Celebrate!

How time flies! It's already the last day of the year--the end of the first decade of the new millennium. Ten years ago we were worried about "Y2K". We were afraid some things would stop working when the calendar flipped to January 1, 2000. We survived. 

Will you celebrate tonight? What are your New Year's eve traditions? I'm getting old. Sometimes my wife and I don't even stay up till midnight. Are you glad this year is over? Are you excited or worried about 2010? 

Best wishes to you for a great year in 2010!

Pain

Friday was a real pain. The pain in my neck nearly drove me out of my mind! Hot pads, pain pills, pain relievers--no relief! My body worked so hard to fight the pain, that I was tired the next day. 

We say that "he's a pain in the neck" or "she's a real pain" when someone annoys us. We also say, "No pain, no gain." 

Some people think that physical exercise must be painful to be helpful. If you don't feel pain, you're not working hard enough. I prefer a painless, easy stretch, or a relaxing walk, thank you! 

You can also use "pain" in a more positive way. You can say that she takes great pains to avoid mistakes in her work. She's very careful, very thorough--meticulous. 

I hope that life is not painful for you now.

Who are "they"?

Sometimes we use a shortcut when we quote someone but don't know his or her name. 

1. They say it's going to snow tomorrow. 

2. They say you should get a flu shot this year. 

3. They say you can't take it with you. 

4. They say that love makes the world go around. 

5. They say that pride goes before a fall. 

Who is it that says all these things? How did "they" get so smart?! Here's the source of the quotations above: 

1. The weather bureau or a local meteorologist 

2. The medical community, your doctor, or the CDC (Center for Disease Control) 

3. Common saying that means you won't have any of your earthly possessions after you die. 

4. Another common saying 

5. The Bible (book of Proverbs) 

What do "they" say in your country?

Snow

Has it snowed in your neighborhood? We had some a couple weeks ago, but it disappeared fast. 

According to the latest weather forecast, we may have some more snow soon. It depends on the temperature whether we have rain, snow, or both (a "wintry mix" our forecasters say). The last few days definitely felt like winter to me. 

Do you like snow? Some people think it's a "dirty" word. I like snow. I like to watch it fall. I like the way it makes a shiny white blanket over everything. I even like to drive in it. When I was a kid, I went sled riding on our farm almost every time there was enough snow. One time I nearly ran into a fence! So for me, "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!"

Food phrases

We love to talk about food, so I guess it's not surprising that we have a lot of idioms that are based on food. 

If someone seems a bit lazy, spends too much time sitting around, watching TV, you might say he's a couch potato. 

You may know that Americans say "Awesome!" all the time to mean "Great!" or "Super!" 

Sometimes we (especially those of us who are a little older) say "Hot dog!". 

When someone takes your picture, don't be surprised if, just before the flash, he tells you to, "Say cheese".

If someone tells you about a surprise party for one of your friends, be careful not to spill the beans. You don't want to spoil the surprise. 

When we think something is really easy to do, we say, "That's a piece of cake." There's another phrase that means the same thing--"easy as pie"--but I don't hear it very often any more. 

The best students in the class are called "the cream of the crop". You could also use this to describe the best futbol players in Europe, or any other small group that you feel is the best compared to others like them. 

Talking with him about my problem gave me some food for thought (some ideas to consider). 

The issue of global warming is a real hot potato. Many people are passionate in expressing their opinions. 

He thinks he knows a lot, but most of the time he's wrong. You might say he's "out to lunch". 

I don't think his kind words are sincere. He's just trying to butter me up before he asks me for a favor. 

Well, that's a good taste of idioms based on food. I hope you don't think I'm nutty as a fruitcake!

Do you believe in luck?

Some call it luck. Some say it's just chance. What do you think? In any case, there are lots of English phrases that use the word "luck". 

Do you feel lucky? Are you willing to take a risk? 

I'm going to ask my boss for a raise. "Lots of luck" is all my co-workers would say. They didn't think I had a chance. 

I really lucked out when I got this job. It's been much better than I expected. I could have taken the a position with that other company that went bankrupt. I guess it's just the luck of the draw. 

Poor John. He's really down on his luck. After he lost his job, then his wife left him. 

You're a little late to the party, but lucky for you there's still some ice cream left. 

I'm sorry it didn't work out for you. Better luck next time! 

For those of you who know me, you could probably guess that I don't believe in luck. I think God has a plan. And I'm thankful that his plan for my life included meeting you.

Giving up

We have lots of ways to say we're finished: 

I will try once more, but if it doesn't work, I'm going to throw in the towel. 

We'll plant one more bush, and then we'll call it a day. 

It's never going to happen. You might as well give up. 

If his grades don't improve this semester, he will probably drop out of school. 

He was so frustrated, he finally threw up his hands and said, "I quit!" 

If he's late for work again, I think the boss will give him the ax. 

He was hoping for a raise, but instead he got a pink slip (he was fired). 

I hope you don't give up trying to improve your English. Every day is another opportunity to learn and to practice what you know.