MUNDANE MYSTERIES: What Does “Bah! Humbug!” Really Mean?

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: What Does “Bah! Humbug!” Really Mean?

Ever heard the phrase, “Bah! Humbug!” around Christmastime & wonder what it means? The most famous examples of the phrase come from Charles Dickens’s timeless 1843 tale, A Christmas Carol, in which the curmudgeonly Ebenezer Scrooge regularly proclaims “Bah! Humbug!” when referring to Christmas. Since Scrooge particularly hates the otherwise happy holiday, it’s easy to…

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: A Chip On Your Shoulder

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: A Chip On Your Shoulder

Have you ever been told “you have a chip on your shoulder”? What does that even mean? And what kind of chip are we talking about? From what we now understand about having a chip on your shoulder, you know that it can motivate you to be better, learn from mistakes, or reach goals, even…

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why “The Proof Is In The Pudding”

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why “The Proof Is In The Pudding”

You could definitely ask your buddy whether The Godfather Part II is as good as everyone says it is, but you’ll never know for sure unless you sit through all four hours of it & see it for yourself. After all, the best way to determine the something’s value is to experience it firsthand, right?…

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Is Something “Brand Spanking New”?

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Is Something “Brand Spanking New”?

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “You just won a brand-new car” on many a game show. You might have told a friend before about a “brand spanking new” TV you bought. Or, because you listen to WFRE, you’ve definitely heard Brooks & Dunn proclaim how they’re a “Brand New Man”. But, are “brand” & “spanking”…

MUNDANE MYSTERIES:  “Close, But No Cigar”

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: “Close, But No Cigar”

Picture it: a 9-year-old kid running an egg-&-spoon race ends up crossing the finish line right behind the winner, before someone pats him on the back & says, “Sorry kid…close, but no cigar”. What do you think that would mean to the kid? Having never heard the saying before, he’d probably think, “Why is my…

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Do We Say We Get “Cold Feet”?

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Do We Say We Get “Cold Feet”?

No one likes cold feet. Especially a husband whose wife brings her ice-cold tootsies into a warm bed. But, what about figurative “cold feet”, like when someone in a business deal pulls out at the last minute? Or, what about the situation where we hear the phrase most often: wedding nuptials? Why is a groom…