  She’s just so curious.  Me?  I am so not curious, I’ve had to come up with a euphemism …

What Does It Take To Be A Screenwriter?

by Kevin Burton     Writer Lily Cooper, on the Grand Canyon University website, lists seven traits one needs to be a screenwriter.    Just about any kind of writing is interesting to me, so when my church offered a screenwriting class I jumped at the chance. I shared some of the details last Saturday (“My …

Words In Motion Gather New Meanings

by Kevin Burton   The friends you make later in life might be surprised to learn what you were like as a youth.    You’re older, we hope wiser, different is many ways for sure.    Some of the words we use go through a similar metamorphosis. Just as you might not be able to …

Consider The Source Of The Promise

by Kevin Burton    This is the story of two songs, one title; two sources, one promise, namely, “the best.”    And, within the setting of popular music, it’s also a mini grammar lesson about comparative and superlative adjectives.    Chances are you have heard the one song, but not the other. The title of …

My Newest Venture: Screenwriting Class

by Kevin Burton    This is not exactly a call for people to get their popcorn ready, but I am now taking a screenwriting class.    If I’m not a fish out of water altogether, maybe I am a saltwater fish in freshwater. Or maybe I’m an old dog learning new tricks, to mix the …

More Words About Deep Thinking

by Kevin Burton    Last Friday I presented some of the words about thinking compiled by Merriam-Webster. Today I bring you the rest of their list.    Call this overthinking if you like. It wouldn’t be my first visit to that particular boulevard.     Whereas all the words I included Friday are useful, most of …

Thinking Deeply With Merriam-Webster

by Kevin Burton    My friend and co-worker on my college newspaper Tim, once suggested that thinking become a new sport.  That’s something that should really be pursued.       In this thinksport, there should be a penalty for speaking without thinking.    Maybe I’ll continue this thought later. For now, I want to share …

A Language That Goes Beyond Words

by Kevin Burton    Surely you’ve heard this old joke:    What do you call a person who speaks three languages? Trilingual. What do you call a person who speaks two languages? Bilingual. What do you call a person who speaks only one language?    American.     A wicked, sweeping generalization that. Not entirely fair. But …

What’s The Big Deal About Small Talk?

by Kevin Burton    What is your stance on small talk? I’m not into it.    “I’m just making conversation.” Ever hear that one? I say real conversation makes itself.    Necessity causes words to come out of my mouth. Information must be shared, I share it, so that action will be taken.    “We …

Oh My Word! Scrabble Goes Crazy

by Kevin Burton    If you read this column often you know I’m a Scrabble player. Guess I’ve become an old Scrabble player.    I used to laugh at my mom because she objected to some of the new words in the Scrabble Players’ Dictionary. I’m not laughing anymore.    I have the sixth edition …