Dave Ventresca

This week’s idiom of the week is one the Apto team knows well! We’ve been so busy preparing for the kick off of our Phase 2 Beta, we haven’t had even a minute to stop and “catch our breath.” A phrase that can be used in a couple of ways, to “catch your breath” can … Catch One’s Breath

Definition: As defined in Linda and Roger Flavell’s book Dictionary of Idioms and Their Origins, a “bad egg” is an idiom that means an untrustworthy person, and a “good egg” is an idiom that means a dependable person (page 112). Use: “I think Peter’s tactics are sometimes wrong, but I thought what he did against … A bad/good egg

Whether you work for a large company or a small company, on big group project or small, are juggling a school course load, or trying to execute your childrens’ after school schedules, life can feel like you’re herding cats. These situations apply to everyone, but as ex-pats, it could be twice as hard because of … Herding Cats

Back to square one! Back to ground zero! Oh wait… we probably shouldn’t define one idiom with another. Whoops! Anyway, if you’ve ever been working on a project or classwork, only to have an idea fail or find that your entire plan was unsuccessful, then you know what it’s like to have to reevaluate your … Back to the Drawing Board

“Boy, it is hot out here today. It seems so much hotter than normal, and I feel so strange. It’s hard to explain, but nothing feels right, and I can’t seem to catch my breath. And why are all these people staring at me. Haven’t they seen a fish out of water before? Wait – … Fish out of Water

Your “neck of the woods” refers to the area you come from or where you live currently. While this phrase might have specifically referred to forest settlements during its inception, it is now used more loosely, referring to urban settings as well as rural ones. “Stomping grounds,” on the other hand, refers to a place … Stomping Ground / Neck of the Woods

Every heard someone say “Jack of all trades”? Who’s Jack? And what does he do? This idiom, or figure of speech, can be broken into two obvious parts: “jack of all trades” and “master of none”. The real “meat and potatoes,”* or substance, of this phrase as a whole is “jack of all trades,” so … Jack of all trades, master of none

In modern conversation, this phrase is generally used in a light-hearted, humorous way when two (or more) people make the same choice or share a similar opinion on something. There are some days that you and your best friend show up wearing the same outfit: black jeans, plain tee, and a denim button down tied … Great Minds Think Alike