Not to be ungrateful, but isn’t this the case year after year? The same food is served each year, the same relatives show up, the same conversations are had, and on it goes. Part of the tradition of Thanksgiving and other holidays is the familiarity of the unchanged.
Perhaps you like the comfort of the same. The same people that were late last year, were late this year. If you didn’t like the cranberry salad that your mother-in-law made last year, odds are fairly high that you didn’t like it this year. Kids may have grown little taller, parents and grandparents have shown their age a bit more, and the most dysfunctional habits of relatives may have reached a new high or low. But wait, aren’t we comforted by knowing what to expect each year?
How would it work if your sister who operates on her own time showed up early? Or, what would occur if your not so favorite uncle talked about what is right with the world and not start discussing politics the moment he walked in the door? I am not sure that we would be able to handle these changes.
So I guess we can take solace in the holidays, whether you enjoy them, or cannot wait for them to be over, at least we can agree that they are indeed predictable.
]]>As a writer it is my business, my passion and my hobby to put words to paper, the Internet, brochures, or whatever other mediums I am assigned. I appreciate words. No, scratch that, I am in love with words, phrases and how to cleverly put them together. I get the different styles of writing and how powerful words and phrases can get folks to jump off their duffs to make a purchase, listen to an opposing viewpoint, and learn of events outside of their sandboxes, and on and on.
The potency of the words, ethical lapse used in this particular segment gave me pause. What was this? I know, I know, it was a euphemism. Remember those? Yep, the ability to replace a mild word or phrase that is less offensive than what is really intended.
I was quickly reminded of my blind dating phase, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth. When I would inquire as to what my mystery date looked like, I would frequently hear, “He has a great personality.” After several dates lasting longer than the American Revolution I wised up and knew that it really meant was that he sweat profusely and laughed loudly at his own jokes.
So what was really meant by the words ethical lapse? Did the Congressmen have a problem telling the truth? Or to be blunt, did they lie? Then I got to thinking, what really went on with the writers who had to spin this piece. What other phrases were bandied about? Moral amnesia? Displaced honesty? Truth deficit disorder?
Who says writing isn’t fun?
]]>Fast-forward to now. I am married to my husband who came with a son and a dog. The dog has since left earth, and the son is still here. As with most unions, people come with stuff. The luggage that two people bring to a relationship would make most airlines rich with the overweight fees. Is it easy? Nope. Are there times that I want to keep my thumb in my mouth and not deal with my marriage? Absolutely.
As tomorrow marks another Valentine’s Day, I am reminded how hard I work to make my marriage work. Similar to running, there are those days I find it hard to put one foot on the pavement and others when I could keep going, hills and all. While I would like to take full responsibility, I do need to give an audible shout out to my husband who allows me to have my tantrums, listens to my never-ending epiphanies on most all subjects, suffers through my cooking adventures and still manages to pull the car into our driveway each night. I am loved. And, I love back.
Tomorrow I will give my husband a card that he will pretend to read, look at me and laugh and give me a kiss. We stopped exchanging gifts several years back. And, as I remind him on a fairly regular basis, I am his greatest gift.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
]]>Ok, blogs-a-doodle-doo fans, today I am going to write about “empty words, phrases, etc.” Yes, at any given time we have fallen victim to, or been culprits of, meaningless, empty words and phrases, and in some instances, paragraphs.
A pretty good example of this started over 12 years ago, right around the time I got married. A very nice couple, friends of my parents, supposedly bought us some of our stemware. And, I did say supposedly, because to date, and by my calendar today is Sunday, June 6, 2010, we have yet to receive said gift.
About twice a year for the last 12 years, we have run into this couple and the wife always reminds us (but I think she may be reminding herself) that our wedding gift is in their basement. She giggles, and says how sorry she is, yet no gift. Now, I know that they have moved at least once since our wedding. My husband and I have bets to the whereabouts of the crystal. I say it was sold at a garage sale. He thinks that they kept the glasses and are now part of their collection in their new house. Maybe I should try and score a dinner invitation and just take what is rightfully ours. I don’t consider that stealing, do you?
