The difference between the right word and almost the right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.
Mark Twain
There’s been plenty of lightning and thunder the past few weeks around here.
It’s been bright and loud and unexpected and wild and relentless. I am not afraid of the lightning and thunder at all. Mom says I am afraid of so many things, I don’t have room in my brain to be afraid of storms. Actually, I kind of like these crazy storms, because they make Mom stay home with me.
I also kind of like lightning bugs.
Whenever Mom takes me out at night, I see those blinky things flying all over the place. She won’t let me chase them, though. She says, “Don’t pull me!” and “Heel!!” and “That’s enough craziness for one day. It’s time for bed.” I haven’t caught a lightning bug yet. But when I do, I’m pretty sure it’ll taste like lemon candy.
Mom is not nuts about storms or bugs, but she is nuts about words. They are her favorite things in the world (besides me).
She writes words and counts words and reads the words out loud to herself. Then she deletes them and changes them and takes some out and puts some new ones in. She is ALWAYS looking for the right word.
Mom says adverbs are poison. I am not allowed to eat poison. I tried it once and it wasn’t fun.
Mom uses SmartEdit to find the poison adverbs and get rid of them and then she searches in the Thesaurus to replace them with a perfect verb that does the same job only better. “Walked quickly, looked carefully, and laughed loudly” are OUT. “Raced, inspected, and roared” are IN.
Maybe tonight, “Heel” will be OUT and “Gulp. Slurp. Yum- Lemon” will be IN.
Cupcake Speaks 
Comments on: "Inspirational Quote of the Week" (81)
You look so cute and dry in your rain coat! Mom takes fabulous care of you Cupcake!!
Thanks, J. I used to be afraid of my raincoat, but since it actually works, I let Mom put it on me.
Love and licks,
C
your Mom is one smart cookie!!! My Mom loves words too but you would never know it from looking at what she writes! BOL! My posts must make you cringe! Barks and licks and love, Dakota
Ha! That is naughty, D. Your posts are brilliant!
Love and licks,
C
I think your mom should take into consideration that you have found the PERFECT outfit for lightning bugs hunting: a YELLOW raincoat!
SmartEdit seems to be interesting – I’ll try it!
I use the CD-version of this thesaurus: http://www.collinsdictionary.com/english-thesaurus
OMGoodness, K. You and Mom are BOTH thesaurus people! Good thing thesaurus isn’t the same as Tyrannosaurus!
Love and licks,
C
And what do you think about Pegasus, Cupcake?
Flying horse? What’s not to like?
“According to legend, everywhere the winged horse struck his hoof to the earth, an inspiring spring burst forth. One of these springs was upon the Muses’ Mount Helicon, the Hippocrene (“horse spring”), opened, Antoninus Liberalis suggested, at the behest of Poseidon to prevent the mountain swelling with rapture at the song of the Muses; another was at Troezen. Hesiod relates how Pegasus was peacefully drinking from a spring when the hero Bellerophon captured him. Hesiod also says Pegasus carried thunderbolts for Zeus.” 🙂 🙂
Flying horse carrying thunder? Awesome.
Hey Cupcake,
I hope you got your lemonade buddy! I’ve never thought of changing the words like your Mom does, she’s super clever, I just hope she never changes the word mischief, cos that’s my favorite! Tee Hee
Wags to all,
Your pal Snoopy 🙂
Don’t worry, S. You’re so good at mischief, it doesn’t matter what they call it. You’d still be the champ.
Love and licks,
C
Oh Cupcake you look like a perfectly adorable lemon drop yourself in your raincoat! I’ve never eaten a lightning bug but I’m sure you’re right that they must be lemon flavored or maybe even butter flavored (either would make me happy). There are a few words I don’t particularly like – for instance, “NO!” and “let’s go back in the house”…….but for the most part I only hear GOOD words around here so I’m a happy boy. You look happy too Cupcake and that’s lovely……………!
Kitty Hugs, Sammy
You’re right, Sammy. Those bugs could taste like butter. Mmmm. Butter…. My favorite words are, “Wanna come?”
Love and licks,
C
I like your rain coat – you look like a girl who can resist every thunderstorm. Thanks to your mom for the links, we will avoid to use poisoned things – maybe we can earn it together with the – saurus :o)
Good plan, E. Always avoid poison. Otherwise your mom will induce vomiting. That may sound like fun, but it’s NOT.
Love and licks,
C
Oh Cupcake! You and mom are so funny! I love your outfits and mom looks great in green – my favorite color. (I guess yours is yellow) 🙂
The new adverbs work better. I get a better picture from them. Keep up the good work – both of you. Love and hugs, G
P.S. I hope you catch a yummy delicious lemon bug. ❤
Thanks, G. Green is also the color of TheraPet where I work. No surprise that I earned a TheraPet bandana, and Mom bought the whole TheraPet wardrobe collection for herself. Mom says if she had green eyes like you, she’d wear green clothes every day of her life.
