Throughout the years, certain common phrases have always made me raise an eyebrow whenever I heard them. Here are five common phrases with interesting origins.

5) The Whole Nine Yards

When I first heard this expression I thought it had something to do with American Football. I should have realized that it wasn't about football, because in American Football a team needs to get ten yards to keep possession of the ball. It's probably best that I never became a head coach for an NFL team...

“Now remember, if you get nine yards, fall down. I know it seems like an odd number seeing as the field has a total of a hundred yards but... that's how the saying goes, so let's stick with that.” – Coach NickelNDime

Origin

Origins of this one is a little murky. The earliest use of it was in the article, “Paint The Town Red” published in 1885. It read:

“What a silly, stupid woman! I told her to get just enough to make three shirts; instead of making three, she has put the whole nine yards into one shirt!”

What does that even mean? I've looked at it for a bit, and its roots were sexist, or in a demeaning tone, but that's just my interpretation of it. Whatever the reason, it was soon used as an idiom to describe a person giving it all they had when trying to achieve a goal or task. It has stood the test of time because I still hear it being used.

4) There's more than one way to skin a cat

When I used to work in construction (Yes, a teenage NickelNDime used to swing a hammer...) there was an old timer who would always use this term, and it always bothered me. The crew would be listening to the foreman give his basic plan so the crew was all on the same page, and Grampy McOldtimer would utter, “You know, there's more than one way to skin a cat,” as his lit cigarette would dangle from his mouth. It became so predictable that I could mouth the words as he would say the words. Maybe that's why this expression bothers me...

...or it might be because somebody actually came up with multiple ways to skin a cat, and then brag about it.

Origins

“More than one way to skin a cat,” is just the most up to date usage of a very old saying. Apparently, animal cruelty wasn't an issue back in the 17th century which is the oldest written use of this phrase. Although the phrase didn't use cats, but another furry human companion:

There are more ways to kill a dog than hanging,” – John Ray’s collection of English proverbs 1678.

The oddity about these phrases is that it's clear what they meant, however, there is no explanation of why people chose these methods.

3) Baker's Dozen

“Make it a baker's dozen.” I would hear customers say when I worked at an Italian bakery growing up. Yes, I had quite a few jobs in my teenage years. Management of these establishments saw my free-thinking lifestyle not as free thinking, but rather lazy. Why thirteen? I often wondered. It was my boss who explained it to me.

Origin

Medieval bakers were often subjected to floggings and fines if they were caught selling smaller loaves than they quarantined. Most of the bakers didn't have scales at the time. On top of that, it was next to impossible to guarantee the same size loaf every single time. To avoid a fine or public beating, bakers just started throwing an extra loaf to be sure. It's probably a good thing that I wasn't a medieval baker...

“You see, man,” the baker uttered as he took a big drag from his medieval pipe, exhaled and continued, “The reason they make bakers count thirteen as a dozen is because of the Big Wheat industry. The more I sell, the more I need to buy from them!” – NickelNDime.

2) I've got a bridge to sell you

This phrase is used to imply that a person is gullible. People will use it along these lines: “Well, if you believe that, than I've got a bridge to sell you!” My father-in-law will usually say it to me after I've stated something that is known or proved to be true... better known as a fact.

Origin

I actually love the origin to this phrase. There was a man named George C. Parker, who around the early 1900's illegally sold plots of land that he did not own. One of his most notable cons was the Brooklyn Bridge! He would sell sections of the bridge to unwitting marks and quickly run off with their money. The people would not realize they were conned until they tried to set up a toll booth on the bridge and the authorities would show up and shut them down.

1) Paint the Town Red.

I remember hearing my grandparents use this term when I was really young. As a little NickelNDime, I thought this actually meant that grown ups would get dressed up, grab a bucket of red paint, and go to town painting everything.

“I mean, why wouldn't grown ups just go to a movie, and then coffee afterwards?” – a very confused young NickelNDime

Origin

I, young NickelNDime, was pretty accurate in his assumption, but was just off by a couple of centuries. In 1837, the Marquis of Waterford, a known drunkard and trouble maker of the time, went on one of his legendary binges. He led a group of his friends on a night of vandalism. They stole door handles, knocked off potted plants, and yes... they painted buildings red.

There are two points I'd like to make before I give my review on CBS' mini-Series, “The Stand”.

1) I'm a Ginormous Stephen King Fan!

I've read so many of his books throughout the years. In fact, for awhile instead of introducing myself to new people in the traditional way of, “Hi my name is 'insert name'. What's your name?” I would instead announce the number of Stephen King books I had read up to that point in my life...

“I want you to hear me say the number **seventeen**, and I want you to carry it around with you for the rest of your days. Yeah that's right, I've read seventeen Stephen King books.” – NickelNDime greeting someone for the first time at a diner party.

