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On the wagon
English Idiom: On the wagon Did you know that many people get on the wagon in January? Yep, it’s true; it’s tough to find a seat or a place to stand at the beginning of the year. You see, after all the drinking and partying during Christmas and New Year’s, many people feel they need…
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Rustic
Word of the Day: Rustic Today’s word, rustic, is quite similar to the word quaint. Regular readers of my posts may remember the word quaint from December 16, 2017. If you don’t recall the word, you may want to click on it to refresh your memory. Anyway, these days, simple, unfinished and rough things, such as furniture,…
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Give (someone) the flick
English Phrase: Give someone the flick Have you ever had to give someone the flick? Now, before you ask what ‘the flick’ is, let me explain. It means to reject them. If you have ever had a boyfriend or girlfriend break up with you, you have felt rejected. To be more precise, it means to reject…
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Frumpy
Word of the Day: Frumpy Today’s word, frumpy, is often used to describe clothing which is old-fashioned, perhaps out of date and not very attractive. Once again, I will call on my quirky ladies as an example. These ladies are wearing frumpy clothing. Their clothes are not very attractive and are somewhat out of date. Keep in mind, however,…
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Spend a penny
English Idiom: Spend a penny How would you like it if you were trying to spend a penny without paying and someone started to take away the portable toilet? Would you think it was funny? The first thing to know is that spend a penny is a euphemism that means to use the restroom. In…
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Lost art
Word of the Day: Lost art If you live in Japan for any length of time, you will need the soon-to-be lost art of hanko carving. This is because everyone in Japan needs a hanko – a personal stamp or seal. Other countries such as China, Korea and Taiwan also use personal seals. The thing…
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Hit the ground running
Idiom: Hit the ground running I’ve always thought hiring a new employee who can hit the ground running is better than hiring an inexperienced person who needs to be trained first. As I get older, I also wonder why some companies discriminate against older workers. In many cases, older…no, mature workers already have the skills that companies need.…
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Wintry blast
Word of the Day: Wintry blast So, North America has somehow managed to survive the latest wintry blast. You may have heard about the frigid temperatures in Toronto, Boston and New York. Did you know it also snowed in Florida, and alligators were frozen in the ice in North Carolina? The weather has been enjoyable the…
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Going concern
English Idiom: Going concern ArtisanEnglish.jp has been a going concern for a little over two years now. Wow! Time flies. On Monday last week, ArtisanEnglish.jp had its second anniversary. That’s right; it continues to grow, albeit slowly. A business that is successful and growing is usually called a going concern. Although ArtisanEnglish.jp is a…
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Cursive writing
Word of the Day: Cursive writing Let me ask you a question. How often do you write with a pen and paper in cursive writing? I don’t mean jot down a shopping list. I mean, how often do you sit down and write a letter or a few pages of text? Hardly ever? Me too.…
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