Sunday, May 20, 2012

Getting all the cliche's out of my system


I actually find cliché's interesting.  I gather cliché's throughout the year but try and keep them out of my column.   But then they start tumbling out of me like a spring waterfall. 
So here you have my sort-of-annual "cliché" column.  Maybe it's an attempt to purge them from my system.

A penny saved is a penny earned.   My dad used to say "pass a penny, pick it up, all the day you'll have good luck."  I don't think that's a cliché but today it seems that a penny is so devalued that it hardly seems the effort.  
I think the practice of saving money, whether it be a penny or a dollar, is good fiscal policy.   Something we should all do.  Are you teaching your kids the importance of saving?

And I must add that through the years I've seen lots of folks with back problems that started with bending over to pick up something, maybe even a penny on the ground.   My advice is that you need to use good body mechanics (bend your legs, flatten your back) regardless of what you're lifting.
"Take it one game at a time."  We hear this one from coaches all the time.  Basically it's sound advice that we should never take any opponent for granted.  But most successful coaches look at the entire season and "looking at the big picture" works.  Like in basketball.  You can oh-fer during the regular season but catch fire in the playoffs and win championships.

"The truth hurts."  Does it?  Really?  I guess it can but in the long run, it sure doesn't seem to work out.  I think it was my mom that always used to say "be sure your sins will find you out."  Lies tend to compound themselves.  You tell one then you have to tell another to cover it up.  "Honesty is the best policy" really applies.  But "if the truth hurts, maybe it should."
"You can't judge a book by its cover."  This one is meant to tell you that you can't let appearances tell you the nature of someone's character--who they really are.   I don't know...I'm a firm believer that first impressions are important.   Maybe the secret is to always make a good first impression.

"The early bird gets the worm."  It might depend on what worm you really want.   Nightcrawlers might only come out at night.   I definitely prefer to get up and get my day started but I'm sure not after worms.  Maybe "early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."  The only problem is that I've never been one to go to bed early either. 
"Better to be late than never."   I tend to be early for everything.   I don't tolerate being late at all.  I get to airports 2 hours when they recommend an hour.   But never?  OK, maybe late is better than that.

"You can't save someone from themselves."   Yeah, but you should try.
"You can't be too rich or too skinny."   I always wanted to try that too rich part but it isn't likely to happen.  I could win the lottery but I suspect you have to buy a ticket to win it and I don't really go there.  

As for being too skinny, well yes you can.   Eating disorders are real and they are dangerous.   Obesity may kill you slowly but skinny can kill you quick.  Maybe I just created my own cliché.
"Life isn't fair."   Oh I think life is plenty fair.   I wouldn't want to live a life where I got what I deserved. Sometimes you get what you need, not what you want (wouldn't that make a good song?).

 "Wherever you are,  be there."  I can do that.   And not even be existential about it.



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