Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast

This week Shauna and Dan talk about the insect idioms that have crawled their way into the English language. Bonus: Phineas and Ferb, a foxtrot, and legendary scary monsters. Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

This week Shauna and Dan get spooky with Give Up the Ghost. This one is fascinating as it has remained mostly unchanged for 900+ years, though it's early usage wasn't meant to be figurative. Bonus: Generational Labels, Zany cartoon characters, and Shakespeare's rhyming schemes. #BunnyTrails Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

This week Shauna and Dan explore all that has been lost to the mists of time. Well, at least the phrase; which sounds spooky and spiritual. And maybe it is. Bonus: Calvin and Hobbes, peer pressure from dead people, amazing museums, and rhyming poems.  Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

This week Shauna and Dan explore the flattering phrase, to butter someone up. The origins are a bit murky, but we'll explore some popular theories. Bonus: Spanish Idioms, Friendsgiving, and Great Captains. #BunnyTrails Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

RETRO: Shauna and Dan return from Chicago armed with numerous parts of what newspaperman Mike Ryoko called "Chicagoese". We take a good look at the origins of Calling Dibs before doing snippets of other words and phrases like Ferris Wheel, Jinx, Pipe Dream, and more. Bonus: Dan wishes he knew I-290 was gonna be called the Eisenhower. It would have saved him so many headaches. More bonuses: Italian...

RETRO: Dan gets an earworm and it turns into an entire episode on the phrase, "Pardon My French". Cause that's how it goes sometimes. This week our phrase moves from the early 1800s literal usage to a current way to excuse bad language, with plenty of high points along the way. #BunnyTrails Originally aired May 19, 2021 Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved  

Dan hates on cucumbers. And a popular children's book series. And a popular TV mockumentary. But he is helpful in defining what a rundown is in baseball. Shauna explores a light history of pickling and the origins of "In a Pickle" on this week's #BunnyTrails. Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved  

This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, My Goodness. How can My Goodness euphemistically refer to a god, when the words god and good are not etymologically related? And did Shakespeare start this one? Bonus: John Gilroy's Guinness campaign and Goldilocks' mattress. Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved  

This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, Face the Music. Dan turns into an old man and yells at clouds while Shauna misses Bill and Ted. Bonus: Dan confuses Hugh Grant and John Hannah, then shares his dice collection. #BunnyTrails Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved  

RETRO: Science fiction and science fact collide this week as Shauna and Dan discuss the origins and fun pre-history of the word "earworm". And then they talk all about those songs that just won't leave your brain! But don't worry, there is hope as they talk about possible cures, too. So much practical knowledge on this week's #BunnyTrails! Originally aired January 6, 2021. Copyright 2023 by The Re...

This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase "Don't know him from Adam". Also works with 'her from Adam'. Or 'her from Eve'. Or so many other pronouns. Bonus: Georgian London Criminal Court, Christmas movies, and School Lunches. #BunnyTrails Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved  

This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "Barking Up the Wrong Tree". This episode is full of outlandish stories including an interesting tale by David Crockett, who preferred not to use the childlike moniker, Davy. Also, Shauna calls everyone born in 1980 or earlier "old". Bonus: Locutus of Borg, professional drivers, and the largest bear in all of America. Probably. Copyright 2023 by The Rea...

This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase "Airing Your Dirty Laundry". Except originally, it wasn't "airing". Nor was it "laundry". And on occasion, it wasn't even "dirty". Bonus: Modern Major Generals, Fancy Shower Curtains, and jilted musicians. Also, stick around for the post-credit scene if you like bad jokes. Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved  

This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "At a Crossroads", which has a strong association with blues legend Robert Johnson. Bonus: Search engine optimization in the 1700s and cool pet names. Also, how do you pronounce gnocchi? Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved  

Did you know "If you give them an inch, they'll take a mile" wasn't the original usage for this phrase? And the original usage stuck around until the mid 1900s? This week on #BunnyTrails Shauna and Dan explore the origins and past of this saucy phrase. Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved  

Harry S. Truman was known for his metaphorical way of speaking. This week's phrase, "if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen" was one he helped popularize. But where did it come from? Even Truman himself credits different people at different times. So join us as we explore this phrase. #BunnyTrails Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved  

This week Shauna and Dan explore the fast burning phrase, The Rabbit Died. We talk the history of early pregnancy tests and how that led to this interesting phrase. Along the way we hear about several TV shows that used the phrase and then talk about Billy Crystal doing CPR on a bunny. Fun times. #BunnyTrails Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved  

Shauna and Dan explore the money-grabbing phrase, Line Your Pockets. Along the way, we learn about Dan's dainty wallet, the Peculiar Miss Pickett, and how George Washington was against price gouging. #BunnyTrails Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved  

In this RETRO episode, we'll answer the age old question, Can you teach an old dog new tricks? Spoiler Alert: You can. Shauna and Dan talk vocal discrimination, materialism in the early 1900s, the downside of Martin Van Buren, and PCs vs Macs. Dan finds a new favorite song while also recognizing the although way we argue has changed, the fact that we are mean to each other when not speaking face t...

This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase Something to Write Home About. In it, we learn that old-timey writers couldn't call a whale a whale. Bonus: Presidential Prison Dentists, Shauna struggles with geography, and we decide the best oceans - once we figure out what an ocean even is. #BunnyTrails   Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved  

This week Shauna and Dan explore a southern work of art with "Bless Your Heart". Don't let the fact that it precedes the United States deter you from learning more about this versatile phrase. Bonus: Godzilla, Ms. Lewis' Third Thursday Ladies, and zucchini pickles. #BunnyTrails Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved  

This week Dan ponders why he lives in a place where the air hurts his face and he and Shauna explore the phrase Dead of Winter. Bonus: Made up bands, magical self-cleaning kitchens, and the meme-tastic Samuel Johnson. #BunnyTrails Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved  

This week Shauna and Dan explore the borrowed phrase, Quid Pro Quo. Dan laments not learning any Latin in school, while Shauna boasts about her High School teacher who added a little culture to her learning. Plus, what do you call it when the hair on your arm stands and end and gets all bumpy? All this and more on this weeks #BunnyTrails.   Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights...

This week Dan takes 30 minutes to issue a retraction for something said in episode 159: Best Thing Since Sliced Bread. But we weren't alone in this mistaken information. Newspapers, governments, and historical websites were all taken in by a hoax on who invented this household appliance. Join us as we explore a long-running Wikipedia hoax and dive deep to find who really invented the electric toas...

Just deserts doesn't have anything to do with sweets, but Shauna has a tip to help you spell the sweet treat versus the arid climate. Bonus: Dating/Alien-Fighting Sims, Paul Newman (but not that one), and choosing between too hot or too cold. Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved