So this is the last of the colloquialisms. In the time it took me to find them all, no doubt new ones were born. It’s been an interesting exercise. Too often we take things for granted or dismiss them entirely. Think about this — Even the humble napkin had its inventor. It’s the same with language. Someone made a connection and used words to describe it.

I’ll give you an example: Three sheets to the wind is nautical in origin. But what does that have to do with being drunk? Sheets are sails and this actually has to do with all four corners of a sail being tied down. Imagine the wind filling a sail..see it bulging..the ship steers straight ahead. Now imagine the wind on a sail where all the corners aren’t tied down. The sail flaps uselessly, the ship goes here, there ship goes there. Like the walk of a drunken sailor. 

I like making connections. Many years ago, a man named James Burke did a fabulous show on PBS called Connections (The episode that tied the potato to processing immigrants at Ellis Island was particularly fascinating). It’s been years since I’ve seen them. When Borders went under and the store in my area was closing, I was there with everyone else buying my stack of bargains. There on a shelf was the entire Connections series marked down to pennies. I made a bee-line and was mere inches away when a hand came out of nowhere and snatched it away. I hate when that happens. Not being one to wrestle in stores, tempted though I was, I walked away disappointed. They’re all on youtube now. If I can find a moment, I’ll watch them again. I highly recommend them.
http://www.youtube.com/user/JamesBurkeConnection  Ah youtube, where would this info nerd be without you?

If you’re here for the first time, my recent posts on this blog, excluding the Sneak Peek on Sunday, have been all about colloquialisms and proverbs. Scroll back to previous posts to find Americanisms, as well as Nautical, Biblical, and Shakespearean additions to our everyday conversation.

Without further ado…I give you the last batch
Variety is the spice of life * Virtue is its own reward * Walls have ears * Walnuts and pears you plant for your heirs * Waste not want not * What can’t be cured must be endured * What goes up must come down * What you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts * What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander * When in Rome, do as the Romans do * When the cat’s away the mice will play * When the going gets tough, the tough get going * When the oak is before the ash, then you will only get a splash; when the ash is before the oak, then you may expect a soak * What the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over * Where there’s a will there’s a way * Where there’s muck there’s brass * While there’s life there’s hope * Whom the Gods love die young * Why keep a dog and bark yourself? * Women and children first * Wonders will never cease * Work expands so as to fill the time available * Worrying never did anyone any good * You are never too old to learn * You are what you eat * You can have too much of a good thing * You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink * You can’t have your cake and eat it * You can’t get blood out of a stone (turnip)* You can’t make a silk purse from a sow’s ear * You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs + You can’t make bricks without straw * You can’t run with the hare and hunt with the hounds * You can’t teach an old dog new tricks * You can’t judge a book by its cover * You can’t win them all * You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar * You pays your money and you takes your choice * Youth is wasted on the young

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Join us today at Romance Books ’4′ Us

for Author R. Ann Siracusa’s blog day. She’s been in romance a long time. Come see what she has to say today.
http://romancebooks4us.blogspot.com

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I’m participating in The Romance Reviews month-long event. There are prizes to be had!
Find their link on my satellite blog http://calliopeswritingtablet.blogspot.com/

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What’s up next? Two blog hops ahead on the satellite blogs. Testing the Amazon affiliate service called Ask David. Two guest appearances. And yesterday, one novel in the making finally gave me a wonderful storyline and I’m going full bore on it now. I realistically see a completion before the month ends.  (remember I was working on three at once) Busy busy.

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It’s Sneak Peek Sunday!

A Sneak Peek from a Victorian, polyamorous love story – Loving Leonardo – The Quest 
The story that began in Loving Leonardo continues in Loving Leonardo – The Quest. Both novels were written to be reader-interactive. The main observer in this romantic tale is Nicolas Halstead, a man of means who has only recently come to discover profound truths about himself. It is through his perspective that we see and feel his Victorian world. An art historian by profession, Nicolas regularly compares life to art. Because of this, he leaves many references to artists and artworks scattered throughout the pages. These weren’t artworks randomly chosen off a list when I wrote the tale. They were carefully-considered art references placed to convey Nicolas’ thoughts, feelings, and impressions in a given moment. All art is emotion, and Nicolas wears his heart upon his sleeve. It isn’t necessary for the reader to look up each artist or artwork, though to see what Nicolas sees will certainly add color to the tale. I hope you enjoy.

