Olive Oil Sommelier (Oleologist)
A sommelier normally advises restaurant patrons in their choices of wine, but the term "sommelier" has been applied to other things besides wine. "(Olive) oil sommelier" was…
Archive for 06/2015
“When you get a wine hangover, it’s called the grape depression”
"When you get a wine hangover, it's called the grape depression" is a jocular line that has been printed on many posters and ecards. "I hereby rename my hangover the Grape…
“I would rather choke on greatness than nibble on mediocrity”
"Someone once told me not to bite off more than I could chew. I said I would rather choke on greatness than nibble on mediocrity" is a motivational saying that has been printed on many…
“Did anyone laugh when you fell while skating?” (joke)
A skating pun is: “Did anyone laugh when you fell while skating?” “No, but the ice made some cracks.” The joke has been cited in print since at least 1948. 6 January 1948, Creston (IA) News…
“Do not regret growing old. It is a privilege denied to many”
"Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many" is a saying that has been printed on many posters. "Be glad to grow old; it's privilege denied to many" was…
“The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas”
Linus Pauling (1901-1994), a winner of both the Nobel Prize in Chemistry and the Nobel Peace Prize, was indirectly quoted in September 1961: "The best way to have a good idea is to have a lot…
“College Years: The only vacation a boy gets between his mother and his wife”
"College Years: The only vacation a boy gets between his mother and his wife" was a popular saying in the 1950s and was a "Daffynition" (jocular or "daffy" definition)…
“If you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete”
Jack Welch, the chairman and CEO of General Electric between 1981 and 2001, told Fortune magazine of March 27, 1989 his six rules, one of which was: "If you don't have a competitive…
Teacherpreneur (teacher + entrepreneur)
"Teacherpreneur" (teacher + entrepreneur) is a word that has been popular since at least 2008. The word "teacherpreneurs" has been defined (see the tweet, below, from August 5,…
“To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often”
John Henry Newman (1801-1890), also known as Cardinal Newman, wrote in An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine (1845): "In a higher world it is otherwise; but here below to live is…
“Why can’t you run through a campground?” (joke)
"You can't run through a campground. You can only ran because it's past tents" (a pun on "past tense") is a joke that has been printed on posters. "Why can't…
“Why did the traffic light turn red?” (joke)
Traffic lights have been the subject of a few jokes. This joke was cited in 1929: "What makes the traffic light turn red?""Maybe they're blushing to think how green they've…
“You were born a cow, but now you are a fish” (joke)
A popular Catholic joke is told about a person who eats meat on Friday, converts to Catholicism, but then still eats meat on Friday. He justifies this by baptizing his food, saying, "You were…
“If it succeeds, it leads”
"If it bleeds, it leads" has long been the rule in tabloid journalism, meaning that sensational stories (such as murders) are promoted on the front page. "If it succeeds, it…
“My math teacher called me average. Well, that’s just mean”
"My math teacher called me average. Well, that's just mean" is a popular math joke. (A "mean" is an "average.") "My math teacher called me average. Well…
“Everybody wants to shine, but no one wants to polish”
"Everybody/Everyone wants to shine, but no one wants to polish" means that everyone wants the rewards, but no one wants to put in the hard work. "Everyone wants to shine, but no one…
“What do you get when you drop a piano down a mine shaft?” (joke)
A popular piano joke is: Q: What do you get when you drop a piano down a mine shaft?A: A flat miner. The "miner"/"minor" pun has been cited in print since at least 1975. “What…
“A bass is a bass is a bass” (fishing adage)
"A bass is a bass is a bass" is a fishing adage that means a bass will behave and react the same, no matter what body of water that the fish is found in. "A bass is a bass no matter…
“If fire fighters fight fire, what do freedom fighters fight?”
Manhattan-born comedian George Carlin (1937-2008) wrote in Napalm & Silly Putty (2002): "The contra killers were known as 'freedom fighters.' Well, if crime fighters fight crime…
“A clean house is a sign of no Internet connection”
"A clean house is a sign of no Internet connection" is a jocular line that has been printed on posters. "A clean house is a sign of a broken computer" was cited in print in 2002…