2) I Didn't Even Finish the Mini-Series I'm About to Review.

That's right. I have never reviewed something that I haven't read/watched/listened to several times, but with this one I made an exception because...

This version of “The Stand” might be the worst adaptation of Stephen King's work ever! I'm including, “Maximum Overdrive” when I make that statement.

For those of you who don't know, “Maximum Overdrive” was directed by King himself, and was so awful King afterwards stated, “I will never direct a movie again.” It probably didn't help that he was coked out of his mind, and mentally checked out when he couldn't get Bruce Springsteen to play the lead.

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Yeah this, “The Stand” adaptation was worse than that. First, let's go over the storyline.

The Plot or Storyline:

The Stand is a novel of epic proportions. The story begins with a virus escaping from a secret military base. After the virus is exposed to the outside world, ninety nine percent of the population is wiped out. If I recall correctly the first half of the story from the book follows a select number of characters as the world and society fall apart into an apocalyptic landscape. Each character's storyline is fleshed out in the original material, and the reader has a very good understanding of who each character is.

The surviving one percent of the population then splits into two groups. The first group follows an old woman named Mother Abigale, who is old and feeble but almost saint like in her kindness. The other leader is a handsome yet seductive leader that preys off of people's fears and desires. It's the classic showdown of good vs evil while maintaining very deep connections to the main characters throughout the story.

So What Went Wrong With the Mini-Series Adaptation?

In a short summary... everything.

The new adaptation(There was a mini – series in the 90's) used a lot of flashback scenes. There's nothing wrong with this technique, however it's done so poorly that anyone not familiar with the story is completely lost while watching it.

Character development is almost non-existent. Stephen King is known for writing so much detail into his characters. He'll write a thirty page event that happened to a secondary character years prior in the storyline, only to help describe the current scene in more vivid detail. The mini-series had none of that.

Lastly the storyline is almost none existent. Nothing, and I mean nothing is explained in the whole storyline. There's no nuance that was in the novel, or original mini-series for that matter.

This mini – series played out like...

“Oh no, there's an awful plague!”

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To...

“We should start a civilization. This time we're gonna do it right!”

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To...

“Wow starting a new civilization, is really hard...”

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And finally...

“Now there is a bad guy, that we think is a demon of some sort... but we're not going to dive in the source material too much... so just take our word... he's really, really bad, okay? Is anyone still watching?”

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This just reaffirms my long held belief that art can not be manufactured. Money and talent can help, but if the concept is bad to begin with, then it becomes an achievement just to reach mediocrity as a finished product. The best example I can point to is the original “Star Wars: A New Hope,” to the last installment, “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.” The original was shot on a shoestring budget, and is regarded as one of the best films in cinema history. The most recent installment had so much capital invested in it but was so awful that by the end I was actually routing for Emperor Palpatine.

I know we are supposed to suspend our disbelief when watching science fiction, but someone should have rolled up a newspaper and smacked J.J. Abrams on the nose and said sternly, “NO!” when he pitched this idea.

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In Summary...

I'm not against remakes, but there is a cavoite to that. The remake has to be as good, or as better than the original or the source material. A good example of this is the original, “Batman” movie directed by Tim Burton. That set the bar pretty darn high. I would say Christopher Nolan reached that bar with, “The Dark Knight.”

Unfortunately this version of, “The Stand” appears to not have even come close to reaching that bar. In fact, it never even left the ground.

NickelNDime Out!

With a membership to Coil, you help a growing community of independent content creators like myself. It's a new concept to rid the internet of paywalls or advertisements.

There is a paralyzing fear that follows me around in my professional career. It's the kind of debilitating fear that Edger Allen Poe lamented about in, 'The Raven.' You know the kind. It's the kind of fear that keeps you up all night until morning creeps in through the window to let you know that you now have to start the day on no sleep. It's that kind of fear.

What is this fear, you ask?

Is it the fear of falling on stage?

If only I was this graceful...

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No... try again

Is it a fear of breaking a string on stage?

If only I had this much control...

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No... One more guess.

Is it the fear of female listeners not being able to control themselves when they hear my singing voice?

The director recalled to a journalist years later that he had gotten the idea for the opening scene to, “A Hard Day's Night” after watching a crowd of females go nuts after a NickelNDime show.

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Nope sorry

The thought that repeats over and over in my brain is...

What if I'm playing a gig somewhere and someone requests a Slack Key Guitar piece, and I don't know how to play it and then everybody stands up at once and calls me a fraud?

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Never mind if nobody has ever requested it, there's always a chance. Well, I got tired of losing sleep over not knowing how to play Slack-key and decided to do something about it!

What the heck is Slack – key guitar?

