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May 14, 2019
Food/Drink

“If your eyes hurt after you drink coffee, you have to take the spoon out of the cup”

"If your eyes hurt after you drink coffee, you have to take the spoon out of the cup" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. The line has been cited in print since at…

April 8, 2023
Food/Drink

“If your food can go bad, it’s good for you. If it can’t go bad, it’s bad for you”

"If your food can go bad, it's good for you. If your food can't go bad, it's not good for you" (also "If your food can go bad, it's good for you. If it can't…

April 6, 2023
Food/Drink

“If your food can go bad, it’s good for you. If it can’t, it’s probably not”

"If your food can go bad, it's good for you. If your food can't go bad, it's not good for you" (also "If your food can go bad, it's good for you. If it can't…

April 8, 2023
Food/Drink

“If your food can go bad, it’s good for you. If your food can’t go bad, it’s not good for you”

"If your food can go bad, it's good for you. If your food can't go bad, it's not good for you" (also "If your food can go bad, it's good for you. If it can't…

June 13, 2025
Food/Drink

“If your food says ‘Enjoy’ at the end of the cooking instructions, you can’t complain to the company if you didn’t like it…”

A joke about cooking instructions was posted on Reddit -- Showerthoughts on December 6, 2022: "If your food says 'Enjoy' at the end of the cooking instructions, you can't…

October 29, 2017
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“If your front door has a mail slot, then you live in a mailbox”

Some houses don't have a mailbox -- just a mail slot in the front door. "If your front door has a mail slot, then you live in a mailbox" was posted on Reddit -- Shower Thoughts on…

June 22, 2025
Exercise/Running/Health Clubs

“If your girl starts to workout out of nowhere, you’re about to be single”

"If your girl starts to workout out of nowhere, you're about to be single" is a saying that has been printed on many images. It means that she wants to look good to find another man…

June 22, 2025
Exercise/Running/Health Clubs

“If your girl starts to workout outta nowhere you about to be single”

"If your girl starts to workout out of nowhere, you're about to be single" is a saying that has been printed on many images. It means that she wants to look good to find another man…

October 1, 2026
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If your government is loudly demanding the dissolution of the International Criminal Court, the international court that tries war crimes…”

The United States has stayed out of the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, and some American politicians have called for the court to be dissolved. THis was posted on Threads by…

November 12, 2020
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If your guns have ugly tattoos, I revoke your right to bare arms”

The Second Amendment "right to bear arms" has nothing to do with "bears" or "bare arms," but there are several tattoo jokes. "Going to the tattoo shop to forfeit…

May 23, 2015
Food/Drink

“If your hands don’t look like you just delivered a baby after eating wings…not enough hot sauce”

"If your hands don't look like you just delivered a baby when you finish eating wings....not enough hot sauce" is a jocular saying that has been popular on Twitter. The saying was…

August 30, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If your idea of helping others first requires taking someone’s property…”

"If your idea of helping others first requires taking someone’s property, then isn’t your idea morally bankrupt?" is an anti-government (anti-tax) saying that has been printed on…

May 5, 2025
Education/SchoolsGovernment/Law/Military/Religion /HealthWork/Businesses

“If your job comes with an ‘appreciation week,’ you’re probably not getting paid enough”

"If someone's job requires an 'appreciation week' it means they're not getting paid enough" (or "If your job comes with an 'appreciation week,' you’re…

May 7, 2025
Education/SchoolsGovernment/Law/Military/Religion /HealthWork/Businesses

“If your job requires an ‘appreciation week’ it means you’re not getting paid enough”

"If someone's job requires an 'appreciation week' it means they're not getting paid enough" (or "If your job comes with an 'appreciation week,' you’re…

May 7, 2025
Education/SchoolsGovernment/Law/Military/Religion /HealthWork/Businesses

“If your job requires an appreciation week,’ you are probably not getting paid enough”

"If someone's job requires an 'appreciation week' it means they're not getting paid enough" (or "If your job comes with an 'appreciation week,' you’re…

December 9, 2024
Transportation

“If your kids want to learn to drive, don’t stand in their way”

"Don't stand in their way" usually means don't oppose, but a joke takes this literally. "Our friend, E. J. Canada, over in Luther, says that if your wife wants to learn to…

June 19, 2010
Media/Newspapers/Magazines/Internet

“If your mother says she loves you, check it out”

"If your mother says she loves you, check it out" is a newspaper adage, cautioning reporters to always check the facts. The saying (cited in print since at least 1974) became a slogan of…

May 4, 2015
Work/Businesses

“If your name is on the building, you’re rich”

American comedian Rich Hall said on the television show Late Night with Conan O'Brien on July 17, 1995: "When you go to work in the morning, if your name is on the building -- you're…

December 13, 2014
Banking/Finance/Insurance

“If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it”

"If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it" is a said to be a famous quotation by American industrialist John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937). However, the quote seems to…

April 17, 2010
Banking/Finance/Insurance

“If your outgo exceeds your income, then your upkeep will be your downfall”

"When/If your outgo exceeds your income (then) your upkeep is your downfall" is a common sense phrase for a person to live within his or her means. The phrase is cited in print from at…

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BARRY POPIK is a contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary, Dictionary of American Regional English, Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Yale Book of Quotations and Dictionary of Modern Proverbs. Since 1990 he has also been a regular contributor to Gerald Cohen's Comments on Etymology.

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