Jonathan in San Diego, California, remembers his father answering How’s it going? with same old six and eight. The phrasing is very rare, but it may be a family or misremembered variant of the British same old seven and six, meaning things are...
Joyce, in Azle, Texas, say her grandmother used to exclaim, “That just beats a goose a-gobblin’!” whenever something awed or frustrated her. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Goose a-Gobblin'” Hello...
Hallmark Cards got its name from Joyce C. Hall, who bought an engraving shop along with his brothers in 1910. Would it have taken off had they just called it Hall Cards? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Naming Hallmark”...
wrench time n.— «But the mechanics do not simply need better instruction, Mr. Joyce said. The typical mechanic, he estimates, puts in just four and a half hours of “wrench time” during an eight-hour shift. Much time is wasted traveling...
squidel n.— «He often called her degrading names in front of the children. Names like “squidel,” which she says is another word for prostitute.» —“Convention forces Jamaican Government’s hand: More shelters for abused...
freeze dance n.— «No longer can kids be bored at a party. These days there has to be some sort of allotment for kids, even if it’s hiring a teenager to do freeze dance.» —“Party Gone Bad: Blame the Parents” by Joyce...

