sallysisson.com

02/17/2026

The ampersand (&) really did originate as a ligature of the Latin word “et”, which means “and.”

In Roman cursive writing, scribes often wrote e + t together quickly. Over time, the two letters merged into a single flowing symbol. Through centuries of handwriting styles and typography, that merged form gradually evolved into what we now recognize as &.

The word “ampersand” itself comes from the phrase “and per se and.”

In the old English alphabet, & used to be recited at the end: X, Y, Z, and per se and. Over time, “and per se and” slurred into ampersand.

12/24/2025

Saul Steinberg (1914-1999) was a Romanian-born American artist, best known for his work at The New Yorker, most notably View of the World from 9th Avenue.

He described himself as "a writer who draws".

11/07/2025

It’s about vibes, not variables.

Every dictionary going has a word of the year now, and if you want an app to keep track of them all but don't have any programming skills, Collins' selection…

09/24/2025

09/24/2025

Here's a comic from my new book, THINKING ABOUT THINKING.
Out now wherever you get your books, or find it here: https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/thinking-about-thinking_9781419776588/

08/28/2025

Neato word stuff

08/21/2025

One in six people worldwide live with a disability, yet over 94% of websites still have accessibility issues. ⚠️

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is already in force, raising the bar for digital products and making accessibility a legal obligation as well as a design priority.

An accessible design system helps teams embed accessibility into every button, colour palette and interaction pattern from day one, making inclusive design scalable, consistent and easier to maintain.

In our latest blog, we break down:

✅ Why accessible design systems matter for compliance, usability and user experience
✅ The core building blocks every accessible design system needs
✅ A step-by-step guide to creating (or upgrading) yours

If you are serious about building products everyone can use and meeting today’s accessibility standards and laws, this guide is for you.

👉 Read the full blog here: https://www.uxdesigninstitute.com/blog/building-accessible-design-systems/

08/21/2025

Spot the differences. Useful list for .

Having trouble identifying AI writing? Wikipedia has you covered with a handy list of common tells LLMs will inject into their output.

06/28/2025

True? True

06/08/2025

Words of Wonder for June

06/01/2025