A treat of language — and some tricks — as you celebrate Halloween

The morning after the Halloween blizzard of 1991, my wife and I walked up Hennepin Avenue from the river, reveling in the glistening snow, the empty streets, the windless, silent air.

The first person we ran into, a young man working for the company restoring the State Theatre to its former glory, gave us a tour of the interior, revealing how the removal of layers of plaster and paint had uncovered ornate features of the original design.

That memory reminds me of my college's motto: "Lest the old traditions fail" — the idea that honoring first principles, especially good ones, underpins excellence.

That applies to the craft of clear writing.

And so, on this Halloween, I offer you a grab bag of tricks and treats.

Trick: What does "presently" mean? If you said "at present" or "now" ... no candy for you. "I'll be there presently" means you're in the process of getting there, and soon.

Treat: "I just stop trying to sound important. I just say it. The simpler you say it, the more eloquent it is." Words from August Wilson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright.

Treat: "Writing is easy. All you have to do is cross out the wrong words." Words from Mark Twain.

Trick: "Your manuscript is both good and original; but the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good." Author unknown.

Treat: "Say it simple, so I can understand; use all the easy words at your command. Don't start lyin'; I never cared for fiction, talk real clear. ..." And here comes my favorite line in the English language: "Don't want no friction with your diction." The maestro: Jack Teagarden, jazz trombonist and singer.

Sure, Teagarden's double negative violated a traditional rule of proper grammar. But remember the greatest treat of all: permission to break any rule you want ... as long as it works.

Happy Boo Day!