stupid or annoying expressions

[RC-1162]

It means any pair of situations one is put in where both actions are dependent on the other one being completed first.

but what exactly could be two interdependent scenarios?

[Totenkopf]

As I recall, the story referenced take place among bomber pilots in WW2. The only way a member of aircrew could be exempted from further missions would be due to some form of mental instability. However, the catch (hence the title) was that in order for you to recognize that you were unbalanced, you had to be quite sane to notice that problem. Hence, you were NOT in fact unbalanced and therefore not exempt from further missions. Sort of like the expression...damned if you do, damned if you don't. Either way, you're pretty much f***ed.

[Jae Onasi]

"A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush"--I believe this was originally a hunting reference--if you had a sure shot at 1 bird, you take it, even if there's a flock of them not too far away. It's better to take the sure thing, even if it might be less, than to go chasing after the bigger prize and possibly not getting it.

 

"A stitch in time saves nine"--it's a sewing reference. It's better to repair a small tear in clothing with 1 stitch, than wait until it's a big tear that requires a lot more work. So, it's general meaning is 'do a little work to fix a problem while it's small, instead of having to work 10 times harder if you put it off and it becomes a big problem.'

 

"Where's the beef?" I loved this one when it came out, and it was _the_ ad campaign for the year and put Wendy's on the map. It started as a Wendy's (fast food restaurant) ad to show that their burgers were bigger than other fast food chains. This little old crabby lady goes to a fast food place 'home of the big bun' and orders a burger. She received a burger with a huge bun and a hamburger patty about the size of a pickle. In response she spouted, "Where's the beef?" She went on to do a number of 'Where's the beef' commercials for Wendy's and that line got said pretty much everywhere in the US in the mid-'80's, including by Mondale when he was running in the presidential primary. The phrase itself came to mean 'give me something of substance instead of a bunch of fluffy crap'.

[tk102]

The idiom "Go it alone" -- I think go sounds horrible as a transitive verb and this idiom is by far my least favorite, having been used in the media frequently often to describe U.S. policy in Iraq.

[Darth InSidious]

The use of present participles pisses me off. Like 'thanking you'. It's 'THANK YOU', FFS. IMO,the present participle is something you should try to avoid in the use of English, unless in the employment of the Historic Present, or other rather specific uses.

 

Past participles I can laugh off and usually do, but not before adding 'These things having been completed, Caesar [insert random deeds here], because almost invariably, those that use past participles tend to have been Latin students at one time or another.

[St. Jimmy]

@St. Jimmy:I see you got your new avatar, looks great man. It also isn't making me want to gouge out my own eyes. Anyway nice one man!

Yeah, thanks dude. Although, It really wasn't that hard to find an avatar that was prettier than the one Devon made me use.

 

It means any pair of situations one is put in where both actions are dependent on the other one being completed first.

It comes from the Joseph Heller novel of the same name.

Cheers. Years and years of not knowing and all I had to do was ask.

 

As I recall, the story referenced take place among bomber pilots in WW2. The only way a member of aircrew could be exempted from further missions would be due to some form of mental instability. However, the catch (hence the title) was that in order for you to recognize that you were unbalanced, you had to be quite sane to notice that problem. Hence, you were NOT in fact unbalanced and therefore not exempt from further missions. Sort of like the expression...damned if you do, damned if you don't. Either way, you're pretty much f***ed.

While that was put in easier terms to understand, I'm now confused. Is it from WW2? Or from the Joseph Heller novel?

[SithRevan]

Yeah, thanks dude. Although, It really wasn't that hard to find an avatar that was prettier than the one Devon made me use.

Well in anycase it looks awesome...and you are staying true to Greenday!

[Totenkopf]

Not certain where Heller got the title Catch 22 from for his novel. Could always do a search if you're curious enough.

 

 

Also another annoying expression is "my bad".

[Fuu]

I thoulght of another one: "Take it with a grain of salt". I never got this. It always sounds weird, considering that salt is unpleasant on its own (who likes to eat salt straightup?!?). You'd think the salt would make an experience worse....... then gain I do know that when you put a small amount of salt on a tomato it become sweeter. Maybe its about making the situation seem sweeter then it is?

[HerbieZ]

(who likes to eat salt straightup?!?)

 

On my home planet, it's a delicacy.

[St. Jimmy]

(who likes to eat salt straightup?!?)

I used to get up in the morning and cook some toast, and have nothing on it except salt. I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I've stopped doing it now.

[Bob Lion54]

I abhor stupid people. I work in customer service so I've seen my share of idiots... Seriously, how some of these people can be so dumb is beyond my means of comprehension.

 

The phrase, usually asked at a fast food drive through, that really pets my peeve is "what flavor soda you want?"

 

Inquiry. Can someone explain the origin of the phrase "five by five" in relation to the question "how are you doing?" I know it means "I'm fine," but where does it come from?

[Ray Jones]

I thoulght of another one: "Take it with a grain of salt". I never got this. It always sounds weird, considering that salt is unpleasant on its own (who likes to eat salt straightup?!?). You'd think the salt would make an experience worse....... then gain I do know that when you put a small amount of salt on a tomato it become sweeter. Maybe its about making the situation seem sweeter then it is?

