Clean-up in Aisle 2

Too many small blog ideas...must clean-up list a little:



"Je me Souviens" is Quebec's official motto, and is now on their license plates. It means "I Remember" - it's the first part of a motto written for Quebec in 1883. The granddaughter of the guy who originally penned it, eventually mentioned the second part that was never used: ...that born under the lily I flourished under the rose. Meaning that France basically ignored the people it sent to Quebec, whereas England, once it won the territory, did govern them more-or-less actively and occasionally even fairly.



When taking eggs from a carton, keep both a left-right and a forward-backward balance. If the carton is dropped on end, then more eggs are saved. And if you find out that you're OCD - you're ahead of the game.



Holland has a consulate in Bonnie Doon Mall here in Edmonton. The look and accents are close enough, so I'm thinking of filming my version of Lethal Weapon 2 there.



To see if your pasta is done, throw a piece at the wall - if it sticks, it's done. I've thrown one at my cupboard and seen the old one still there. For a short time I felt shame.



Examples of ineffective mentoring:

• Batman & Robin
• Xena & Gabrielle





Argument starter:

• Women use "Love" indiscriminantly: I love that wallpaper; I fell in love with that wicker basket; These fresh waffles are loverly.
• Guys selectively use "Love": I love the new overtime format; I love that new running back; I'd love to see Sigourney Weaver from Alien make out with Sarah Connor from T2.
• They do it knowing that admitting love, like admitting any other uncontrollable obsession, historically gives their enemies an 'in' to defeat them.
• Ergo, when guys say "I love you" - they mean it more.



When someone badmouths someone else, they're doing more than just being negative. Here's how Robert Pirsig sees it:

• When a shepherd goes to kill a wolf, and takes his dog along to see the sport, he should take care to avoid mistakes. The dog has certain relationships to the wolf the shepherd may have forgotten.



In homage to its spacefaring heritage, the area code for Cape Canaveral is "321".




When I was young and had just watched Popeye, I badgered mum into buying spinach. After one look into that can, I've never again craved it...and only eaten it when it's been hidden in something else. My face drop must've been priceless. And no, I didn't even try a tiny bit.



My friend Rich and I used to cycle in circles in a cul-de-sac for literally hours on end just talking. I don't remember even one specific thing we discussed.



Made-up words from The Simpson's:

• Introubulate: get someone into trouble.
• Embiggen: to enlarge or empower.
• Cromulence: fine, acceptable or normal; excellent, realistic, legitimate or authentic.
• Meh: deep indifference.
• Kwyjibo: a big, dumb, balding Northern American ape with no chin.



If the original Batman series is to be believed:

• Grimalkin is an obscure but nevertheless acceptable synonym for cat.
• Char is a colloquialism for tea.
• Saribus Sacer is a species of ancient Egyptian beetle, sacred to the Sun God, Hymeopolos. And from which the term scarab is derived.
• Oda Wabba Simba is known as six o'clock in our nomenclature. In the 14th dynasty, it was the hour of the hyena. The time when ancient Egyptian supercriminals invariably struck.



The correct nursery rhyme is:

• Peas pottage hot,
• Peas pottage cold,
• Peas pottage in the pot,
• Nine days old.

It's not porridge. Pottage is a stew of meat or fish with grains, herbs and/or vegetables.