Up to this point in the story Nicolas, Ellie, and Luca had been on a quest. Guided by clues found in a rare book, they comb da Vinci masterpieces searching for declarations Leonardo da Vinci left for his lover Salai. Just as they’re about to find another in Paris, a telegram comes and Nicolas rushes home to London. Ellie and Luca follow a few days later. In this scene, Nicolas shares some unsettling news — Count Bruno lives.

My Sneak Peek:
Luca sat back in his chair and tipping his head back, covered his face with both hands. His fingers curled into the midnight strands at his forehead. “Why? Why didn’t I kill him? Why didn’t I look to see if the monster was dead?”

“We just wanted to be gone from that place. We were fooled. After what you’d just been through, I’m the one who should have made certain he was dead, not you. And he certainly appeared dead to me.”

Sitting straight, Luca looked at me, sadness deepening the blue of his eyes. “I am so sorry. I am responsible for this tragedy. Bruno would never have come if not for his obsession with me. I wish it had been me instead of your Thomas.”

I shook my head.

Ellie echoed the sentiment. “Don’t, Luca. How could either of you have suspected he’d survive such a fall?”

It wasn’t the reunion any of us wanted. Matters were far too dire. By necessity we spent the next hour or so discussing Bruno in London. Our conversation lingered on the need for caution. My fatigue weighing heavily, there came a point where I simply couldn’t absorb any more. I rose from the settee and held my hands to them. “I’ve experienced such heartache this week, I can’t think anymore. I’m so very tired. I haven’t had a full night’s sleep since before our storm at sea. My soul needs respite. Come to bed. I want nothing more than to hold you both and escape these anxious thoughts.”

Here’s a portion of a great LLtQ review

5-Stars
What a wonderful ending to this two part series of Loving Leonardo. Rose Anderson’s writing palate is amazingly colorful. Every word, phrase, and sentence have specific meanings that embed a picture in your head as you read, and you are in the scene yourself. The growing love between Nicolas Halstead and his wife Ellie is lovely, then add Luca Franco and you have a sensual, explosive, beautiful relationship. The reader is a full partner in their joy with each other. There’s no doubt that their love will stand the test of time. Secondary characters are realistic – people you can imagine knowing in your own life. The scenes of danger and suspense are well written and chilling. This book and it’s predecessor, Loving Leonardo, are so much more than erotic romance. They are learning experiences, art studies, history lessons, and most important of all – they are just darn good stories. ~ Author Jane Leopold Quinn

…and the trailer

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And on my satellite blog…http://calliopeswritingtablet.blogspot.com/

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And over on the RB4U blog…
come learn about award-winning romance author, Nina Pierce 
http://www.romancebooks4us.com/

۞>>>>۞<<<<۞And on my other satellite blog I’m involved in The Sexy Snippets Come see! http://calliopesotherwritingtablet.blogspot.com/

Monday’s looking so busy.

Ever wonder who said it first? Think about A stitch in time saves nine. Who thought that up? I’ve always assumed it was Benjamin Franklin, but it was old by the time it made its way into Thomas Fuller’s Book of Proverbs (1732). A stitch in time is a cautionary proverb that makes sense — fix a repair when it’s easy and requiring little effort (one stitch) rather than wait and make larger repairs after it’s worse (nine stitches). Thinking about it now, I’ll bet dollars to doughnuts it’s has nautical origins. (lol who made that one up?)

Word nerd that I am, I’ve wondered about stuff like this since childhood. Ok, so someone says too many cooks spoil the broth. So let’s say there’s a kitchen full of people standing around to hear it. They must remember the phrase and repeat it often for it to root itself into language. They all must tell two friends, and the friends tell two friends..and so it goes. That’s huge. Honestly though, was it that memorable a phrase to allow it to linger through centuries?

Maybe it’s like the 100th monkey theory The-Theory-of-the-100th-Monkey    Perhaps many cooks around the world made the same observation at approximately the same time. Perhaps what we see in this proverb today  is a blending of all those observations. Could that be how proverbs catch on like they do? Similar wording for similar observations = common usage across cultures = a place in our society’s daily vernacular? Yes, I think too much.

Please note: I do not own Mr. Burns. He just stopped by. Consider his presence a pitch for the intelligent poke at society known far and wide as The Simpsons.

