Showing posts with label sayings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sayings. Show all posts

October 13 – Silly Sayings Day


Posted October 13, 2017 




 
Don't spill the beans!
He's the bees knees!
She's the cat's meow!
You're snug as a bug in a rug!
Oh, man, that's a real fly in the ointment!
He's slower than molasses in January.


Ummm...yes, there truly are a lot of sayings that might fairly be called "silly." 

Some are meant to be rhyme-y and sing-song-y and silly.

Some are colorful metaphors that are so old-fashioned - and so oft-repeated - that they have crossed over into "silly saying" territory. 

Here's an example: "Don't spill the beans" is a reminder not to leak a secret. Maybe there's a surprise party; one person is in charge of taking the birthday girl out shopping, and getting her home at the right time for the party. 

What could you say to remind that person not to let on that plans are afoot?

"Don't spill the guacamole," might be a fresh metaphor - and might even be more apropos than beans, in a surprise party situation - but would it be understood? The thing with a common saying is that nobody looks around for physical beans they're not supposed to spill!

"Don't put the walrus onto the bag"
is definitely not a common saying. LOL
"Don't let the cat out of the bag" is another common saying that means about the same thing. But I'm not sure how clear it would be if you said, "Don't let the walrus out of the bag," or "Don't let the cat out of the cart," or some other similar non-saying.

So then we're left with direct, common-sense language like "Don't leak the plan," or "Don't let the party plan slip," or "Don't give the plan away." And that's fine...

But today just pile on as many silly sayings as you can - the more the merrier! 




March 30 – The Grass Is Always Browner on the Other Side of the Fence Day

Posted on March 30, 2015

It seems to me that this is an odd concept for a special day!

“The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” is an old saying that means that we often think that others people's lives are happier, simpler, better, but that's because we only see the outside of their houses or their for-company parlors, their public behavior, and their “this is what I share with others” Facebook status updates...and all of that paints a rosy picture. But, the saying hints, if we were actually over there, on the other side of the fence, we would see the problems. The weeds in the grass, the dirt and cobwebs in the house, the tempers and aches and downs and doubts in the life.

So...what does “The grass is always browner on the other side of the fence” mean?

That the speaker is luckier than everyone else? Happier? Richer? More loved? Better in some way?

Apparently, the day is set aside to urge us to be grateful for what we have, and of course, that's a good thing. I just think that the turn-around on the saying doesn't work very well!


So...go forth and be grateful!









And turn maxims upside-down and inside-out!

It can help people really think about things if you take a familiar saying and give it a different twist. Be inspired by these examples and come up with a few of your own...





Also on this date:






IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad's birthday 




















Artist Francisco Goya's birthday















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