Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast

We are digging into the archives this week to bring you the Christmas Spirit. Plus we talk *No Spoilers* about the new Christmas musical, Spirited. Then we jump into a RETRO episode on Christmas phrases, originally released December 23, 2020. This week we get into the Christmas Spirit while talking about the Christmas Blues. New plan, let's talk about both! Learn about some of your favorite holida...

This week, Shauna and Dan discuss the origins and usage of "Witching Hour". Along the way they talk DC comics, Ann Rice, and metal bands. Warning, Dan gives spoilers for the 1990 movie, Ghost. #BunnyTrails Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved  

This week Shauna and Dan open a can of worms which leads them to angry Canadians, military leadership, how the District of Columbia is governed, and French thrash/death metal. Bonus: David Sedaris, Olympic scandals that aren't what you think they are, and composting. #BunnyTrails Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved    

Thanksgiving and the World Cup conspired to interfere with the recording schedule. So you get a RETRO episode. Dan finds the Christmas season to be the spookiest of all, so he has selected episode 127: Penny Dreadful as this week's topic. It originally aired October 6, 2021. Dan is an uncultured swine and did not know what a Penny Dreadful was. Shauna educates him and explores the origins of and a...

This week Shauna and Dan answer the serious questions. Are bats really blind? What is a brickbat? And how many 80s cartoons can Dan reference in one episode? All this and more on this week's #BunnyTrails Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved  

Th is week Shauna and Dan look at the phrase "A Watched Pot Never Boils". This one is frequently misattributed, though not in the way you might think. Bonus: Art we can't see, songs we can't share, and places we can't visit. #BunnyTrails Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved  

Have you ever felt boxed in? Like you just wanted to get away? Shauna and Dan explore "The Great Outdoors" this week to help you capture that feeling. Bonus: Bird smells, 80s music, and a plethora of the Arizona Republican. #BunnyTrails   Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved    

If dogs are man's best friend, then why do we need to let sleeping dogs lie? And what about sleeping giants? Bonus: Fievel Mousekewitz, dark secrets, and time traveling ethics, all on this week's #BunnyTrails Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved  

This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase "Jump for Joy" and are surprised by its predecessor phrases. Dan rants about forks. Shauna and Dan both so off their skills with marine biology. Who do you think could jump higher, a dolphin or a seal? Silliness abounds on this week's #BunnyTrails Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved    

Why do we say sell like hotcakes? Does the answer have anything to do with early spam messages? Why do the Brits eat pancakes on Mardi Gras? Will Dan practice what he preaches when he says, "Words belong to their users"? So many question, but also so many answers on this week's #BunnyTrails Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved    

This week, Shauna and Dan track down some serious cuteness. This one is still a mystery as to why it is said, but your hosts debunk several myths about it in the process. Bonus: Shauna teaches Dan some new slang. Plus a song that is just pick-up lines. #BunnyTrails Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved    

This week the goose is cooked. Well, Shauna and Dan make the case that because geese were so popular during a particular time of year that many people cooked them. And that's why we call piloerection "goosebumps" and not "duckbumps" or "pigeonbumps", at least in English. But before goosebumps, we called it a few other things, too. Join us this week to find out more! #bunnytrails   Copyright 2022 b...

This week Shauna and Dan dodge traffic as they explore the phrase, Under the Bus. Even though it is a relatively recent addition to the English language, there are plenty of examples to use! Plus Shauna explains to Dan TicTok jargon, then she fawns over the smell of books.  Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved  

This week, Shauna and Dan look at the phrase Keep an Eye On, along with its variants throughout the years - most of which are still frequently used today. Bonus: Diana Ross, French dark comedies, and tandem surfing. #BunnyTrails   Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved  

Join Shauna and Dan as they dive deep into this Latin phrase. Did Caesar really come up with this one? Why is it three neat words in Latin, but twice that in English? Who is better, Nas or Lil Nas X? All that and more on this week's #BunnyTrails Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved  

This week Shauna and Dan start with the Old English definition of clouds and work their way through gods, science, and a mansplainy Italian to tell the story of "Head in the Clouds".  Bonus: An English sheep-shearing de facto dad. Plus Star Trek vs Star Wars. #BunnyTrails   Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

Shauna and Dan are full of joy and whimsy as they tackle a gloomy phrase in Under the Weather. Maybe it means you are sick or maybe it means you are drunk. Or in some rare cases maybe you are having some financial difficulties. But the biggest question of all... does this really have nautical origins? And if so... why do we first see it in print from a Texas Revolutionary? We have some, but not al...

This week we visit beautiful Costa Rica to learn how to live Pura Vida - the pure life. We learn why the people of Costa Rica are known as Ticos and explore how Pura Vida informs many facets of Tico society. Bonus talk about great food like Gallo Pinto and Casado! #BunnyTrails   Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

What do Star Trek and Gandhi have in common? How about Martin Luther King Jr and Teddy Roosevelt? They all get misquoted with some regularity. We explore several misquotes and misattributions on this week's #BunnyTrails Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

Do ever find yourself on social media and someone says something... um... problematic... and you know you just can't let it go? If yes, than you've joined us in pouring oil on the fire. Bonus content as we talk oil drilling, horse racing, butt emojis, and what to do on a rainy evening. It's the most fun anyone could have. Maybe. #BunnyTrails Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights...

Which came first, the toaster or sliced bread? I suppose it depends on how you define sliced bread, really. And while there are many things we might say are "the best thing since sliced bread", I've always wondered what was the best thing BEFORE sliced bread? All that and more on this week's #BunnyTrails   Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

This week mixes entomology with etymology as Dan explores the phrase Queen Bee. For thousands of years we called them King Bees, despite knowing for a good portion of that time the leader of the honey bee colony was female. Spoiler alert: It's Aristotle's fault. Well, his and everyone else who contributed (and still contributes) to systemic discrimination in nearly all our institutions. But thanks...

This week it's not rocket science. Or is it? Well, this week is definitely some maths, science, biology, chemistry, and engineering. Join us!!!   Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

This week is a Piece of Cake as Dan tackles the solo episode. Along the way we hear more World War 2 slang and learn about the Driveotron, a 1960s driving simulator. #BunnyTrails   Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

Newfangled? Old-fangled? What about simply fangled? Which is correct? Bonus: Crotchety crocheting, Red Dead Redemption, and why ribbons are better than buckles. Also, taxes. Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved