Don’t be as busy as a cranberry merchant.

Today’s English
August 24th, 2017

It’s your situational needs, burning desires, unwanted commitments and exploiting responsibilities that make you busy with something.  A person who is fully engaged with official works loses the charms in family life.  One who is wrapped up with Facebook and WhatsApp gets disconnected with delights from Nature. At one stage, you stop your inner journey and get lost in the whirlpool of worldly affairs, only to feel sorry for your spiritual suicide one day.  Since the entire world is busy, English is rich with words, phrases and idioms connected with “busy" and here are some ways to talk about your “busy(i)ness”.

1. She kept herself occupied with preparing for TRB exam.

2. He was deeply involved in his thesis work.

3. Sorry! I was completely wrapped up in reading this novel and I didn’t hear your call.

4. We were toiling at shifting the furniture for the exam.

5. Staff members were rushed off their feet making arrangements to welcome the foreign delegates.

6. All staff look hard-pressed workers now. (busy with much work and less time)

7. It seems, you are absorbed in a new work. What’s it?

8. You are always immersed in some work. How can I contact you?

9. The market was bustling with buyers and sellers.

10. You have been on the go (=very busy) all day. Anything special?

11. She was on the move (=very busy) since it was the last day for record not submission.

12. Boss is unavailable now (=busy and no time to talk) and you may meet him in the evening.

13. You can’t talk to him now. He’s on duty. (Engaged with some official duty, busy at work)

14. She is tied up in a meeting till 5 o’clock. There is no chance of meeting her now.

15. He has been a busy beaver since he joined this job.

16. When admission starts, the whole place becomes “as busy as Grand Central Station.”

17. What is the use of being “busy as a popcorn in a skillet.”?

18. You may be “as busy as a cranberry merchant” but don’t forget how much your kids miss you at home.

19. My grandma kept the stork flying (=busy with given birth to children) and now half of the population of our village is our family. 

20. Sorry madam! I’ve too much on my plate now. Please come and see me later.

“Problem with an old friend who is too busy:
he always perceives you as if never changed.”
- Toba Beta, “Master of Stupidity”