My husband is famous, much to my chagrin, for using empty words. It goes something like this:
“Honey, can you please hang up your clothes?”
“Sure.”
The clothes remain on the floor.
Or, how about the obligatory, yet meaningless phrases when you run into “friends” who you have no intention of seeing socially, yet, the empty phrases flow off your tongue like a politician running for re-election. “Yes, we really do need to get together,” I say with an insincere smile. If my thought bubble had a voice it would interrupt this charade and scream, “Ok, who am I kidding? We both know that this ain’t ever gonna happen.”
So, I guess the lesson learned today is to make sure that we don’t use empty words in our conversations. It is alright to greet the acquaintance that you have no burning desire to see socially, with a sincere smile, a firm handshake and say, “Good to see you. Hope you are doing well.”
I am trying not to pollute the universe, or at least, my corner, with useless and empty words. If you don’t mean something, don’t say it. Lulls in a conversation don’t give me the green light to fill it with idle and silly chatter.
]]>The banter went something like this:
Business person #1 said, “About the meeting.”
Business person #2 rolled their eyes and muttered, “Really?”
Business person #3 laughed and said, “Seriously.”
Business person #1 nodded their head and answered, “Right?”
I thought they were playing a game of charades. They all seemed to understand what the other was saying and this went on for maybe 30 minutes. They left before we did, which was probably a good thing because my head was about to detach from my neck after listening and trying to decipher their ping pong game of dialogue. My friend agreed and we continued to converse in complete sentences. It went something like this:
Friend said, “How are you doing? It seems like forever since we last got together. I have a lot going on and would love to hear your perspective.”
I said, “I am well. It is really nice to see you! I am excited to hear about what is happening in your life, and happy to help.”
We had a nice time talking in complete sentences.
I get that sometimes one word responses are appropriate. But when did this phenomenon of trading “one worders” originate? I blame it on the adolescent stock response to parental direction of any kind, “Whatever.” That word has been banned from use in our household. Couple this word with eye-rolling, and you have a combustible combination. I digress.
Try using spell check with “one worders.” It will indicate that it is a fragment. Ha!
I certainly hope that these “one worders” won’t replace the art of conversation. It’s almost as if texting has stunted not only our vocabulary but our willingness to engage in lively discussions. Can we not be bothered to participate in a meaningful conversation where we may learn something, be entertained, or stimulated? Really?
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Awesome: We get it, it's super fantastic, stupendous, marvelous, and sublime! I cringe when I hear it, and even more when I realize that I have used this word as an adjective. It’s tired and needs to go away.
At the end of the day: Ok, at the end of the day don’t we usually wash our faces, brush our teeth, read, watch television and go to bed (or those that work a regular work day)? What happened to words such as “concluded,” or “summarizing?” Please don’t assume that you know what I do at the end of my day, thank you.
Reach out: There are a lot of assumptions with this phrase, and let me just stop there. If one more executive puts in an e-mail, or requests in a meeting that we” reach out” to someone, something or somewhere, I might do something silly. Why can’t we do what we did prior to having to “reach out?” I don’t know, how about ask someone for what it is that you need, and just cut the middle man or woman of reaching out completely out of this directive. Reach out needs to remain as part of the lyrics to one of all time classics, “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)” by Diana Ross.
To your point: I should have put this at the top of my list. This phrase makes me c-r-a-z-y!!! When you are having a conversation with another person, and you are responding to them, isn’t it assumed that they have a point? Why must we belabor this and use it over, and over, and over again? Again, more words than we really need, and this is coming from a wordsmith!
