Many of us have one or two catchphrases we use often. But some buzzwords make well-versed English speakers cringe. How many of these words and phrases are you guilty of saying? 1: Taking Things Literally Overusing the word “literally” in sentences drives some people up a wall. Why do you need to say, “I was…
British and American accents are clearly different, but it’s not just the accents that set them apart. Many expressions that Americans use are unfamiliar to Brits, and the opposite is also true. Mindfully American gathered some of the many phrases Americans use that drive Brits crazy. Has your British friend ever caught you saying one…
Regardless of the generation, many Americans look back on the past when they were young as some of the best years of their lives. From CDs and rental DVDs to the all-too-familiar noise of dial-up internet, there’s a lot to be nostalgic about from the 1990s and 2000s. Mindfully American gathered the ’90s and ’00s…
When in the last year have you picked up a book to read and finished the entire thing? If you’re like 46% of Americans, the answer is, “I didn’t.” That’s a troubling statistic, given that reading books offers benefits far beyond entertainment. Reading can strengthen critical thinking skills, build memory, improve one’s writing skills, and…
Florida has the second-largest population of Americans 65+ years old in the country. And it’s not just by chance: warm weather and no state income tax are some of the benefits that draw retirees to the Sunshine State. The problem? Florida isn’t always the paradise retirees expect it to be. During my five years living…
Quick: What’s your favorite holiday? And while you’re at it, what holiday is your least favorite? Currently, there are 11 federal holidays in the U.S., with Juneteenth being the most recent addition in 2021. January and November have the greatest number of holidays, with two holidays each. People who live in Washington, D.C. and work…
Americans are fortunate to live in the USA, where our relatively low murder rate is just one of the many advantages of living here. But with that said, some of us choose to vacation in countries with alarmingly high murder rates. Statista released data in February 2024 on the most dangerous countries in the world…
Some foreigners view Americans as severely obese individuals constantly at risk of being involved in a firearm incident. U.S. citizens know this isn’t (always) the case, but it doesn’t make it any less frustrating to hear a stereotype about us that just isn’t true. During my more than one decade of traveling abroad, I met…
Ready to stroll down memory lane? For those who experienced the 1950s and 1960s, these forgotten treasures from an era that deserves recognition will bring back fond memories. 1: Read All About It Sure, they still print newspapers, but they were much more prominent in the ’50s and ’60s. To get a job, many people…
Step aside, millennials and Gen Z. These 21 states have higher-than-average populations of baby boomers and silent generation members. If you’re over 65, you might want to consider moving to one of them to be in good company. The U.S. Census Bureau analyzed the number of Americans aged 65 years and older based on their…
