Pet Peeve Thursdays: Can I Not Help You?
(1 Cent): We Need More Words!
You know what really chaps my cheeks? Writers in the (NBA) basketball world (columnists in newspapers, on-line article writers, etcetera) that use the same word over and over and over and think that they sound smart. This practice reeks of uncreativity (yes, I perhaps coined that word but it should be a word).
One of my main examples starts from last year. This not only surfaced within the NBA basketball circles, but Major League Baseball as well (and I’m sure in the NFL, but I don’t read about that sport). The power-word that was abhorrently exploited last year was: braintrust (or two words, brain trust). Basically, Merriam-Webster online defines this as “a group of official or unofficial advisers concerned especially with planning and strategy.” The origination of the term can be found on Wikipedia’s website as some sort of group of advisors (academic) that FDR had to help him with the first New Deal.
I don’t have a problem with the word. In fact, I think (or thought) it was pretty cool. But at some point in time, every writer who was describing an NBA team’s organization of the owner, general manager, and coach (with maybe some coaches or other higher ups mixed in, especially for baseball clubs) used the word braintrust to encompass everyone. It was “braintrust this” and “braintrust that.” For example, someone would write, “The Lakers braintrust know that they need to build around Kobe.” From that, I’m supposed to know the writer meant Lakers owner Jerry Buss, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak, and Lakers head coach Phil Jackson. Another example would be if the writer was explaining the thought process of the organization. Just use “braintrust” and we have the whole organization covered. Braintrust. Braintrust. Braintrust. Everyone had a braintrust. After a while, the word braintrust started to look stupid (as I hope it has started for you now).
So, what chapped my cheeks this year? We’re only one day into the new NBA season and already I saw five instances where the word “prognosticators” was used throughout articles, blogs, and other writings about predictions for teams or players in the NBA. Why? Why do this again with another word?
Besides, I’m not sure if they mean critics, other columnists, the general NBA fan, or their pet hamster. They could mean to intend everyone I just said, if not more. I think they just want to sound hip. It’s as if they read it somewhere and thought, “If I use this word, then I’ll sound educated.” Which is a possibility. But if everyone does thinks that way, it plays out the meaning – it’s not fresh anymore. Then it sounds like you just want to copy every other writer or are too lazy to come up with a synonym. Prognosticator. Prognosticator. Prognosticator. Finally, for the year, I’m en vogue.
(2 Cent): Lazy People Part Deux
I ran a Pet Peeve Thursday a while back on lazy people. The following rant is part of said group.
The other day, my friend J.D. and I went to the mall and into a video game store to purchase some special kind of connectors/cables that I “needed.” Upon entering, we were greeted by someone who looked like Andy Milonakis with a Cactus Jack hairdo. He asked, “Can I help you?” We said yes, we’re looking for these cables (HD connectors) and wondered if they had them. He replied that he didn’t know and couldn’t help us look for them because he didn’t know where they were, even if they did have them.
Okay, from what I gather from this response, he is thinking 1) I’m too lazy to look it up on the computer, 2) I’m too lazy to even bother pointing you in the correct direction of the store to even begin the scavenger hunt, and 3) I hate my life. To Cactus Milonakis’ credit, he did muster enough energy to ask the other associate if they had the said connectors. His only response was, “I haven’t seen those in ages!” while he followed company policy and didn't do jack.
I thought to myself, “Fine. I’ll look myself” and did. My first move was to my immediate right where I saw some cables and other accessories. As I’m sifting through the various items, he comes up to us and says, “Well, this is the regular Xbox stuff” to which I replied, “Good, because that’s what we need.” All I get is an, “Oh.” Then after that wall didn't have the connectors, we went over to the Xbox 360 wall, where we uncovered the cables that we needed (which were compatible for both Xbox systems and PS2).
“Dag, I haven’t seen these in ages!” I exclaim to J.D. Of course, we have our little sarcastic dialogue -- you know, the one you use when you find someone to be dumb -- which in this situation used the phrase, “I haven’t seen those in ages” in various ways over and over again. I quipped that they had some original GameBoy games (on sale for $19.99 no less) but I hadn’t seen these cables in ages! J.D. chimed in that he didn’t know where the cables were … but don’t worry, he won’t look for them. After some playful banter, Cactus Milonakis shamefully says, “Well, the important thing is that you have them.” Wrong, C-Milo! The important thing was that you asked us if you could help us while you did NOTHING to do so. I think you were too lazy to finish your sentence. You should have said, “Can I help you by staying out of your way?” That would have been more appropriate. The other important thing is that we bought the connectors for $25 less than the listed on-line price of $40.
No help from Cactus Milonakis: $6.35 an hour. Connectors for HD satisfaction: $15. A story about a lazy person for my blog: priceless.
(1/2 Cent): Yo-Yo Master!
One random pet peevish thought … don’t ask me what the process is to apply for a loan and then after every document I mention say, “Yeah, I know … yeah, I know.” Why ask me if you know it, Miss Know-It-All? I got annoyed after the third time, so I inquired, “Well, if you know the whole process, why did you ask? You asked me what the process is, so I’m telling you ….” As Carlos Mencia would say, she’s a, “Dee dee dee!”
It’s not too late … write in those questions and comments and whatever else tickles your fancy to HCP2007@gmail.com or click the Comments link below! Check back tomorrow for the last entry of the week!
