The 14th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture will feature Irish vacations.

Here are the details:

Summer is the time for vacations – going on adventures and visiting new places. The upcoming edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture will focus on Irish vacations. Share with us vacation spots you’ve visited (in Ireland or places with an Irish flavor) and your photos and memories from those vacations. If you don’t have a particular vacation you’d like to share, tell us about the Irish place where you would like to go if you had the chance.

Deadline for submissions (http://blogcarnival.com/bc/submit_2848.html) to the Irish Vacations edition of the carnival is July 26, 2009. This edition will be published by me right here on my blog, CMJ Office, on July 29, 2009. If you’d prefer, you can submit your articles directly to me at: Colleen@CMJOffice.com.

Colleen Degnan Johnson
CMJ Office
Fantasy Face Painting

I usually don’t have recipes on here unless they relate to my ancestry. I have to make an exception with this soup.

I’m not the most creative person in the kitchen but I think this creation is pretty good. Give it a try if you like. It only takes 30 minutes.

Here’s what you need:

1 Birds Eye Steamfresh Southwestern Style Rice
1 Del Monte can of Diced Tomatoes with Garlic and Onion
1 Can of Corn
1 Can of Green Beans
1 Summer Squash
1 Onion
1 Can of Campbells Condensed Tomato Soup

Here’s what you do with those ingredients:

In a stock pot, add the tomato soup and then fill the can up two more times with hot water adding that to the pot also. Turn the burner on high. Dice up and add the onion and squash. Steam the bag of rice in the microwave (takes 5 minutes). Dump the corn, green beans and diced tomatoes into the pot. Stir. Now add the bag of rice to the soup. Stir again. Make sure the soup is boiling. Once it’s boiling, turn the heat to low (simmer) and cover for 20 minutes.

You’re done and it tastes great!

Colleen Degnan Johnson
CMJ Office
Fantasy Face Painting

Proofreading is essential in business. Your image and success depends on it. Remember, proofing materials don’t only include brochures and the like. You need to proof your web site, blog and social networking sites. Online profiles are often overlooked. Don’t let that happen to you. The first five tips are located in an earlier post.

Here are the final five proofreading tips:

6. Come to the table fresh. Do not start proofing your copy at midnight. Keep distractions to a minimum. Turn the TV, music, or cell phone off. Proofreading does require focus and concentration. Make sure your lighting is adequate. Dim and flickering lighting should be avoided.

7. Check formatting. Format errors are those little mistakes you find that involve fonts, spaces, extra tabs, page numbering, headers and footers, inactive links and the like. These errors can creep up on you.

8. Double check facts. Check important information within your copy. Make sure your information is the most current and accurate.

9. Read backwards. Reading backwards can help you focus on the words and not get distracted by meaning. Start from the last sentence and read until you reach your first sentence.
10. Tackle tables separately. Check your index or table of contents one by one to avoid missing typos in these vital areas.

These tips should help any business owner with their proofreading skills. It pays to use your time and energy wisely when proofing business material. If you don’t, you could be confronted with an embarrassing situation or a waste of money. Proofreading effectively can save your business image.

Have you ever embarrassed your business image with a proofreading error?

Colleen Degnan Johnson
CMJ Office
Fantasy Face Painting