Popular Sayings I Hate, Dislike or Don't Understand

Some sayings really bug me. Usually simply because they're overused, misused or misnomers. But sometimes just because. So, here's my list of the top five most annoying sayings - the sayings I hate, dislike or simply just don't understand.

5. No offense, but...

Uttering this annoying little phrase is equivalent to raising a huge red flag for the target. Pretty much every time you preface something with this, what you're about to say is offensive. You're saying, "This is going to offend you but I have to tell you." The disclaimer is not a license to offend someone. Instead, find something that communicates the thought in an appropriate, respectful way. Seriously.

4. That is so random.

Every girl's favorite. A lot of things are random, but if you say this frequently enough your measuring stick for what qualifies as random is way too short. Also, frequently people (read as: females) will describe something as random that really isn't. The odds were very much stacked in favor of whatever's being described to have occurred.

Example: "Oh my God! It was so random to see Johnny at that bar!" No, not really. You both have the same interests, live near the bar and fit the demographic of the typical patron.

3. We can agree to disagree.

Nnn... Jesus. The lame way of saying, "I don't want to argue about this anymore. I don't have another valid point and I need to give up now." And people that rely on this saying typically think they're being socially graceful. I say their being especially weak and totally annoying.

2. Everything happens for a reason.

This one used to really, really bother me. It clearly still does - it's holding on to the #2 spot quite tightly. But I did realize a few months back that this is a way for people to maintain an optimistic viewpoint, a way to handle desperate times of misfortune. However, that doesn't really make it much less irritating. Some things don't happen for a reason. We live in a chaotic, somewhat orderless world. As much as I hate to admit it, females are right sometimes - lots of things are random. I really feel like it's used most annoyingly when people try to offer that up as advice or some form of consolation when they have run out of meaningful things to say.

1. It is what it is.

Wow. Thanks for the insight. I thought it was an illusion. I wish I could remember the example - I actually experienced this once recently - when this saying was used in an effective way. Usually it's a pointless thing to say that adds exactly zero value to the conversation. And now Grape Nuts has earmarked this as its advertising slogan. Luckily I don't like that cereal so I don't have to stop eating it based on principle.