This is why I don’t trust grammar checkers. — Look, I hate the “technology makes you dumb” argument. I have no intention of sounding technophobic because I’m strictly the opposite. For example, I believe in the power of AI-written text. AI is amazing! And those of you who deny it and curse it, have you ever tried writing five…

Opinion on classical hits as a hardcore Britney Spears fan. — When was the first time you clicked on the Classic Essentials playlist instead of your favorite one? Did you do it to focus on work or a school project? Were you trying to meditate with a glass of wine? In my case, I just wanted to seem smarter. …

Here’s my “Code of Hammurabi” for a free and fulfilling life — If I learned anything in life, it’s that you gotta have a code. Here’s mine: [F] — Focused Stay focused to remember your rules before you act. The past is memories, the future is an illusion. Focus on the “now”. [C] — Clean Keep your body and workspace clean. This enables a pure flow of ideas…

And not a pen name you “want“. — Good pen names help good writers Mark Twain, Ann Rice, Françoise Sagan, George Orwell, Irwin Shaw. Thousands of writers use pseudonyms, but how many become famous? Although the concept seems old-fashioned, good pen names help good writers sell. Whenever I’d tell someone I write under a pen name, my heart started pounding like in a marathon…

Two cats, one suitcase, no way back. — This is not an article about politics. More than 700,000 Russians left Russia by the end of the year. I’m a Ukrainian who lived in Russia when the war started. This is my personal story of escaping the country. Nothing more, nothing less. The day the war started I never cared much about wars until…

Things that make me happy. A list. — Last night I dreamed I returned home. The house itself is not much to look at. Dull gray metallic roof and gray cement front yard. Sandy old bricks and cheap white plastic windows. A magnificent garden with flowers hidden behind the house. We even have our own pine tree. My…

Probably the worst order status tracker I’ve seen so far. — A short story of my heart-breaking experience that could’ve been avoided if a certain website had hired a UX writer. In the beginning was the Word The wording you use on your website is everything. …

Living with an eating disorder for 13 years is hard. This is how I won the battle. — Another day of lockdown in Moscow. I wake up late, and my body’s aching like from a workout. The thing is, I haven’t exercised in years. I change into a fresh PJ and stay home all day. …

One rule from the 60s that works to this day. — David Mackenzie Ogilvy was a tycoon of advertisement and a very cool dude. The Rolls-Royce advertisement above is one of his most well-known creations. The one Ogilvy rule I procured for selling texts (and it inspires me indefinitely) is from ‘Ogilvy on Advertising.’ It’s quite simple, like all advice from…