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Occupational hazard
Word of the Day: Occupational hazard There’s no such thing as the perfect job. Every job has its occupational hazards. I know, I shouldn’t be so negative. I don’t mean to rain on your parade, but somebody has to tell you the truth, and it might as well be me as someone else. No matter…
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On your game
WotD: On your game Although we would like it to be that way, not every day can be a good day. There are good days, bad days, so-so days, and then there are fantastic ones when you are really on your game. Those are the days you want to remember. When you’re on your game,…
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Black eye
Word of the Day: Black eye Once again, I’m starting my publication week with a simple word. As is typical for English, though, simple words are often not so simple at all. The term black eye can have various meanings, depending on the situation we use it in. People can have various eye colours, such…
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Actions speak louder than words
Proverb: Actions speak louder than words You know, they say the road to hell is paved with good intentions, but I prefer to say actions speak louder than words. As an English teacher, I understand it’s never good to use one proverb to explain another, but today, I couldn’t resist. Both of these proverbs have…
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Downtime
Word of the Day: Downtime It’s the Labour Day holiday weekend in North America. What better time to discuss the benefits of downtime than on what is traditionally the last long weekend of the summer? Downtime is an opportunity to stop working, relax, and not do much. Sometimes, downtime is our choice, and sometimes, it…
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Chip off the old block
Phrase: Chip off the old block Parents always seem to be so happy and proud when their children perform well. When a boy does well, the father will say they are a chip off the old block. If, however, their child gets in trouble, neither parent is willing to take responsibility. Of course, it must…
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Ambiance
Word of the Day: Ambiance For such a small word, ambiance can have a significant effect on people. It’s the mood of a place, the feeling you get when you are in a place or the atmosphere or mood you experience when you are around a person. It’s common for Japanese people to use the…
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Live up to
Word of the Day: Live up to (something) We all face pressure to live up to expectations placed on us. Live up to means to meet the expectations or obligations others have for us. From the beginning, our parents want us to be successful in everything we do. Most times, we not only live up…
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Two sides to every coin
Phrase: Two sides to every coin There’s almost nothing in life – people included – which is one-sided. That’s why English has the expression; there are two sides to every coin. It means there is always another way of looking at something or another side to the situation. The headlines in Japan these days are…
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Do-over
Word of the Day: Do-over Surely, there has been a time in your life when you very much wanted a do-over. Nobody is perfect, and we’ve all failed at one time or another. I remember learning the maxim if, at first, you don’t succeed, try, try again. The idea is that do-overs are always a…
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