Q. Which numbers do people most commonly consider lucky? . A. Do you have a lucky number? If so, what is it? Fans of the Big Bang Theory will know that Sheldon Cooper has a most particular answer to this question. . . In travelling, many of us have noticed global

Q. It’s that time. What is Oxford English Dictionary’s official word of 2020? . A. 2020 is such a hot mess, it broke the dictionary. ‘Given the phenomenal breadth of language change and development during 2020, Oxford Languages concluded that this is a year which cannot be neatly accommodated in

Q. Has 2020 plague life changed us deeply? We can revisit that question in 2022. But, in the thick of it, how does all this affect how we experience art? . A. We’ve certainly found ourselves looking anew at masterpieces through our 2020 eyes. Take Magritte’s 1928 painting of The Lovers

Q. Have you ever stumbled into the fact that you use the same handful of quirky words over and over again: in writing, in emails, in phone conversations? Or perhaps you too have found yourself presenting to a group and suddenly, for no conscious reason, the same word keeps popping

Q. Which types of food do people see as most romantic? . A. Well, thanks to Betty Crocker’s  Dinner for Two Cookbook, we know what a romantic dinner looked like in 1958 North America. ‘Thousands of homemakers’ revealed their go-to dishes. Betty Crocker Romance i. Broiled steak ii. Roast beef

Q. Born 1940 in Sudbury, Ontario, George Alexander Trebek – ‘Alex’ – went on to host more than 8200 episodes of Jeopardy. He was known for his wide-spanning curiosity, but what was Alex Trebek’s favourite Jeopardy category? . A. We look for answers in the Order of Canada winning Trebek’s

Q. Where did this expression come from: ‘heard it through the grapevine’? . A. On hearing the expression, most think quickly of the Marvin Gaye 1968 hit – 15 weeks at #1, the top-selling Motown single of the decade. ‘I bet you’re wonderin’ how I knew ‘Bout your plans to

Q. Today might be a good day to ask: which songs do people find most calming? . A. A 2019 poll of 2,000 Brits – commissioned by Rescue Remedy – identified their Top 30 Most Relaxing Songs. In first place? Louis Armstrong with his Wonderful World. Written by Bob Thiele

Q. Some adults would give anything to hear their parents tell that same old story one more time. But which types of stories do grown kids most enjoying hear from their mums and dads? . A. Many parents come bearing the gift of story from the get-go. Through childhood, the

Q. Come late fall and winter, world-weary weather folk in B.C. have to look for awfully creative ways to deliver the same news: it’s raining. Or it may rain. A lot. Hurrah for those days of crisp sun or a dusting of snow. But, what are some old or little-used