 

"Take it with a grain of salt" means something near "not believing something unconditionally", "might not be the absolute truth" or "not without doubt". In other words: "to take something with caution".

 

Like, you may take it with a grain of salt when a girl says she loves you, because she might just be trying to lay you. On the other hand, you may take it with a grain of salt when I say this, because I might be trying to trick into not getting laid by this girl. Then again, you may take this all with a grain of salt because maybe she really loves you but is pro abstinence and you just want to get laid. And so on .. and so forth.

[Rogue15]

got a few of em i hate.

 

'git 'r done' and the one i hear/see more and more every day: 'oh snap'

 

i also hate kids and teenagers that dress and act like sluts. i also hate young mothers (people that just dont look old enough to have kids=puke puke puke). and i hate parents that let their kids misbehave in public. use the belt, or break out the baseball bat of doom for crying out loud.

[Ray Jones]

Where's the problem with kids "misbehaving" in public. I mean, did they kill your grandma or the like? In other words, could you please define "misbehave in public" any nearer?

[Negative Sun]

You're looking for something and then someone goes: "When's the last time you saw it?"

 

My answer: "Well if I knew that you a$$hat, would I still be looking for it?"

[Ray Jones]

Better, "*where* did you last see it"..

 

Although, on the other hand, and sometimes, it helps..

[Negative Sun]

How does it help?

 

Isn't the natural way of looking for something trying to think of where you last saw it? Why would you need someone else to state the obvious for you?

[Ray Jones]

Well, maybe you just think you saw it last where you are searching, but in fact it was somewhere else. By being asked "where" from an external source, you are thinking about it again, going it all through and possibly remember that you last saw it at X but later took it to place it somewhere near Y because you needed space around X. Something like that. Although I admit that answering questions while looking for something in a hurry can be somewhat annoying.. XD

[Rogue15]

i work at walmart. i see too many devil spawns. misbehaving such as

 

screaming their heads off

backtalking

crying

yelling

 

edit because it could get me in trouble or somesuch.

 

another thing i hate is when they use those rollerblade shoes nearly running into me while i'm shopping.

[Ray Jones]

I don't really think you can solve that with a belt or baseball bat. Especially *not* used against the children and not in public. I would, however and to some degree, agree that you sometimes need a belt or bat for the parents, but not for the children under no circumstances. However, this goes far off the thread's original topic.

 

Then again, I'm curious how you differ between "crying", "yelling" and err "screaming their heads off" X)

[tk102]

"Happy Christmas" should be "Merry Christmas"

 

It's just about the only context we use the word "merry" anymore and probably the only holiday that doesn't automatically get "happy" prepended to it.

[Jae Onasi]

Kids get tired and hungry, and sometimes you just have to get the diapers and formula because you're close to being out. I hate taking my kids shopping when they're tired and/or hungry, but there have been a few times when I had absolutely no other option.

 

I don't like teens/pre-teens of mouthing off to their parents (usually their mothers) in my office. And I really hate it when the mothers sit there and do nothing. I've told more than a few kids "Hey, in _my_ office, you will respect your mother." I had one young kid retort "I don't like you," to which I responded, "I'm not here for you to like. I'm here to do your eye exam." He was very surprised that someone actually didn't care whether or not they were liked by him, and we got the rest of the exam done at peace after that.

Not saying any of you teens here do that much, btw, though we all have our moments where we can and do get in our parents' faces. However, know that if a teen does try to mouth off in public, the vast majority of the time all it does is make a teen look like an immature jerk. There is a big difference between disagreeing respectfully and disrespectfully with a parent.

[JediMaster12]

Well said Jae. I work a second job as a cashier at Burger King and we get ALOT of families with kids. They are horrible! I know that they are little and can make messes but when I was four or five and even younger, my parents never let me make a big mess in public. Even if I did as kids are wont to do, they tried to clean up as best as they could and tipped the waiter/waitress very well for putting up with it. Most of the time, parents lets their kids leave their half eaten burgers and chicken on the seats or the table. Disgusting work. I understand the missed little crumbs but half eaten? Oh vey.

 

The one expression that really ticks me off is when a mother says, "Oh he's a good boy. He would never do that." In my opinion, if the kid did something like rob a store a few times, that constitutes as not being a 'good boy.' I have seen that theme played out on TV crime shows so much that the result is always the same: I get pissed and start cussing much to my dad's surprise.

[St. Jimmy]

When I see a small child skitzing in the shops, the first thing I do is look to the parents. I truly feel sorry for the adults that are desperately trying to stop a tired/hungry child. I get so pissed off at the parents who do nothing about a howling kid though. And it's not like they're even trying to get out of the damn store! They just slowly wander down the aisles while their kid freaks out behind them. ..... sorry.

 

Another thing I hate is when someone says, "It's always the last place you look." you ****ing dumbass. Just.... choke.

Also, I irritates me when some person at the check-out gives me like, 5 cents change. I KNOW they're only doing their job, but.. it just annoys me waiting around for such a small amount of money. Plus, it makes my wallet too heavy