A Sock in the Puss
“If you write for a living, it’s impossible not to adore certain words, and revile others. No sentient being can bear the flaccid, figurative use of the phrase ‘reach out,’ so beloved by public relations professionals. ‘Thank you for reaching out,’ they say in response to a routine phone inquiry. ‘When I reach out, it will be to sock you in the puss,’ was my customary reply. For the record, I am not contemplating a future in the glamorous world of PR.”
—Alex Beam, writer, “Confessions of a Word Snob,” The New York Times, 2013
• Editorial Comment: Have your peeps reach out to my peeps.
Original PeezPix archival prints, matted at sizes from 5x7" to 16x20" or larger, available for sale. ted.pease@gmail.com
TODAY'S WORD ON JOURNALISM is a free “service” sent to the 1,800 or so misguided subscribers around the planet. If you have recovered from whatever led you to subscribe and don’t want it anymore, send “unsubscribe” to ted.pease@gmail.com. Or if you want to afflict someone else, send me the email address and watch the fun begin. (Disclaimer: I just quote ’em, I don’t necessarily endorse ’em. But all contain at least a kernel of insight. Don’t shoot the messenger.)
Ted Pease, Professor of Interesting Stuff, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, and Humboldt State University, Arcata, California. ted.pease@gmail.com. (Be)Friend Dr. Ted, Professor of Interesting Stuff
“Words are sacred. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones, in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.” —Tom Stoppard
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