A Note from Julie, the Greenhouse Curator: |
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The winter weather has been hard to ignore here in North Carolina lately. In last week's issue of The Leaflet, I mentioned that we were bracing for sleet, freezing rain, and possible power outages. We ended up with mostly sleet in my area, and the power stayed on (thank goodness). We're dealing with another winter storm this weekend. As I type this, snow is falling outside. It’s beautiful. ❄️ Once the roads improved last week, I made my way to one of my favorite places in Winston-Salem, the Brown Family Conservatory at Reynolda. There’s ice on the ground outside, but inside the greenhouse, the plants are full of life. |
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The greenhouse has several rooms, each designed for different types of plants. Near the entrance, there’s a control panel that shows the temperature and humidity for each room.
No single setting works for every plant. The environment shifts depending on what’s growing there. |
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As proofreaders and editors, our lives and businesses work the same way. Not everything can run at the same “temperature” all the time. For example, this coming week, I’ll be doing RealTeam proofreading for a trial. My work temperature will be turned way up, which means other things will be intentionally set lower. To make the week go smoothly, it helps to let my husband know that my work temperature is about to rise. I'll be less available during the day and more focused on work. Having that conversation ahead of time helps set expectations. Plants need different conditions to thrive, depending on what’s growing. We do too. Sometimes the most supportive thing we can do is notice the season we’re in, adjust the settings, and communicate those shifts clearly. 🪴 |
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Favorite LinkedIn Posts This Week: |
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Here are three posts I enjoyed reading on LinkedIn recently. Click the links below to read them. - Tackling a slow season with structure and focus: Rachel shares a practical look at how she’s navigating a client dry spell, from mindset work to co-working accountability. I was especially interested to learn that she sets her pricing so she doesn’t have to work in December or January (if she doesn't want to). Would you ever try that? 💡
- How to turn new followers into real connections: Josh shares a simple but powerful way to build relationships with new social media followers by sending a thoughtful direct message and asking one question to start a real conversation. I need to do a better job of this myself, especially when it comes to asking questions and getting to know new connections. 🤝
- When to say no to a potential project: Matt reminds us that just because we can take on a project doesn’t mean we should. He turned down a well-paying opportunity that looked good on paper but didn’t align with his capacity or well-being. It’s a reminder to pause and reflect before saying yes to every opportunity. 🤔
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For some reason, I was especially pleased when I spotted this error last week. “Meta data” would be correct if the witness were referring to data belonging to the company Meta, but here he was talking about the information law enforcement gathered from a suspect’s digital photos. 💡 Catch of the Week screenshots come from my transcript proofreading. I can't change what a person said, but I can make sure words are spelled correctly and punctuation marks are in the right spots. If you're interested in learning more about transcript proofreading, I wrote an article about it here. |
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This Week's Featured Proofreader or Editor: |
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The Proofreader Greenhouse asked: - What type of content do you proofread or edit?
I specialize in financial services and health and wellness materials, but I have proofread pretty much everything under the sun!
- Did you complete training for proofreading or editing?
Poynter ACES Certificate in Editing
- What's your favorite thing about your proofreading or editing work?
It's incredibly satisfying to save a writer's bacon when I catch a misused word, but I also enjoy making copy clearer and easier to understand for the reader.
- What's the most challenging part of your work?
The most challenging part of proofreading and editing work is when I get rusty on some aspect. However, I enjoy learning, even if it's something I need to relearn.
- What tip(s) can you share with other proofreaders or editors?
Reading aloud has always helped me catch errors I might possibly miss otherwise. And I think my cats actually enjoy it.
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My Krimson Queen hoya has two tiny new leaves! Most of the leaves on this plant are green with white edges, but a few are light pink, which is where the name “Krimson Queen” comes from. And yes, it’s spelled “Krimson,” not “Crimson.” It can be hard to tell scale in close-up photos like this, so for reference, the full-size leaves are about two inches long. That gives you an idea of just how small this new growth really is. Small growth still counts. 🌱 |
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Let's keep growing together! |
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7893 Old US Highway 52
Lexington, NC 27295, United States |
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