I wield words daily. As far as I know, none have slipped into the realm of colloquialism. As far as I know…
LOL

If you’re here for the first time, my recent posts on this blog, excluding the Sneak Peek on Sunday, have been all about colloquialisms and proverbs. Scroll back to previous posts to find Americanisms, as well as Nautical, Biblical, and Shakespearean additions to our everyday conversation. When woven together, they make up a tapestry of thoughts, insights, and cultural input. In other words, they’re one of the things that make us, us. Keep on the lookout for Rose Anderson tidbits. When you hear them, you’ll know where you heard them first!

This batch of T’s is the last of them and appears heavy on Shakespeare.

There’s more than one way to skin a cat * There’s no accounting for tastes * There’s no fool like an old fool * There’s no place like home * There’s no smoke without fire * There’s no such thing as a free lunch * There’s no such thing as bad publicity * There’s no time like the present * There’s none so blind as those who will not see * There’s none so deaf as those who will not hear * There’s one born every minute * There’s safety in numbers * They that sow the wind, shall reap the whirlwind * Third time lucky * Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it * Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones * Those who sleep with dogs will rise with fleas * Time and tide wait for no man * Time flies * Time is a great healer * Time is money * Time will tell ’tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all * To err is human; to forgive divine * To every thing there is a season * To the victor go the spoils * To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive * Tomorrow is another day * Tomorrow never comes * Too many cooks spoil the broth * Truth is stranger than fiction * Truth will out * Two heads are better than one * Two is company, but three’s a crowd * Two wrongs don’t make a right.

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Join us today at Romance Books ’4′ Us

for an interview of Author  Jenna Rutland. Get inside an author’s head and see where those stories come from!  
http://romancebooks4us.blogspot.com

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I’m participating in The Romance Reviews month-long event. There are prizes to be had!
Find their link on my satellite blog http://calliopeswritingtablet.blogspot.com/

New today http://mysexysaturday.blogspot.com

“Have your senses titillated with hot writing, tame to sensual to explicit, from authors near and far.” “Post 7 paragraphs or 7 sentences or 7 words. The choice is yours.”

I have 7 posted on my other satellite blog. http://calliopesotherwritingtablet.blogspot.com/
Multiple blogs are infinitely useful! 

Tomorrow — The Sneak Peek.

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My recent posts on this blog, excluding the Sneak Peek on Sunday, have been all about colloquialisms and proverbs. These perfect words to use in any given moment are occasionally quite profound. Nearly all are so commonplace, it’s easy to forget that someone said them first to convey their particular thought in their moment. And now they convey ours.

If you’re here for the first time, scroll back to previous posts to find Americanisms and proverbs, as well as Nautical, Biblical, and Shakespearean additions to our everyday conversation. When woven together, they make up a tapestry of thoughts, insights, and cultural input. In other words, they’re one of the things that make us, us.

Today, I’m adding more to the T proverbs. I’m nearing the end…really…

The devil gives work to idle hands * The devil looks after his own * The early bird catches the worm * The end justifies the means * The exception which proves the rule * The female of the species is more deadly than the male * The fruit does not fall far from the tree * The good die young * The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence * The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world * The husband is always the last to know * The laborer is worthy of his hire * The law is an ass * The leopard does not change his spots * The longest journey starts with a single step * The more the merrier * The more things change, the more they stay the same *  The opera ain’t over till the fat lady sings * The pen is mightier than sword * The price of liberty is eternal vigilance * The proof is in the pudding * The road to hell is paved with good intentions * The shoemaker’s son always goes barefoot * The squeaking wheel gets the grease * The truth will out * The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach * There are more ways of killing a cat than choking it with cream * There are none so blind as those, that will not see * There are two sides to every question * There but for the grace of God, go I * There’s a time and a place for everything * There’s an exception to every rule * There’s always more fish in the sea * There’s honor among thieves * There’s many a good tune played on an old fiddle * There’s many a slip ‘twixt cup and lip.

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Join us today at Romance Books ’4′ Us

for an interview of Author Denyse Bridger. It’s always fun to get inside an author’s head. 
http://romancebooks4us.blogspot.com

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Then, head on over to The Romance Reviews for their month-long event. There are prizes to be had!
Find their link on my satellite blog http://calliopeswritingtablet.blogspot.com/

New for me tomorrow. Have you read my books? Which novel’s 7 should I use? http://mysexysaturday.blogspot.com

“Have your senses titillated with hot writing, tame to sensual to explicit, from authors near and far.” “Post 7 paragraphs or 7 sentences or 7 words. The choice is yours.”

My 7 will be up on my other satellite blog. http://calliopesotherwritingtablet.blogspot.com/
Multiple blogs are infinitely useful! 

See you Sunday for another Sneak Peek.

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