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October 29, 2017
Work/Businesses

“The early bird catches the worm, but the early worm gets eaten”

"The early bird catches the worm" is a proverb dating from at least the 17th century; it means that whoever does something first has the best chance of success. However, what about the…

September 11, 2024
Work/Businesses

“The early bird gets to cry for a little bit longer in the work parking lot”

"The early bird catcheth the worm" is included in A Collection of English Proverbs: (1670) by John Ray. The proverb seems to mean that arriving at work early will lead to success, but…

January 1, 2013
Work/Businesses

“The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese”

"The early bird catches the worm" is a proverb dating from at least the 17th century; it means that whoever does something first has the best chance of success. However, the person who…

February 2, 2026
Work/Businesses

“The earth is a resort for like 500 rich people and the rest of us are just the staff”

Many people feel that the rich own the world and everyone else seems to be just there to serve them. "My coworker and I were talking about capitalism and he said this: 'the earth is a…

November 30, 2020
Work/Businesses

“The economy is so bad that CEOs are now playing miniature golf”

"The economy is so bad that CEOs are now playing miniature golf" is a jocular saying that has been printed on several images. A stereotype is that the chief executive officers of…

August 13, 2026
Work/Businesses

“The economy is so bad that scam messages went from ‘you won the lottery’ to ‘remote job available $18/hr’”

When the economy is bad, people are desperate for even very little. This was posted on X/Twitter by Neet on July 15, 2026, and it received over 298,000 likes: "The economy is so bad that scam…

July 8, 2021
Work/Businesses

“The employee shortage is so bad that long haired freaky people can now apply”

"And the sign said 'Long-haired freaky people need not apply'" is from the song "Signs" (1971) by the Canadian rock group Five Man Electrical Band. However, in 2021…

April 27, 2015
Work/Businesses

“The engineer sees the glass as twice the size it needs to be” (joke)

A popular engineering joke is: The optimist sees a glass that's half full.The pessimist sees a glass that's half empty.An engineer sees a glass that's twice as big as it needs to be!…

October 31, 2020
Work/Businesses

“The fact that jellyfish have survived for 650 million years despite not having brains gives hope”

"The fact that jellyfish have survived for 650 million years without brains gives hope to many people" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. Authorship is unknown, but…

October 31, 2020
Work/Businesses

“The fact that jellyfish have survived for 650 million years without brains gives hope to many”

"The fact that jellyfish have survived for 650 million years without brains gives hope to many people" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. Authorship is unknown, but…

November 13, 2014
Work/Businesses

“The fact that no one understands you doesn’t mean you’re an artist”

"The fact that no one understands you doesn't mean you're an artist" is a jocular one-line saying that has been printed on many images. "Seen on a button...Just because…

September 9, 2022
Work/Businesses

“The fact that we only get 4/5 hours after work before having to prepare for bed just to go to work”

"You really get 4/5 hours after work before you have to prepare for bed, to go to work again... feels scam 😭" was posted on Facebook by Adult Problems on August 10, 2022.…

July 9, 2018
Work/Businesses

“The fact that you aren’t where you want to be should be enough motivation”

"The fact that you aren't where you want to be should be enough motivation" is a motivational saying that has been printed on many images. "The fact that you aren’t where you…

December 2, 2015
Pets (Dogs, Cats, Horses)Work/Businesses

“The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man and a dog”

American author and organizational consultant Warren Bennis (1925-2014) said, as quoted in The Millionaire's Book of Quotations (1991) by Mark Fisher: "The factory of the future will have…

March 1, 2019
Work/Businesses

“The feel of the wheel seals the deal” (car sales technique)

"The feel of the wheel seals the deal" is a selling technique rhyme used in the car industry. Once a customer gets a "feel of the wheel" -- in a test drive, or taking the car…

January 18, 2018
Work/Businesses

“The feeling of not having to work tomorrow is better than the feeling of not having to work today”

The dread of going back to work can spoil a day off. A work saying was posted on Reddit -- Shower Thoughts on January 18, 2018: "The feeling of not having to work tomorrow is better than the…

March 31, 2020
Work/Businesses

“The fire at the clock factory caused a lot of second hand smoke”

Secondhand smoke as nothing to do with the hands of a clock, but there are jokes. "Did you hear about the fire at the clock factory? Nobody died but several people suffered from second hand…

November 4, 2016
Work/Businesses

“The first five days after the weekend are always the hardest”

"The first five days after the weekend are always the hardest" is a jocular work saying that has been printed on many ecards and posters. "The first five days after the #weekend are…

January 13, 2011
Work/Businesses

“The first generation builds the business, the second makes it a success, and the third wrecks it”

"The first generation builds the business, the second makes it a success, and the third wrecks it" is another version of the old saying: "It is only but three generations from…

March 30, 2015
Work/Businesses

“The first man gets the oyster; the second man gets the shell”

"The early bird catches the worm" is a proverb dating from at least the 17th century, and advising that the successful person gets there first. "The first man gets the oyster; the…

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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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