I have a confession to make. In addition to all of the rest of my geekery (computers, mathematics, physics, etc.), I have been a language geek ever since I could speak. Until I could read, I asked my mother awkward questions whenever I heard a new expression. As soon as I could read, I could often be found (if anyone thought to look) reading reference books. In particular, I loved to read dictionaries! Occasionally, I actually sat down to read the dictionary as if it were a novel, but my forays into the dictionary were usually accidental. I would go to the dictionary to look up a word that I had come across in my reading. For normal people, this task would take a very few minutes to execute. As for me, it could take an entire afternoon. I would begin, as expected, by looking up the word in question. This is where most people would close the dictionary and go back to their regularly scheduled activities. I would see other definitions of interest, spreading like wildfire across the seemingly bleak landscape of the weighty tome. Next thing I knew, it was time for dinner, or it was bedtime, or in really extreme cases, time for breakfast. If my parents asked me what I had been doing, I would casually say that I had been reading, and they would assume that I had been reading a novel or a comic book.

Well, There is a reason for my confession. I stumbled upon the World Wide Words web site, while googling for the origin of the expression 'with bated breath'. I know you were all wondering about the origin of this term, as well. I could just give you the answer, but I think it is worthwhile for you to visit 'World Wide Words' to find out for yourself. You will be sucked into the vortex, just as I had.

Now that you have heard about my affliction, and its treatment, U cn go back 2 the activities which U wr busy w/ before U stopped 2 read ths post.