Knock Me Over with a Feather

Longtime readers of my blogs probably know that as a part of Miss Dog Lover's (dis)ability she does not like idioms. As in Does Not Like them.

Years ago I posted on a blog (now seemingly lost in cyberspace) about her hatred of standard idioms but the irony of her creating a few of her own... she used to announce some people were "dumb as a bug" or "stubborn as a pickle on a leaf." There was also one about turkeys in soup, though I am hardpressed to remember what that related to. (Miss Language? Do you recall?)

A favorite story is Miss Dog Lover having a developmental evaluation done with a new doc. He started asking her, "If I were to say to you, what does it mean to be tickled pink..." and she stopped him, saying, "No. This is about idioms, right? I don't do idioms." The doc looked surprised but checked a box on his form and moved on to the next item.

Anyhow.

We have a new development in idiomland. We added a small kitty to our household and Miss Dog Lover has an allergy history with them. Well, although kitty is outside, Miss Dog Lover has been loving on her just as if she were a dog and the result is that Miss DL is now on a hefty course of steroids and we are seeing if she can control her loving on or if kitty will have to go. But the steroids seem to have an activating effect on some language center. The first night sleep was elusive so we added benedryl. The next morning Miss DL reported she had "slept like a baby." I was flabbergasted that she used an idiom and she laughed and told me that she was just "on cloud nine" because of a good night's rest. 

Amazing.

Annoying Rant

I spent awhile tonight while watching Jeremy Brett as Sherlock wondering about this post and whether it should be a poll or a rant. But doing a rant is easier, so that is what you get.


Sometimes things annoy me in a particularly annoying fashion: not only do they annoy me, but they become supremely annoying because I can see the reasoning behind them and am not sure I agree with myself about being annoyed.


Obviously I hit one of these today. 


While I was going through my email, I decided to unsubscribe from a list as it is completely meaningless to me. So I did. And then went back to my inbox where the top item was from the same group I just unsubscribed. It was nothing more than a notice telling me I had unsubscribed. 


Bleh.


I understand that it is a good thing to know the preference change was saved. BUT. What makes them think that when I chose to unsubscribe, the next thing that would make me happy was one last cheery email from them?


And don't even get me started on when someone ends a discussion with, "Well, I will let you have the last word." Ack.

Unfortunate Design Consideration

Miss Language pointed out an ad for sneakers. We are, um, less than impressed with their logo. And I just want to say I wish I were making this up. I am posting it here in the "cultural literacy" category.


Here is the shoe:  

Yeah. What do you think of that logo? I can't help thinking of John Kerry's famous photo: 

The strangest part? 


We assumed the resemblance was an unfortunate oversight. However, according to this article, that is exactly what was intended. Inconceivable. (possibly bad word choice there  :-P ) 


The words of the ad were so over-the top you cannot even make fun of them. But I will kindly share some of my favorite parts. (I am skipping the lines that were funnier before we knew the resemblance was deliberate and are now just nasty):
    * I received my package... and rushed to tear it open like a kid at Christmas.
  * I was holding a miracle of technology. This was the real thing. (isn't that Coke?)
  * In minutes I was out the door. I was invincible.


Here is a link to a similar ad. Again, inconceivable. Please do not buy them.  


And thus ends the Cultural Literacy lesson du jour.