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Greg Sullivan
August 21, 2025
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Wait, it's "toe the line," not "tow the line"?
By Annie Reneau
Before diving into this article, please be warned that it might rock your world in an "everything I thought I knew was a lie" kind of way. Being humbled by the dictionary can be a little disconcerting, especially when you're someone who was sure they had a solid grasp of the English language...but it's okay. We'll get through this together.
In fact, let me preemptively ease any blow to your ego. I'm both a former English teacher and a professional writer. I know my way around grammar and spelling and figures of speech. If anyone should know idioms, it's me, but alas, I recently discovered that some common phrases aren't what I thought they were. So if you find yourself in the same boat as we go through this list, you're in good company.
It all started one day when Merriam-Webster woke up and chose violence on X, blowing people's minds by casually correcting several idioms most of us get wrong. Rude? Yes. Informative? Also yes.
Only 4% of pet owners are thinking ahead
86% of pets aren’t insured. That means most pet parents could be on the hook for the sky-high vet bills that often come with unforeseen accidents and illnesses.
While it's impossible to pinpoint an exact percentage, it's likely your pet will get sick or injured during their lifetime. Pet insurance can help offset these unexpected costs. Many plans even let you choose a deductible and reimbursement level, which could allow you to arrive at a monthly premium you can afford. Check out Money’s list of their top pet insurance picks and start protecting your furry buddy today for as low as $10/month.
"It's just so hard taking the role of parent to your own parent."
It's a painful transition to watch your parents grow old and need help being taken care of. For many adult children, the responsibility falls on them to be caretaker. Often, it's an overwhelming decision.
The question about seeking additional help caring for aging parents from nursing homes or assisted living homes can be conflicting. It can also bring lots of guilt.
To help support others going through this difficult transition, a group of adult children with aging parents opened up about how they dealt with the guilt of putting their parents in nursing homes. They shared their personal experiences and how they processed the raw emotions of deciding what was best for their parents.
“Suddenly I was confronted with this image of what at that time felt like a mythical creature.” 🐦
Try this method next time someone says something rude.
By Tod Perry
Getting caught off guard by a rude comment from a coworker, family member, or total stranger can throw you for a loop. You immediately start wondering how you should respond. Should I insult the person right back or play it cool without stooping to their level? Everyone is going to be thrown by a disrespectful comment at some point, so it’s good to have a response in your back pocket for that moment when it comes.
Communications expert Jefferson Fisher provided a great response that we can all use recently on the Mel Robbins Podcast. Fisher is a Texas board-certified personal injury attorney and one of the most respected voices on argumentation and communication in the world. He is also the bestselling author of The Next Conversation: Argue Less, Talk More.
You can't ask a Gen X-er a question like this and expect a serious answer.
Every generation has its ultimate hero. Or does it? Perhaps for the Silent Generation, it's Jimmy Stewart. The Boomers? Clint Eastwood. Or any of the Easy Rider gang, like, say, Jack Nicholson. But in a recent post on Threads, someone posed the divisive question to Gen X-ers and many of them weren't having it.
The statement/question read: "If Hannah from Girls is the patron saint of millennials (which she is, don't argue), who does Gen X have? Is it Kurt Cobain?"
For anyone confused by this question, Hannah from Girls is a character created and portrayed by Lena Dunham, who is having a comeback moment with her new show, Too Much.