A recent post on a Facebook group page devoted to the Coronavirus launched a discussion about the frustrating way a person who is “asymptotic” can still spread the virus. That misnomer caught my eye, but normally I would let it go.

This time I decided to point out the error in honor of a friend who was recovering from Covid-19 and, coincidentally, earlier that week on her own Facebook page had shared that her torment was worsened by all of the references to “asymptotic” when people meant “asymptomatic.”

My comment was not received well. I was told that I was quite petty to make a big deal out of a small typo when thousands of people were dying of this disease. Valid enough, so I backed off.

We grammar pedants are accustomed to criticism and resentment. I still hope the person remembers next time that “asymptotic” is a somewhat esoteric math term having nothing to do with symptoms and disease.

They may be new to the list, but asymptotic and asymptomatic are far from the only word duos that regularly get confused. This problem has even reached meme status.

One meme shows a woman receiving a text saying, “your beautiful” and then rejecting the suitor by texting back, “you’re” – with a satisfied-to-smug look on her face.

Homophones Can Be a Problem

Homophones are words that sound alike but are spelled differently. Many people found them difficult in high school, and things haven’t changed since. Here are some of the most common pairs:

capital/Capitol

It was a capital idea to spend capital to build the Capitol building in the U.S. capital city of Washington, DC.

cache/cash

I have a small cache of money, so I keep that cash in a safe cache in a drawer.

cite/sight/site

When you cite a passage in a book, keep that book at a site right at the front of the classroom so it’s in plain sight.

complement/compliment

During a meal that was free because it was compliments of the hotel, we complimented the waiter by saying that the wine nicely complemented the main course.

coarse/course

The coarse gravel was replaced by grass for the new golf course.

council/counsel

A financial advisor counseled the City Council members.

formally/formerly

We wear jeans now, but formerly we all dressed formally.

forth/fourth

Go forth and find the fourth clue to this mystery.

its/it’s

It’s been a long time since the tree shed its first leaf, and now it’s going to be a long winter.

miner/minor

It’s a minor point that an underage minor could not be certified to become a coal miner.

passed/past

This past Wednesday afternoon, I passed an old Chevy that reminded me of years past.

peak/peek/pique

When I reached the top of the mountain peak, I looked down to take a peek at the trail because the topography piqued my interest.

principal/principle

It is against my principles to assign a principal role to anyone but the school principal.

rain/reign/rein

The king’s reign lasted during a season of hard rain that finally was reined in by the sun.

raise/raze/rise

Before we raise the flag and rise to salute it, we must raze the old building and construct a new one.

their/there/they’re

My friends who brought their own music are over there, and they’re listening to it right now.

to/too/two

If you two want to go to the concert, too, you’d both better hurry and join us or we’ll be too late.

waist/waste

It’s a waste to have a shapely waist in a baggy dress.

waive/wave

Let’s waive the rule that says you can’t wave your hand to the Queen.

who’s/whose

I can guess who’s going to be the person whose grades have earned top honors.

you’re/your

You’re right if you think I’m going to accept your offer.

More Words That Get Confused

Some words have only slightly different spellings, pronunciations, and/or meanings, so the mix-up is just as understandable as with homophones.

accept/except

I can accept rudeness from everyone except you, so I will except you from my gift list.

advice/advise

I always give good advice, and now I advise you to remain calm.

affect/effect/infect

It takes time to effect change radically enough to affect infection rates so that the effect is widely felt.

allusion/illusion/delusion

Your vague allusion to the incident shows that you are under the delusion that my encounter with the celebrity was not real but just an illusion.

are/our

We are going to take our children to the zoo.

assure/ensure/insure

I assure you that we can ensure that your jewelry will be insured for its full amount.

beside/besides

She had a cold, and besides that problem, she was sitting beside me.

breath/breathe

After I took a deep breath, I could breathe more easily.

conscience/conscious

I am conscious of the fact that I did not listen to my conscience and do the right thing.

core/corps/corpse

The core of the problem is that the Marine Corps is not responsible for handling the late soldier’s corpse.

decent/descent/dissent

A decent history book will explain the descent of public opinion from acceptance to outright dissent.

desert/dessert

Out in the dry desert, an ice cream dessert would taste good.

device/devise

We should devise a device that works better than this one.

discreet/discrete

We were discreet and did not mention the discrete tumor found in his abdomen.

dominant/dominate

The business items dominated the meeting, with little time left for what was supposed to have been the dominant theme.

home/hone

We honed our detective skills so that we could home in on the suspect.

lay/lie

Present tense: I normally lay the book on the table while I lie down to take a nap.