Slack – key guitar is Hawaiian fingerstyle guitar music. The origins of the genre are pretty interesting. When cowboys from Mexico introduced their Spanish guitars to Hawaiians in the late 1800's, the Hawaiians did not care for how the instruments sounded. So, they tuned the strings until it sounded pleasant to their ears! I'm always fascinated when cultures collide and a new music genre is born.

To say Slack – key has a different tuning on the guitar is quite the understatement. There are over 50 different tunings for Slack – key guitar!

The actual reason I learned this song was because it's been playing on my wife's music station and I thought it would be nice to play something I knew she enjoyed. Also I found that learning something completely out of your wheel house is always a great way to break out of learning ruts we can all fall into!

Anyways... Hope you enjoy it!

https://cinnamon.video/watch?v=515372032771228987

Isn't it so relaxing to listen to?

NickelNDime, out!

For a monthly subscription of $5.00 to Coil, you could enjoy the content below this line. There's a blog and video lesson on how to play this song. Totally worth it, if you ask me.,,

Lesson 1

Before you go, “Wait, the first lesson was on August 14, what gives?” Well, let me explain. I wrote this lesson during a renovation of my home, and totally forgot about it! As I was scrolling through all my unpublished articles, I stumbled across this one and realized, “Oh yeah, I remember this!”

Why are so concerned about where I've been, what are you writing a book about me?

“Where the hell is NickelNDime? He's so much funnier and better looking than Gallagher.” – What I imagine goes through my reader's heads when they haven't heard from me in awhile.

* Just in case you didn't get that reference Gallagher was a comic from the late 70's early 80's that smashed fruit on stage.

Anyway, let's pick up where we left off, the second picking pattern.

1) The first step is to play through the last part. When you get to the last picking part, where your 1st finger is on the 2nd fret, and your 4th finger is on the 3rd fret, DO NOT TAKE YOUR HAND OFF!!!

2) You're going to slide your fret hand until your 1st finger is on the 10th fret, and your 4th finger is on the 12th fret. This step requires practice all on it's own, so make sure you take the time to be able to transition between the two positions comfortably. The good news is that's all your fret hand will have to do during this section. The bad news, the picking hand gets a little more intricate during this section.

Set Up for Picking Hand:

Thumb rest on the 5th string.

Pointer rest on the 3rd string.

Middle rest on the 2nd string.

Ring rest on the 1st string.

The picking pattern is as such:

Pinch* – Pointer – Middle – Thumb – Pointer – Middle

*Pinch = Thumb and Middle at the same time.

That pattern is played twice.

The Rhythm:

The count of this picking pattern has some 16th notes so lets break it down.

| 1 + ah 2 e + |

Remember the numbers are the down beat. If you have difficulty hearing the rhythm, listen to and count it here:

https://cinnamon.video/watch?v=398517554630362249

If you have any questions feel free to reach out to me!

NickelNDime Out!

A week ago I was wearing my David Bowie T-Shirt when my four year old pointed to Ziggy Stardust and asked, “Who is that?” My face lit up. I set my music collection to play David Bowie and, “Heroes” was the first song to play. As my boy and I were listening to it, the song reaffirmed my believe that David Bowie was a musical genius in his own right.

Why is this song so great?

Because of the lyrics, you silly little goose you!

...sorry I'm around two toddlers now, so this is how I talk now. Deal with it, I know I am.

Starting with the lyrics it draws from a very specific situation, yet they are so open everyone can relate to them. It tells the story of a couple sharing an embrace at the cost of risking their own safety. The first verse sets the setting:

I, I wish you could swim
Like the dolphins, like dolphins can swim
Though nothing, nothing will keep us together
We can beat them, for ever and ever
Oh we can be Heroes, just for one day

The two know it can't last, because whatever force trying to keep them apart will eventually succeed, but in that moment they have each other.

The second verse is great because it's full of optimism yet at the same time filled will despair:

I, I will be king
And you, you will be queen
Though nothing will drive them away
We can be Heroes, just for one day
We can be us, just for one day

One of the lovers proclaims they can be royalty however in the next line the listener is reminded that someone or something will not stop until they are taken from each other. The last line illustrates how dire their situation is if being heroes means being themselves for just one day.

The last verse puts the whole story in focus:

I, I can remember (I remember)
Standing, by the wall (by the wall)
And the guns, shot above our heads (over our heads)
And we kissed, as though nothing could fall (nothing could fall)
And the shame, was on the other side
Oh we can beat them, for ever and ever
Then we could be Heroes, just for one day

This song takes place at the Berlin wall. One of the lovers is from East Berlin, the other is from West Berlin. As the guns and bombs are blowing up all around them, they have each other. In a world that is chaos, nothing else matters to the two but each other. My favorite line of the song is in this verse. “And the shame, was on the other side,” part is a very powerful statement. It means nothing they two lovers did was wrong, and anyone trying to keep them apart would have a had time justifying their actions.

