You have all been exposed to clichés too many times to mention. We see them every day in the form of advertisements, both through this medium and through print. We hear them on the radio and in podcasts. We even listen to our friends, parents, and other loved ones repeat these lovely phrases. What exactly is it about clichés that draw us in and make us repeat them in turn? I have no idea, but here are five of them that make me smile:
5. “That’s as difficult as searching for a needle in a haystack.”
I imagine someone somewhere was actually searching for a needle in a barn somewhere, maybe even the same needle it would have been pretty difficult to fit a camel through (you know what I’m talking about, Bible readers). And that person decided it would be a fun exercise to sift through the haystack in order to find said needle. Didn’t find it. Hence, the phrase.
4. “That guy’s a little long in the tooth.”
Of course this means someone is very old, but I don’t really understand how it fits. Perhaps someone somewhere was reading the story of Pinocchio and thought having an appendage grow was cool, but having teeth grow would be even cooler. As children our baby teeth grow, then fall out, then our adult teeth grow and stay. Maybe before they fall out again they have to grow again. Or something. Ooh, or as you get older your gums start to pull farther back from your teeth, making them LOOK longer. Yeah, I think that’s the right one.
3. “It’s raining cats and dogs.”
Anytime I hear this phrase I always add, “or frogs,” and fans of the movie Magnolia will understand what I mean. I assume the loud sound of the hard rain inspired this cliché, because cats and dogs can get pretty loud when they’re angry or they want something. Or maybe it’s to show how angry they get at each other, so if they were both falling from the sky they would probably hiss and bark at each other. You know, until they landed anyway.
2. “Be careful, ’cause she could go all postal on you.”
Going “postal” is one of my favorite clichés because it’s not as old as so many of the other ones. I like one I can totally relate to, and this is one of those. I think it came about due to the numbers of ex-postal workers who would go back to their post offices, obviously disgruntled, and hold up or trash the joint. So, if you run into any ex-postal employees, steer clear. Unless you don’t care about your well-being.
1. “Don’t push your luck.”
Uh, because your luck might push you back? I don’t think I will ever get this one. Maybe it’s just about leaving it alone. If you’re lucky, don’t question it or it might fall like a house of cards. Just go with the flow, don’t push it, and it will stay stable and willing to give you as much luck as you need in the future.
Sam
Sam's Online Journal 