Past tense: Yesterday I laid the book on the table while I lay down to take a nap.

Present perfect tense: I have laid the book on the table often while I’ve lain down to take a nap.

lead/led

Although these days I lead a quiet life, last year I led an active life in my activism to guard against lead poisoning.

lightening/lightning

The thunder roared, and the lightning was lightening up the sky all night long.

loose/lose

If you lose weight, your clothes will be loose on you.

medal/metal/mettle

The medal we received for our service and our sheer mettle was made of bronze metal.

pedal/peddle/petal

When I pressed down on the gas pedal, I crushed the rose petal that I’d planned to peddle at the market.

personal/personnel

It’s personal to me that the store’s personnel may experience hardship during the furlough.

precede/proceed

One step preceded the next until we’d proceeded through the entire agenda.

stationary/stationery

A stationary display held the pretty stationery.

than/then

If then you discover that you have more time than money, then you should volunteer rather than donate.

ware/wear/were/where

We were able to wear the clothing, but where would we use the other wares we bought?

Certainly, this is not the total list of words that people use with good intentions but in error. Have you noticed others? Do you have a pet peeve about one or more of these mix-ups? Please share with our community!

Tracy Tutor’s High Top Sneakers on Instastories

Million Dollar Listing LA 2020 Instagram Fashion

Tracy Tutor’s high top sneakers on her Instastroies looked quite comfortable. Considering I took what felt like 7 road trips in 1 for my recent drive to Texas, I can tell you that the one thing you need is comfort (and a good playlist). Which is also what you want in general especially when it comes to sneakers. This brand is so popular among our fav celebs so you know it’s good one.

In the words of our girl Teddi Mellencamp’s dad, John, life goes on long after the thrill of living is gone, but the stock of this shoe does not. I mean he didn’t say the second part, but I am because it’s important to get them while you can!

Sincerely Stylish,

Jess

Click Here To Shop Her Golden Goose Francy High Tops

Photo Credit: @tracytutor

Originally posted at: Tracy Tutor’s High Top Sneakers

We all have a mental “bucket list” that includes all those things we want to do, places we want to visit, people we want to meet before we die.

The fact that these items are on our “bucket list” indicates they mean something to us. Likely, they are the very things that would further enrich our lives. But we often wait until disaster strikes to make actual plans to achieve the items on our bucket list.

I recently had a chance to talk with someone who is living her “bucket list.” At 26, Rebekah Erickson’s achieved what most of us would not, even in a lifetime. 

Sky diving in Portugal, volunteering in Nigeria, pursuing a double Master’s in Europe, and riding through the Sahara Desert by camel, surfing in Morocco. All within a year! These were just some of the dreams on her bucket list that she can now say she has done. 

What’s on Your Bucket List?

Going to art school, traveling to Morocco, launching as a stand-up comedian, completing a Ph.D., publishing a novel, setting up your own business… What do you desire to do, experience, or have that would make life feel a little more abundant or more meaningful?

Here are 10 steps that can help turn your dreams into reality.

Create the List

Let your imagination loose. It may take a while to write down all that you desire but don’t let it stop you. Give yourself permission to dream.

More than Your Goals, Know Your Outcomes

You must be clear about the outcomes you are hoping to achieve. If you want to go back to school for a degree – what degree would that be?

Be Specific About Your “Why”

How does that item on your bucket list fuel your passion? If it’s a writing retreat, why this particular one? What is pulling you there? Is it the traveling or the writing?

Create a Timeline for Your Goals

Have a clear vision whether each of your bucket list items should be complete in three years, five years, or beyond. Your time horizon will dictate how you should invest.

If you have long-term financial goals – e.g., those you hope to achieve in 10 years’ time – you may get a better bang for your buck by investing in the stock market instead of a bank account.

Set a Priority Table

Pick three goals that resonate most deeply for you, not in terms of what is “important” but also what will enrich your life most. It may mean delaying the last payment on your mortgage to go on that Safari trip you have wanted to do.

It does not mean you are ignoring the rest. It just means that you are choosing to focus on the goals that mean the most to you.

What Would Those Three Goals Cost?

If you’re hoping to complete your degree in fine arts, find out how much it would cost to do that. Do your homework and be as accurate as possible.

