Q. What are some lesser used idioms? . A. They are awfully stubborn. The elephants refuse to leave the room, the thoughts cower inside the box, and the tattered idioms worm their way back into innocent conversations. The Oxford Dictionary of Idioms houses thousands of these ‘phrases that behave like words.’

Q. Why do people do scary things on early dates? . A. In ‘romantic,’ ‘reality’ shows – no judgment! Lockdown – daters will be challenged with hair-raising adventures. Rappel down this skyscraper. Or free-fall. Leap off this scenic cliff. Take your fear of heights and climb up the cables of

Q. Who are some renowned artists who were in romantic relationships with each other? . A. Ever so often, it is (was?) nice to shut down the phone, go to the library, and browse the books, aisle by aisle. It’s a slow-burn rabbit hole, where you find yourself sitting on

Q. Which paintings – historical to current – do people recognize and/or talk about the most? . A. We can all guess #1, but in November of 2019, CNN Style did an in-depth analysis of the 15 most frequently searched masterpieces. The winners were.. . i. Mona Lisa. Leonardo da

Q. How is it that some people in their late 80s and 90s – some of whom have had tumultuous lives – still act and feel so young? . A. I know what my Mum, a nurse, would say: “Feeling young has nothing to do with age, Elizabeth.” When she

Q. With September but days away and the crisp of fall in the air, we best get our outdoor ice-cream kicks in while we can. We won’t yet know how the pandemic affected our overall August ice-cream consumption, but in August of 2019, Statista reported that 1.87% of Canadian respondents

Q. We’ve seen how one Norwegian word – kraken – has been assertively adopted into English conversation. But what other words have we eagerly co-opted from Norway? . A. The answer lies in The Oxford Dictionary of Foreign Words + Phrases. With definitions in our own words … Aquavit A

Q. Kraken? . A. Thanks to the Seattle Hockey naming czars, that Kraken is getting even more attention. As if this mythical, massive Norwegian sea creature wasn’t already lording its pop-culture prominence over Jörmungandr, Six-Headed Scylla, Lernean Hydra, and all the other mythological sea monsters. We’ve seen Kraken in video

Q. “I now pronounce you…” The formal ceremony is over, the couple have kissed, family and friends are standing, clapping, dabbing at tears. Now, it’s time for the newlyweds to turn and walk back down the aisle. What music will lead them out? . A. For some, Mendelssohn’s Wedding March

Q. Sweet as honey. A taste of honey. A honey of a deal. You’re my honey (as long as you complete your ‘to do’ list) How did honey, of all the sugary alternatives, come to epitomize the ultimate, love-worthy sweetness? . A. Sweet, sweet honey finds it place in the