Love and licks,
C
🙂 ❤
I sure hope you’re in luck Cupcake! I don’t like ‘leave it’, ‘no’, ‘stop it’ I hope they get changed to nicer words too 🙂
Thanks, M. “Leave it” is definitely a buzzkill. I think all words should be happy words like, “Wanna come?” and “Good girl.” and “Treat.”
Love and licks,
C
I agree with John, cupcake, you are adorable in the rain coat. I love your mother’s writing tips and will be sure to share them with Stanley & Katrina!
~Christine M
Techie for Stanley & Katrina
Thanks, C. Adorable is my favorite look.
Love and licks,
C
Your Mummy is very clever! Whee sure hope you catch a lightning bug soon, with such a bootiful coat whee are sure they will all flock to see you!
Nibbles, Nutty, Buddy & Basil
xxxx
Thanks, N, N, B, & B. If the bugs flock to me, Mom will probably get freaked out. But I will be in heaven.
Love and licks,
C
Oh look at you cutie Cupcake, I hate storms..We have never seen those light bugs.. Have a wonderful weekend xx0xx
Mollie and Alfie
Thanks, M. If you ever see a lightning bug, taste it for me.
Love and licks,
C
Cupcake, you look quite lightning yourself in your raincoat… and very cute 🙂
Thanks, A.W. My raincoat works great. Mom only has to dry my feet and my tail when I come inside.
Love and licks,
C
Love the rain gear Cupcake. Am curious about Smart Edit — is it free? I favorited the page. After I write a story, I go back and pull out the adverbs — amazing how many verbs that are better. And, you reduce your word count.
Thanks, P. SmartEdit is free. Mom loves it because editing is her least favorite thing.
Love and licks,
C
Thanks. I’ve tried others, that cost, but don’t give me what I want. They are geared more towards college students.
I’ve never seen a lightning bug! I’ve seen lots of lightning, though, and I wouldn’t want to taste it. Mark Twain was right — one word makes a BIG difference. I love that last picture of you, Cupcake. You look like you’re saying, “Who, me? I didn’t do it, whatever it was.” 😉
You’re right, Beth. I didn’t do it – whatever it was!
Love and licks,
Cupcake
Great advice Cupcake and might I say you look adorable in that rain coat!!
Thanks! Adorable is always my #1 goal.
Love and licks,
C
Oh, Cupcake, my human mommy loves this post! She is an old . . . oops, wrong word . . . former editor, and she loves words, too! And you and I have something in common: I love lightning bugs, and I also try to rip my mommy’s arm out of the shoulder socket when I see them. Do you really think they might taste like lemon candy? That would be divine. 🙂
Thanks, Miss HL. If you manage to taste a lightning bug before me, let me know how it is.
Love and licks,
Cupcake
You know I never thought about what a lightning bug might taste like… I’d like to think they taste like lemon candy too. I love lemon candy!
Me too, Ann! I mean I’ve never actually tasted lemon candy, but it smells delicious, so I have a good feeling about it.
Love and licks,
Cupcake
Oh Cupcake, you look sooooo adorable in your raincoat! We don’t have a raincoat yet, but our Mommy said that she is going to make one for the both of us. I was going to PIN your raincoat pic to Pinterest, but you don’t have a Pinterest button at the end of your post. Bummer!
Thanks, Val. Feel free to pin me with the Add a Pin button. I love Pinterest. BTW, Mom tried to follow you, but your link didn’t work. She found you somehow, anyway, so you may want to double check your post.
Love and licks,
Cupcake
I just went back to my post and clicked on the link and it took me right to my Pinterest Boards. Hmmmm. That is so sweet that your Mom wants to follow me on Pinterest! Tell her Hi from me!
Weird. It kept telling Mom Error 404. Maybe it’s an iPad thing. She found you and followed you anyway.
That is odd. I also have a “Follow Me on Pinterest” button right on my blog on the sidebar too that people can click on! I don’t think I noticed one on yours though.
Thanks for the tip on the Smart-Edit tool!
My pleasure, W. I’m not just a pretty face….
Love and licks,
C
BOL CUpcake! you are way too funny…and my Mom tries to use new words, verbs, action verbs, but sigh…she is just a regular blogger…not published like your Mom and Sammy’s Mom and so many others…but we so appreciate great new writing…paw pats, Savvy…peeEss you are fab in your rain gear
Thanks, Savvy. There’s no such thing as a “just a regular blogger”. Every blogger is special and extraordinary in a million ways.
