There was an
Old Person of Sheen,
Whose
expression was calm and serene;
He sate in
the water, and drank bottled porter,
That placid
Old Person of Sheen.
NOTE: Last week, after trying times, my jaw began to tighten. Once, long ago, working for the most horrible boss in the world, this happened. Although the symptoms were unmistakeable and terrifying (I grew up in the tetanus/lockjaw nightmare era), a diagnosis question mark hung over my mood until I visited three experts in rapid succession: a dentist, a psychiatrist and my Feldenkreis Method physical therapist/instructor. Each of them set me straight with very similar advice and my cure followed quickly. Experiencing the reoccurrence, I re-employed their collective, effective wisdom (serene thoughts; let your jaw float; above all, breathe), adding some 10-year old Valium and, as Lear advises, bottled porter to the mix. Eureka! -- I found it. Until last night when I heard the current president of my former college use the word "impactful" in conversation. More Valium, More Porter, More Serenity. Please.
St. Peter's Old Style Porter: It's good.
"Impactful" is bad. "Moving forward" is what does it for me. Where's my Guinness?
ReplyDelete"Impactful" is very bad. I first heard the word used by a colleague in CBS/FOX's Marketing Department in 1987 and told her so. My colleague, who was and is a very good friend and not someone who could be easily dissuaded from anything, including use of an awful word told me (when I told her that "impactful" wasn't a proper word) that yes it was -- it was a "marketing word." She sort of had me there in that no-sane-man's-land where we all find ourselves most of the time. My friend left the showbiz marketing world some years ago and became a licensed acupuncturist. Apparently, she's very talented at it. Curtis
ReplyDeleteMore Valium, More Porter, More Serenity.
ReplyDeleteNow that sounds a fine remedy, Curtis.
For, in fact, just about anything.
(Occupy Serenity!)
Tom: My new pro-active "intentional" approach to life this week has led me, in fact, to regard every single activity as "Occupy _____". So far, so . . . acceptable. Yesterday evening I tried a local stout by a Philadelphia brewery called Yards, who make excellent products. This concoction is prepared with an addition of oyster shells to the brewing cauldron, which I guess provide some calcium "backbone" to the recipe. It was very good. Now I'm trying to face the world sans rose-colored glasses, but I may re-don them if things get too difficult. I mean, first the Phillies cratered and things have been going poorly for the Eagles. My house is Mudville. Curtis
ReplyDelete