Jamie Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 Hey y'all TCMers. I don't know why, but I am hardly on this site anymore. It's summer--no school--but still. Alas. What is wrong with me?? ~~~ Anyway, I wanted to ask where the origin of the term second banana came from. Also, how did the term "powder room" came to be? What, exactly, are the Golden Years? Is it an age or is it an era? or both? ~~~ Does anyone miss me here? Just curious. See y'all around! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgeear Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 My 1960 Dictionary of American Slang has this to say about 'second banana': ''The most important, or senior comedian is the 'top banana', the next is the 'second banana', and so on.'' The dictionary goes on to say that the 'banana' refers to the ''soft water- or air-filled banana-shaped bladder club carried as a stand. item by such comedians, and usu. used to hit other comedians over the head.'' Interesting; I had never known where that originated. As far as the other phrases, the same slang dictionary says 'powder room' as another word for 'ladies room' derives from the female habit of saying 'powder one's nose' for visiting the ladies' room. Golden years -- usually means the retirement years, but occasionally people use it to mean certain era, like the 'Golden Years of Hollywood' probably pre-1960 or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Posted June 6, 2005 Author Share Posted June 6, 2005 Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeedan1927 Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 The phrase "golden years" has a long history, going back centuries. I remember that Benjamin Franklin made this still-timely observation in Poor Richard's Almanac: "The Golden Age never was the Present Age." PS: It's hard to believe that the 300th anniversary of Franklin's birth is coming up in January, 2006! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fssbdgtsue59 Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Hi People! I am going to interrupt your thread for just a few moments in order to ask a burning question I have: How and where do you get those smiley faces emoticons and how are they able to be posted on a forum? I would really like to know as I am stuck on those little bits of mirth and want to get some for myself. Thanks. Back to the topic of record: What Are The Origins of THESE? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Posted June 7, 2005 Author Share Posted June 7, 2005 To answer your question about and the like, what you do is this:: hit the shift button and press down on the key next to the letter 'L', you know the one with : symbol and ; below it. Then for your smileys, hit shift then hit the parathesis keys over the 9 and 0 and there you have your smileys. Some of them don't work as well as happy, sad, or winking ones. Have a ball! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fssbdgtsue59 Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Hi jposkitt1983! I tried your method as I understood it and got nothing back. Do you have to be in a certain mode before they will appear? Also, I have a DELL computer which is not set up like normal ones are.. what you can do on a normal one I can't on the DELL. When you say "hit" the shift button does that mean you just tap it once and let it go? How long do you press down on the key next to the L? Then do you lift up on that key to "hit" the shift button again and then push it down and push down both parenthesisbuttons down at the same time or do you press one then the other? I'll be watching for another reply--thanks. OK I think I got something but there is no picture of the smiley face in yellow with black eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fssbdgtsue59 Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Hi again jposkitt1983! You are right. It didn't show up when I was typing it but it did show up after I posted the message. Thanks a bunch!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Posted June 7, 2005 Author Share Posted June 7, 2005 Hi! Yess, great! Glad you got it figured out! Sorry I didn't reply sooner, however. K, I will see your smileys on the boards soon then! ~Jamie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fssbdgtsue59 Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Hi jposkitt1983 ! I blew one face as I used the wrong key. What keys can you use to make different faces? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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