Love and licks,
C
we just love your raincoat Cupcake…you are just so stylish, a real fashionista!
xxx wally & sammy
Thanks, W. and S. I am a real slave to fashion. Plus I hate the rain.
Love and licks,
C
Cupcake Momz sez to tell you that she learned something today…she never thought about the poison adverbs before but you can be sure she will think about them from now on…Thank you!
Thanks, G. Apparently, picking the right word is important to human writers. Who knew??
Love and licks,
C
Gee, there are so many comments here, how do you find the time for lightning bugs? I love your yellow raincoat. My Jacko wore a yellow raincoat and four little yellow boots. I don’t think he liked the boots much. When it rained Jacko turned a nice shade of yellow.
I am going to start checking for more poison in my writing. I had no idea my words could put my two little guys in danger (they both like to chew on paper). Thanks for the warning!
First of all, paper is delicious, especially used napkins. Second of all, Jacko had the right idea. Boots are evil. Mom got me some when I first came here. I walked like my feet were on fire, and boots went flying all over the place.
Love and licks,
C
Thank you for the gift of SmartEdit, I downloaded and am excited to try it. Words are so important, as are commas. As you know I have the new business blog, http://thedigitalattitude.com and words are killing me. Petblogs are cake compared to business writing. Oh my. I need your advice with poison adverbs. Thanks – Lorian
PS – Sofie wanted me to tell you that fireflies are delicious, but she usually spits them out before they go down.
Mom says adverbs are poison in children’s picture books. They may be less poisonous in other types of writing. Using exactly the right word is ALWAYS important though! Sofie is a quick hunter – fireflies, ducks, she is always ready to take action!
Love and licks,
Cupcake
You are SO adorable in your raincoat Cupcake! I once ate a tulip (when I was 3-ish)! It was yucky. Don’t eat them. Aparently, they’re poisonous.
Correction – my mom said she called poison control after I ate the tulip and they say they aren’t poisonous – just yucky. 😉
Poisonous or not, a tulip is a pretty big snack for a little kid. …or a little dog like me! Yikes! Maybe someday, I’ll take a lick of one.
Love and licks,
C
We’ve been having a lot of storms with heavy rain. You look very cute in your raincoat and prepared for those storms!
Thanks, Clowie! My raincoat looks cute and it really works!!
Love and licks,
C
First off, let me tell you that the word for lightening bugs is BLAACH! I ate one by accident once and I couldn’t get it out fast enough. No lemon candy there! And I personally like romping in the rain naked! I just drink in the raindrops!! And I wish we would get some of your rain here. Enjoy! (But stay away from the lightening bugs!)
Rhythm, you’re the second blog buddy to warn me about the nasty flavor of the fireflies. Apparently, they don’t taste as good as they look. Maybe Mom will let me lick a yellow lollipop, instead.
Love and licks,
C
I think that would be better. And lollipops don’t buzz in your mouth.
Oh BOL! I say heel is OUT as well as SIT, STAY, and COME. Well, I will COME if there are TREATS!
You know it, F. There are ALWAYS treats involved. Otherwise nothing gets done around here.
Love and licks,
C
Cupcake,
You look fabulous in your rain gear. We’ll have to steer clear of adverbs. They don’t sound delicious.
Bella and DiDi
Thanks, B and D. Picture Books + Adverbs = Trouble.
Love and licks,
C
You look so cute in your raincoat, Cupcake!!
This post reminds mom of a very tough English professor she had in college. He would make the students write an essay and then they would have to rewrite it with only half as many words. Writing less seems like less work to me, but mom says it is a Lot more work! Your mom sounds like she really knows how to use the right words 🙂
Thanks, R. Half the word count!!?? That WOULD be tough. Yikes!
Love and licks,
C
Cupcake, in some ways we’re opposites. About the only thing I’m afraid of is thunder. It’s the most horrible thing in the world. We haven’t had any yet this year, but next month it will probably be here. Yikes!
I hope thunder season is short for you, B. although I do think you look awfully handsome in your ThunderShirt…
Love and licks,
C
Just dropping by cupcake to say hi! Looks like you are as popular as ever!!! Alesia and LInus!
Thanks, A and L. I like when you say I’m popular. Hope you’re enjoying summer vacation.
Love and licks,
C
We love glurp and slurp!!! Hoping you are having a wonderful summer that is perhaps a bit drier now.. 🙂
Glurping and slurping is always fun!
Love and licks,
C
whoa Cupcake!! You have that adverb elimination down to the last purrfect paw!! Pawsome, Savannah
Mom is kind of obsessed with those adverb guys because of writing picture books and all. She talks to herself about it a lot.
Love and licks,
C
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