That said: Another redundancy, and cliché. If someone just proclaimed, asked, or muttered something, I don’t need to be told that it was just said, especially if I was the one making the statement!!! Arrrggghhhh!!!!! Sometimes I feel that others just like to hear themselves talk and need to summarize (which if you were paying attention is the new “at the end of the day”) the conversation as if it is their responsibility!
Words should be our own. We are individuals and I know that we all have something to say in our unique voice. Can we please stop talking the same and have a conversation with purpose and just use the words we know, not what others have tried to make vogue, trendy and totally not needed?
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For those of you who wish to add to this list, great! Words rule!
]]>As self-serving as this may sound, and I am sure it does, graphics are aesthetically pleasing to you and most that read your branding, whatever the medium, but (and to quote Pee-Wee Herman, “Everyone I know has a big butt”) if the content does not match or exceed the graphics, you have an issue.
I am big on similes. A great website with poorly written copy is like an expensive pair of shoes. You shell out a lot of money on some fabulous kicks, but would you seriously wear just one of the pair? How many websites have we all visited that were simply amazing, easy to navigate but the copy left you disappointed or fuzzy as to what message was trying to be conveyed? This can be insulting to many of your prospects. And, yes, most folks visiting your site can read, and read well.
I frequently hear that a company is an expert in their business, and that they do not require my professional writing services. Ok, I concede that they may be the experts in their business but does that mean that they are professional writers? Often, the copy that is written may be slanted to a sales pitch, or a highly technical tilt, which may be effective when the audience is industry, peers, but what does it do with prospects or existing clients? If they don’t understand what you do, they won’t buy what you sell.
Everyone is concerned with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) which is an essential element and helps boost and sustain internet rankings. I just believe that it goes deeper than that and the content needs to rock the house and bring forth some type of action. No one got rich by having their prospects thinking they have such a pretty website. Your company’s personality needs to be woven into the content, which could quite frankly spur someone to pick up the phone, e-mail, Tweet, write a post on Facebook, get a badge of whatever from Four Square, all leading others to give your business some type of commerce be it transacted between screens, bank accounts, or sweaty palms. Is your current copy luring or deterring?
Go ahead; scrutinize your existing copy from a buyer’s perspective. Based on what you see, would you buy from you? Does the current verbiage really explain, describe, what you do; what you want others to do? Is it concise? Do you have a positioning statement? What would make you want or have to have your service or products? What differentiates you from all the other businesses that create what you do?
I would hate to see all of you walking around with one of your expensive new kicks and an old ratty tennis shoe.
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As a writer I cringe when I read a misspelled word, wherever it is. Who became the mayor of Misspellingville and deemed it acceptable to do this? Many people will admit that spelling is a weakness, yet don't feel it is important to be able to do so when communicating! Arrrrggggghhhhh! And, this misuse of grammar and the ability to spell correctly has seeped its way into many businesses websites, e-mails, Facebook posts, and other communication venues. It is an epidemic that needs to be stopped!
There are varying opinions as to how many seconds someone spends on a website before a decision has been made to stay and explore, or quickly exit- I have heard anywhere from four to ten seconds. All of this matters not when something is not spelled correctly. Respect your audience, and only populate your websites, e-mails, and any other way you communicate, with correctly spelled words and complete sentences, pretty please!!!
Many of us feel it is hip or edgy to abbreviate and uze r own vrson of wrds, but guess what, it isn't!!! In fact, it is a deal breaker to me, if you don't care about the accuracy of your message, why would I read what you are trying to say? I subscribe to the "pretty is as pretty does" philosophy, and we all were exposed to an English class at some point in our educational experience. Why is it OK to misspell, but not OK to say x may equal y, but not definitively, perhaps it equals whatever I think it should equal? When did math class trump English class? I hate math, but as a participating member of society am expected to use it correctly. I am quite sure that my mortgage company would accept my check for a lesser amount.
Ok, deep yoga breathes, out with bad, in with the good. It is time for me to step down from my soap box, and I thank you for the opportunity allowing me to rant! Good grammar and spelling to all!
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