10 Feb 2024

Got Milkshakes?

Q. What’s your favourite kind of milkshake? If you’re looking to make a deluxe version at home, you can find all sorts of ice-cream filled drink tutorials online, and they have more than 3 million views. How did we find our wise way from plain old milk to marvellous milkshakes?

06 Feb 2024

A Lifetime Of Tripping

Q. For we the excitable klutz kin, tripping is a weekly (daily?) occurrence. Left foot, right foot, a labradoodle puppy!.. splat. What kind of global lore swirls around the act of tripping? . A. We’ll get the bad vibes out of the way… i. If, when exiting the house, you

02 Feb 2024

Traveler Peeves

Q. Hurray for travel; bring it on! But let’s just poof there. No airports, no airplanes. Twitch your bewitched nose, Samantha Stephens. Hold our hands and apparate us there, Dumbledore . There is much to love about exploring new places, meeting new people, and experiencing new cultures. As the soft-focus

31 Jan 2024

British Columbia In Symbols

Q. If you live in Canada, can you identify your province’s tartan? And what about your provincial fish, gemstone, mammal, and tree? . A. Wait, we have provincial tartans? Apparently. Here is B.C.’s: . . Victoria’s Earl K. Ward designed the official tartan of B.C. in 1967; it was officially

28 Jan 2024

Victorian Trash Talk

Q. Victorians were nothing if not colourful with their slang. A sampling? . . A. Here’s a few gems from James Redding Ware’s 1909 ‘Passing English of the Victorian Era’, with definitions tweaked in our own words … . Barber’s cat A man who is thin Born a bit tired

25 Jan 2024

Favourite TV Theme Songs

Q. You have to listen to one TV theme song, twice a day, for a year. Which one will you pick? Which TV theme songs and pieces do people hold most dear? . A. As of writing, Ranker has over 21,000 voters choosing their favourite TV theme songs. The winners?

21 Jan 2024

Buns In The Oven

Q. Why is the smell of bread baking so enticing? . A. There is the anticipated deliciousness, of course. After hours and hours of aromatic torture/bliss, we can finally saw our way through the satisfying crisp of the crust into the steaming crumb. Next step: drizzle on that sizzling butter.

19 Jan 2024

Hot Spot Museums

Q. What’s your idea of an ideal museum? Is it a hidden gem of a place with a small collection of beautiful pieces? With no crowds to battle, you can just sit in front of an artwork, take in the details, and daydream. Or are you more excited about a

16 Jan 2024

Brilliantly Bored

Q. I’m bored. What can I stream, skim, play, text, plan? With the magic of our omni-phones, we can instantly distract ourselves from quiet tedium and empty slog. But, could we benefit by just sinking into the boredom now and then? . A. Researchers, such as University of Central Lancashire’s

14 Jan 2024

It’s Cold. That’s All

Q. -16, -27 C. Here in the Pacific Northwest, those are some shockingly cold temperatures. What are some forgotten or little used words related to winter, snow, and cold? . A. Algid Feeling cold or chilly Apricity That wonderful moment when the sun breaks through and warms up a cold