HCP
You know what really chaps my cheeks? Writers in the (NBA) basketball world (columnists in newspapers, on-line article writers, etcetera) that use the same word over and over and over and think that they sound smart. This practice reeks of uncreativity (yes, I perhaps coined that word but it should be a word).
One of my main examples starts from last year. This not only surfaced within the NBA basketball circles, but Major League Baseball as well (and I’m sure in the NFL, but I don’t read about that sport). The power-word that was abhorrently exploited last year was: braintrust (or two words, brain trust). Basically, Merriam-Webster online defines this as “a group of official or unofficial advisers concerned especially with planning and strategy.” The origination of the term can be found on Wikipedia’s website as some sort of group of advisors (academic) that FDR had to help him with the first New Deal.
I don’t have a problem with the word. In fact, I think (or thought) it was pretty cool. But at some point in time, every writer who was describing an NBA team’s organization of the owner, general manager, and coach (with maybe some coaches or other higher ups mixed in, especially for baseball clubs) used the word braintrust to encompass everyone. It was “braintrust this” and “braintrust that.” For example, someone would write, “The Lakers braintrust know that they need to build around Kobe.” From that, I’m supposed to know the writer meant Lakers owner Jerry Buss, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak, and Lakers head coach Phil Jackson. Another example would be if the writer was explaining the thought process of the organization. Just use “braintrust” and we have the whole organization covered. Braintrust. Braintrust. Braintrust. Everyone had a braintrust. After a while, the word braintrust started to look stupid (as I hope it has started for you now).
So, what chapped my cheeks this year? We’re only one day into the new NBA season and already I saw five instances where the word “prognosticators” was used throughout articles, blogs, and other writings about predictions for teams or players in the NBA. Why? Why do this again with another word?
Besides, I’m not sure if they mean critics, other columnists, the general NBA fan, or their pet hamster. They could mean to intend everyone I just said, if not more. I think they just want to sound hip. It’s as if they read it somewhere and thought, “If I use this word, then I’ll sound educated.” Which is a possibility. But if everyone does thinks that way, it plays out the meaning – it’s not fresh anymore. Then it sounds like you just want to copy every other writer or are too lazy to come up with a synonym. Prognosticator. Prognosticator. Prognosticator. Finally, for the year, I’m en vogue.
(2 Cent): Lazy People Part Deux
I ran a Pet Peeve Thursday a while back on lazy people. The following rant is part of said group.
The other day, my friend J.D. and I went to the mall and into a video game store to purchase some special kind of connectors/cables that I “needed.” Upon entering, we were greeted by someone who looked like Andy Milonakis with a Cactus Jack hairdo. He asked, “Can I help you?” We said yes, we’re looking for these cables (HD connectors) and wondered if they had them. He replied that he didn’t know and couldn’t help us look for them because he didn’t know where they were, even if they did have them.
Okay, from what I gather from this response, he is thinking 1) I’m too lazy to look it up on the computer, 2) I’m too lazy to even bother pointing you in the correct direction of the store to even begin the scavenger hunt, and 3) I hate my life. To Cactus Milonakis’ credit, he did muster enough energy to ask the other associate if they had the said connectors. His only response was, “I haven’t seen those in ages!” while he followed company policy and didn't do jack.
I thought to myself, “Fine. I’ll look myself” and did. My first move was to my immediate right where I saw some cables and other accessories. As I’m sifting through the various items, he comes up to us and says, “Well, this is the regular Xbox stuff” to which I replied, “Good, because that’s what we need.” All I get is an, “Oh.” Then after that wall didn't have the connectors, we went over to the Xbox 360 wall, where we uncovered the cables that we needed (which were compatible for both Xbox systems and PS2).
“Dag, I haven’t seen these in ages!” I exclaim to J.D. Of course, we have our little sarcastic dialogue -- you know, the one you use when you find someone to be dumb -- which in this situation used the phrase, “I haven’t seen those in ages” in various ways over and over again. I quipped that they had some original GameBoy games (on sale for $19.99 no less) but I hadn’t seen these cables in ages! J.D. chimed in that he didn’t know where the cables were … but don’t worry, he won’t look for them. After some playful banter, Cactus Milonakis shamefully says, “Well, the important thing is that you have them.” Wrong, C-Milo! The important thing was that you asked us if you could help us while you did NOTHING to do so. I think you were too lazy to finish your sentence. You should have said, “Can I help you by staying out of your way?” That would have been more appropriate. The other important thing is that we bought the connectors for $25 less than the listed on-line price of $40.
No help from Cactus Milonakis: $6.35 an hour. Connectors for HD satisfaction: $15. A story about a lazy person for my blog: priceless.
(1/2 Cent): Yo-Yo Master!
One random pet peevish thought … don’t ask me what the process is to apply for a loan and then after every document I mention say, “Yeah, I know … yeah, I know.” Why ask me if you know it, Miss Know-It-All? I got annoyed after the third time, so I inquired, “Well, if you know the whole process, why did you ask? You asked me what the process is, so I’m telling you ….” As Carlos Mencia would say, she’s a, “Dee dee dee!”
It’s not too late … write in those questions and comments and whatever else tickles your fancy to HCP2007@gmail.com or click the Comments link below! Check back tomorrow for the last entry of the week!
HCP
posted by HCP @ 2:28 PM
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