Overused Words

A "surge" of overused words and phrases formed a "perfect storm" of "post-9/11" cliches in 2007. A list of words and phrases that you should drop from your vascular in the new year.

"A perfect storm," has been numbingly applied to virtually any notable coincidence. It should be used only when three bad things happen at once, and then kills you. Like the book/movie/actual weather occurrence. So now it's ruined, and shouldn't be said anymore.

"Webinar" has become a tiresome non-word that combines Web and seminar. It has fallen into the uselessness of e-anything and i-anything.

Absurd comparisons commonly phrased "x is the new y," as in "70 is the new 50" or "chocolate is the new sex." "Fallacy is the new truth," "Grey is this year's black." Cut that sh*t out.

Using "Organic" in front of everything. Computer software to dog food are not 'organic.' Try using "pesticide free" or "food."

"Post 9/11" and "Surge" should no longer be used. Especially since Surge has been used by idiots to explain the expansion of anything, not sending more men into Iraq.

Please stop saying "give back" as applied to charitable gestures, usually you goddamned celebrities.

Stay away from "Back in the day." It's been used too often to explain events from last month, not 1972.

"Random" and "Sweet" : both have retired and died.

"It is what it is." Please don't say that any more.

"Throw under the bus." Unless you see someone do this and you are explaining how the man "...threw the old lady under the bus..." don't say this anymore. It's about as useful as "thinking outside the box."

And finally, any self-respecting writer should never consider themselves a "wordsmith" who engages in "wordsmithing."