“If it is to be, it is up to me”
"If it is to be, it is up to me" is an motivational saying that has been printed on posters. The saying has been cited in print since at least 1959 and is of unknown authorship.…
Archive for /P29340
“You got stung by a bee? Why didn’t you get stung by an A?”
"You got stung by a bee? Why didn't you get stung by an A?" is a jocular line that has been printed on posters that also usually show a demanding Asian father. "U GET STUNG BY A…
“Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement”
Charles F. Kettering (1876-1958), president of the General Motors Research Corporation, wrote in "Education Begins at Home" for The Reader's Digest of February 1944: "We are…
Truthtard (truther + retard)
"Truthard" (truther + retard) is a derogatory term for someone who believes in conspiracies. "More laughs for us at the expense of the 'truth-tard' movement" was cited…
“So goes the schools, so goes the community”
"As/So goes the schools, as/so goes the community" is a common saying of unknown origin. "I believe that, as the schools go, so goes the community, and as the community goes, so goes…
Land of Entrapment (New Mexico nickname)
The state of New Mexico has had "Land of Enchantment" advertised on its license plates since 1941. In 1955, the New Mexico Motor Club called the state the 'Land of Entrapment"…
“What is the point of being alive if you don’t at least try to do something remarkable?”
American author John Green wrote in An Abundance of Katherines (2006): "What is the point of being alive if you don't at least try to do something remarkable? How very odd, to believe God…
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…
“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…