Things People Say That Irk Me

This is a partial list of trite phrases and sayings that I never, ever want to hear again. Whether it's from overuse, misuse, or dislike of the people who use them, I'm not sure. What I do know is that my list is even longer than this, only I've been jotting things down on random scraps of paper or trying to commit them to memory for several weeks, and these are the only ones I can remember. Doh! So, here goes...I'll add to them later if my memory returns, or if the scraps of paper survive the laundry.


"Town Hall Meeting" If it doesn't take place in a town hall, then it's not a town hall meeting. This isn't friggin' Mayberry, and you're not Sheriff Taylor. Stop it.


"He never met a stranger." What you really mean to say is, "He talked too f-ing much" or "He had absolutely no clue about social boundaries." I LIKE being a stranger to most people, so back up off me.

"Hotlanta" No offense to Georgia. This one is all due to a sportscaster on a the local TV station years ago who took special pride in saying it in the most annoying way he could muster every time the Braves were in the news.

"In this economy..." Aside from the fact that the grammar is wonky, if I had a nickel for every time I've heard this phrase, "this economy" wouldn't be bothering me.

"Delmarva", "Norva", "Carova"...and any other squishing together of place names. Is it really easier to say "Norva" than northern Virginia? Soho is the only one of these I can think of that doesn't make me want to throw things, and that's probably because I never knew it stood for South of Houston (St.) until a few years ago.



"I'd like to pick your brain." Yeah, well, I'd like to kick your ass. We're even.