Farberisms
David Farber's hobby (in the xkcd sense): twisting common phrases. My favorite Farberisms:
- A hand in the bush is worth two anywhere else.
- Don't just stand there like a sitting duck.
- He's cornered on all sides.
- I could count it on the fingers of one thumb.
- I haven't gotten the knack down yet.
- I read the sign, but it went in one ear and out the other.
- It's burned to shreds.
- It's more than the mind can boggle.
- It's the old Paul Revere bit ... one if by two and two if by one.
- Just remember that, and then forget it.
- Let's shoot holes at it.
- My mind is a vacuum of information.
- No loaf is better than half a loaf at all.
- You're blowing it all out of context.
These almost make the original clichés and idioms sound ridiculous, don't they?
June 18th, 2007 at 1:43 am
This is called mixing your metaphors. Take two metaphors (not enough room to swing a cat & there’s enough space to turn a battle ship) mix: not enough room to swing a battle ship. Which, now wrong, sounds correct and therefore is humorous.
google: impermissible mixed metaphors
They remind me of my dad and his work colleagues gentle humor.
monk.e.boy
June 18th, 2007 at 11:58 pm
I personally like/use all the time:
* Let’s make like a tree & get the f*ck out of here (Wayne’s World I believe)
* Does the Pope sh*t in the woods?
PS. Did you get a chance to read my email on your Bookmarklets import file updates?
June 26th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
In the same vein as these Farberisms:
Don’t eat with your mouth full
Don’t talk with you mouth open
Both of which I’ve heard used, unintentionally, multiple times.