Quiz Guy John Chaneski presented a word game we couldn’t refuse based on the line in The Godfather, “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.” Except in this game, he can’t refuse is replaced with other words that...
A swinging song by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra called “I’ve Got a Gal in Kalamazoo” drops the line “What a gal, a real pipperoo.” A homeschooling family in Maine wonders just what a pipperoo is. For one, the suffix ...
Sure, it’s scary to send your writing to a literary agent. But pity the poor agent who must wade through hundreds of terrible query letters a week! One of them shares excerpts from those hilariously bad query letters on a blog called SlushPile...
It’s all about terms of endearment: If your loved one is far away for a long time, you’re probably tired of just saying “I miss you” over and over. For variety’s sake, there are some creative alternatives to that phrase...
If the phrase “I miss you” feels drained of meaning after using it over and over, try this line from To Kill a Mockingbird as a substitute: “I wonder how much of the day I spend just callin’ after you.” This is part of...
It’s the business of business jargon. Say you’re in line at the drugstore. Does it bother you if the cashier says, “Next guest”? In department stores and coffeeshops, does the term “guest” suggest real...

