Q. What was your dream job when you were a child? How does that compare to the dreams of your peers? . A. A well-tooled detective who could avoid violence and make it home for tea at two? Sign me up. In a recent survey of 2000 American adults, Zety

Q. We’ve been waiting on them for centuries now, but what exactly are tenterhooks? . A. Thankfully, they are not as grisly as one might imagine. For those who haven’t heard the phrase, being ‘on tenterhooks’ means that you’re on edge, nervous, waiting painfully to find something out, or to

Q. “At this time, we invite you to turn off all cell phones, smart watches, tablets, electronic devices..” Before cell phones became omnipresent, what sounds were most likely to interrupt on stage performances? . A. There have long been ill-timed coughs, crackling candy wrappers, and livestock who love themselves an

Q. Why do people differ so much about dolls? Love dolls, hate dolls. Treasure my doll, creeped out by your doll. . A. There are some who find all dolls creepy. Pick up a doll couture magazine in the store and watch people back away slowly.  Those who experience extreme,

Q. For all the random things we keep, there are those childhood toys we only wish we still had. Toys that you’d like to share with young children in your life now. Toys that you’d like to sneak a play with yourself. What are the most coveted childhood toys? .

Q. As we prepare for some more unbelievably warm weather, it’s time to stock the freezer. What are Canada’s favourite ice-cream flavours? . A. Well, time will tell in a month or two for this particular heat wave. But, the flavour that fascinated us most in 2020? Banana. This according

Q. What are some lesser used words that describe archrivals or opponents? . A. In thinking about archrivals, we can start with the all-out despising, fight to the floor types we find in fiction: Holmes v. Moriarty, The Avengers v. Thanos, Harry Potter v. Voldemort, Jets v. Sharks. Then there

Q. Why is it considered such bad luck to change a boat or ship’s name after it has been christened? . A. Life on the ocean is, as one could well imagine, rife with superstition. The naming of sea vessels is particularly fraught. Ancient Greeks would often assign their vessels

Q. What are your favourite cartoon theme songs? Which cartoon melodies – from your childhood, from last week – stay pleasantly lodged in your head? . A. The world of streaming puts our cartoon show theme love to the test. Do you ‘skip intro’ or do you nod and bop your

Q. Why are they called grandfather clocks? And why do these stately time-keepers haunt so many mystery and horror stories? . A. First: what makes it a ‘grandfather clock?’ Most definitions include four key features: 1) a pendulum, 2) a wooden case, 3) tallness – generally more than 6 feet,