While the lyrics draw upon one specific time in history, the message is still the same. Maybe being a hero doesn't mean you have to save a thousand people from a burning fire, or rescue a drowning person. Maybe being a hero means doing what you know is right, in the face of extreme oppression.

That's just my interoperation of the lyrics. I could be wrong. I smoke a ton of the devil's lettuce.

https://cinnamon.video/watch?v=483223949744801019

Hey, let me ask you something, do you have $5.00usd a month to join Coil? You could read below this line and get a music lesson out of it. I know, asking payment for my content is insulting and I'm sorry I asked.

Wow! Has it been a year already? Yes it has, or I wouldn't be writing this article, you Silly Billy! You're probably asking yourself, “Is there any way we can celebrate this joyous occasion of NickelNDime being on Cinnamon for a year?”

The answer is, yes.

Yes, there is, and I will tell you how...

BY DISPLAYING MY TOP 5 FAVORITE VIDEOS I'VE POSTED ON CINNAMON!!!

5) Fiddler's Green - Posted 12 Months ago

https://cinnamon.video/watch?v=176949981612083001

A year ago I was bored and a was taking requests from the Coil community. I believe Sandra was the first to message me and request, “Fiddler's Green” by the Tragically Hip. I had heard of the Tragically Hip, but not the song. It was a great experience learning a song I would have never even listened to. Thanks Sandra!

4) K9 Grid Iron – Posted 10 months ago

https://cinnamon.video/watch?v=213151734153873306

You didn't know I could direct, act, compose, and produce a high budget film, did you? Well, I can! K-9 Gridiron was a game that was so fun to play with Zoe and Topanga in their younger days. I remember thinking to myself when I first posted this video, 'Welp, I better change my name and hire an agent, 'cause this video is about to break the internet.' You can imagine the shock on my face when I realized I couldn't quit my day job after I released this.

3) Nightlapse, Northport, Mi – Posted 2 months ago

https://cinnamon.video/watch?v=425485242980107413

When I did this time lapse six years ago, I realized it was pretty cool. Unfortunately, the best way to show friends and family was to individually invite them to my home residence one at a time:

“Thank you for making the treacherous journey to my residence. I see the help have shown you to my study, terrific! Now, if you would be so kind, I took a time lapse you must see. After we watch it on a loop for several hours, we'll have my personal chef prepare a nice warm supper of mutton. Which is of course as you know, the cuisine everyone is raving about these days.” – NickelNDime trying to relate to the common folk.

When Cinnamon announced Cinnamon Shorts I finally found a place for this specific piece of content! Which was a relief, because it became rather expensive to rent a mansion and hire a staff just to show my friends a 15 second clip. I don't want to brag, but the Cinnamon short I've made of this has been viewed over 2.4 thousand times! Don't worry, I already contacted the IT department at Cinnamon and asked them if they wanted me to take it down so their network wasn't overwhelmed.

They still haven't responded, so I think it's okay if I leave it up?

2) Blackbird (Cover) wsg Catera Combs – Posted 3 months ago

https://cinnamon.video/watch?v=398517554630362249

This was such a wonderful project to work on. Catera has such a wonderful voice, and I hope to work with her again in the future. I wrote about the whole experience when I made the video. You know you've made something good when you show it to people you know and yell in their face, “HEY!!! LOOK WHAT I MADE!!! IT SOUNDS GREAT!!! I'M BETTER THAN YOU!!!” and then you push them down, and run away.

Thanks, Catera! I look forward to collaborating together in the future!

Before we get to No. 1, here are some honorable mentions...

Solitary Man (Cover) wsg Tom Kuster

https://cinnamon.video/watch?v=458090488205936404

View from Mesick Cabin

https://cinnamon.video/watch?v=425174277608703431

Yellow Ledbetter (Pearl Jam Cover)

https://cinnamon.video/watch?v=378031943389808378

and the No. 1 video from my channel is...

Drumroll please...

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Wait for it...

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Any minute now...

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You want this to stop don't you?

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Okay, I'll stop. The 1st place goes to...

1) Shelter From the Storm (Dylan Cover) – Posted 3 months ago

https://cinnamon.video/watch?v=373186927953708135

Sometimes things just work when you hit the record button, and that's how this project turned out. If I recall correctly, this was done in one or two takes, and it felt good when I listened to the playback. I hope to capture many more moments like this in the future on Cinnamon. Wouldn't it be great if this platform is still around in five or ten years?

Then I could totally do a, “Best of the NickelNDime Channel, hosted by NickelNDime!!!”

Don't act like you don't want to see it.

I know I do!

Take it easy, but take it!

NickelNDime Out!

For five dollars a month you could read below this line. If you like seeing ads constantly pop up or are on the side of your screen and commercials before every video you watch, then it probably isn't for you.