Find Our Your Dedication Level

How much time or money are you willing to devote to achieving this goal? A dream remains a wish until you show a firm commitment by doing something to achieve it. Separate items that are mere “wishes” from what is a burning desire. Focus on the latter!

Set Time Aside for That Particular Dream

If it’s a goal you plan to achieve in five years, then divide required time by 60 (60 months over five years).

If you want to run your first marathon, diarize how often you will be practicing each week. It’s unlikely you’ll do the entire length at the first practice. Pace yourself. Start with five kilometers at the first go and work your way up from there.

Automate Your Savings

Save a set amount towards an item on your bucket list. Have this done on the days you receive your paycheck.

Many apps can help you keep track of your money, and some go a step further and help you save! The Digit app is great at keeping track of your expenses. You can also set it to make regular transfers of money towards your goals.

For long-term goals, meet with a financial advisor. They will be able to tell you what investments you need for long-term goals. Instead of spending money on incidentals or succumbing to compulsive shopping, be intentional. Direct a part of your income to items on your bucket list.

If what you’re hoping to achieve requires regular practice, then make it a regular habit.

Keep Track of Your Achievements

Celebrate once you’ve achieved that goal! And start planning for the next item on your bucket list. By now I’m sure you don’t want to wait another minute.

Do you have a bucket list? How many items have you achieved by this point in your life? How many more are there? What are you planning to do to mark them DONE? Please share with our community!

There was a time when beauty vloggers were only on YouTube. Then came Instagram and now, TikTok seems to be the place to be if you’re a content creator in beauty. Skincare has come out as one of the most popular categories in beauty on the platform, creating TikTok skincare trends from a new type of beauty vlogger: the skinfluencer. Now, just like fashion or fitness influencers, not all skinfluencers know their stuff. In fact, some spread some iffy information and speak down to the pros. But this just makes the really good skinfluencers stand out from the pack.

One thing that’s so amazing about skinfluencers is how they come in all sizes, skin tones, ages and genders. You don’t have to have perfect skin or a fab life to break down skincare for the masses. These eight TikTokers rely on what they’ve learned from their own routines plus science-backed research. There’s no pseudoscience here. In fact, you’ll learn from them how terrible essential oils and fragrances are for your skin and how celebrities might not have your best interests at heart. (Oops.)

Because it’s TikTok, you’ll laugh right along with them—especially when they get a little shady. (We love it.) Of course, this isn’t an extensive list and there are many more knowledgable skincare vloggers. But if you’re going to start somewhere, open TikTok and hit that follow button. Don’t blame us when you’re up till 2 a.m. still scrolling through Vi’s hilarious product reviews or Hyram’s skincare duets with fans.

@J.C.Dombrowski

J.C. is a Marine Biology student who educates his 2.5 million followers on everything from ocean animals, to how our skin ages to the worst celebrity skincare brands (oops). He loves The Ordinary so if you’re a fan, follow for awesome tips.

@Whatsonvisface

Vi is your “SPF mom” who will tell it like it is and not feel bad about it. Her hilarious videos will make you think twice about dropping $100 on sunscreen that probably costs $1 to make. She breaks down ingredients in a way that makes sense and teams up with derms for more expert advice.

@Benneiley

This recent NYU grad went from having severe acne to gorgeous skin and he helps his 105k followers get clear skin, too. He answers questions (Is it bad to wash your face in the shower?) and breaks down popular skincare trends that could be harmful to your skin.

@Katyaniomi

We love the way this new skinfluencer tries out celebrity tips, such as Hailey Bieber‘s lip mask, and gives “the real tea” on common skincare myths.

@Thruhelenslens

Helen is your “K-beauty BFF” so follow her if you can’t get enough of the stuff. We love the way she shows how affordable Korean products have just as stellar, if not better, ingredients than many luxury ones.

@208skindoc

One of the most popular dermatologists on Instagram often teams up with our favorite skinfluencers to answer fan questions. He breaks down why you need SPF in the car and on cloudy days and gives clutch science-backed advice.

@Glowpedia

For product dupes, Target hauls and aesthetically pleasing videos of close-up skincare texture, Alexa is your girl.

@SkincarebyHyram

Hyram is one of the most popular skinfluencers out there, with 2.5 million followers and some rabid fans. He’s also huge on YouTube, where he collaborates with celebs (Karlie Kloss!) and breaks down ingredients in popular skincare. We especially love when he duets with other TikTokers and gives positive, but constructive, feedback on their skincare routines.