 Moral of the Story: You’ve used the phrase “out on a limb” at least once in your lifetime of verbal and written communications, right? Don’t deny it. You have. At the end of the day, I have evidence to prove it and I don’t think I’m throwing anyone under the bus here. There are, it seems, no sacred cows in language. As Communications Manager at Metcalfe Architecture & Design I have many Google Alerts set up for the firm’s various projects. I’m going to run it up the flagpole and assume we’re all on the same page and that most of you know that Google Alerts are email notices sent whenever something you are interested in appears on the Internet. You set up the alerts for names, words, phrases and voila, your inbox begins filling up. The trouble is, the Internet being what it is – and by that I mean not human and therefore not discretionary – it sends anything and everything, not just about the very specific thing you are interested in, and thus rides roughshod over your inbox. For example, if you play lead guitar in a band called “Chicken Noodle Soup,” and you set up an alert to stay on top of all mentions of your band on the information superhighway, your inbox will runneth over with recipes. So, that’s what happened to me. When I first threw my hat into the ring, I just established alerts for “Metcalfe Architecture & Design” and “Metcalfe.” That was productive, useful, and doable, in terms of the number of alerts landing in my inbox. In the wake of that success, I then added alerts for MA&D projects. “Camp JRF” for an Eco-Village the firm is designing for the Jewish Reconstructionist camp camp in the Poconos. It will include yurt cabins, “green” elements throughout, and an earthen berm for stargazing and it will knock your socks off. “First Person Museum” for the prototype museum about the everyday objects of interest to everyday people MA&D created for First Person Arts. “Griffin Discovery Room” for the hands-on educational exhibit MA&D designed for Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. It’s really the bees’ knees and was just named one of the top destinations for kids. “PhillyCAM” for the new studio MA&D is designing for Philadelphia’s public access television station. And “Tree Adventure” for a multi-station exhibit about trees throughout Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania. Then I got greedy. Hell will freeze over and pigs will fly before I make this mistake again.
The centerpiece of Tree Adventure is a 450-foot tree canopy walk that’s won numerous awards, including the AIA Philadelphia 2010 Awards of Design Excellence Gold Medal and the 2010 Excellence in Exhibition Design award from the American Association of Museums. It’s really the cat’s pajamas. Guess what the name of the tree canopy walk is? Out on a Limb. Guess what phrase I added to my Google Alerts? Out on a limb. Guess what happened? I created the perfect storm in my inbox. Turns out “out on a limb” is quite a common phrase. No one is surprised by this, right? What was I thinking? Alas, ours is not to reason why. It is what it is.
For awhile, in the line of duty, I toed the line and regularly culled through the flood of alerts, VERY occasionally finding one related to the tree canopy walk. I thought I could keep up with it, you know, keep all my ducks in a row. I couldn’t. I was going to hell in a hand basket. I was like Lucy and the candy conveyor belt. I started shunting them off into their own “OOL” email folder to deal with at a later time, when I had time. Out of sight, out of mind. But, I have a lot on my plate, many balls in the air, and multiple irons in the fire. Despite multi-tasking till the cows came home and endlessly burning the midnight oil, I finally had to throw in the towel, cry “Uncle!” and remove the dang alert.
Phew! That was scary. But before I deleted the deluge, just for kicks, I spent some time browsing through the “out on a limb” alerts I had saved to see just how many ways this bromidic phrase could be used. Herewith, some of the more interesting references. To spare you, dear reader, I am including only the alert itself. The links are there, however, should you want to know more. For most “categories,” I give but one example, merely to prove I’m not making this up, but there are a couple of categories where I just couldn’t help myself. Enjoy. Time flies when you’re having fun.
ENTERTAINMENTA killer, a bi-sexual, and a wrestler walk into a bar – wait, that joke opening is an old saw, too. Wait, an “old saw” is a cliché as well. Don’t want to start a firestorm of controversy here, but whatever, kudos to “out on a limb” for linking the above three references. Extra points for thinking outside the box and working in a rapper and Snooki, too. General Hospital Spoiler Alert: Little Jake’s Killer is Revealed! Grey's Anatomy, gay parents and non traditional families on TV Wrestlemania 27: Will Snoop Dogg Have A Role At Wrestlemania This Year? FASHIONI bet most of you are going to follow the link for this one. Fergie posing in tight pink fabric. Am I right? OK, I'll take pity on you and include the photo but you'll have to jump to the link to find out whether Fergie's choice was a fashion do or don't.
Fergie's "Literal" Statement Dress: Fly or 'Bye? | Flypaper...
WAREven Aljazeera? Geez. Now that takes the cake, but, ours is not to reason why. People who live in glass houses… Libyan rebels take Ajdabiya
POLITICSYou’re not surprised by this one, are you? 'Charleston Joe' Goes to Washington FINANCEWhoa, really? Yup, really. Yawn. TREASURIES-Prices slip; quarter-end portfolio shifts cited
INTERNATIONALApparently “out on a limb” knows no boundaries. Blackout Syria, replace with your favorite revolution
SPORTSThe biggest offender, by far. The Canucks, the Phillies, Tiger Woods – all part of life’s rich tapestry. Theo Fleury says Canucks will be out in first round | Crash The Crease Note that this one made use not only of “out on a limb” but also “sit on the fence.” Kendrick a 'prime candidate' for bullpen Ian Poulter Goes Way Out On A Limb And Predicts That Tiger Woods Won't Finish...
ODDITIES (aka My Favorites!)Anyhoo, last, but not least, it’s not the size of your knife, it’s how you use it. Girls with samurai swords, dangling astronauts, a Jesus limo, vampires, marauding squirrels, flame-throwing squirt guns, the etiquette of passing gas in a pub, the Dark Lord, billionaire cockroaches, limb as weapon. The bottom line is, I saved the best for last. How Much Knife Do You Need? | Brian's Backpacking Blog Sucker Punch Review Astronaut goes out on a limb in space and gets stuck
Jesus limo Oooh, This Track Is On Fire Squirrels invade College Terrace fairy houses Super Soaker Flamethrower is Definitely an Accident Waiting to Happen Column: Farting in bars Pig Slop and Resources
AND THE WINNER IS…Out on a Limb Standing Zombie Prop
AFTERWORDI was willing to let bygones be bygones but it appears I’m not out of the woods yet and definitely still in harm’s way. I recently added another Google Alert for "From the Absence of Many to the Presence of All...The Unfinished Business of Women's Equality," an exhibit on women’s equality MA&D designed for Drexel University College of Medicine’s Institute for Women’s Health and Leadership that ran at the National Constitution Center. It was part of the Institute’s Vision 2020 program, a 10-year initiative to promote women’s leadership and equality. What do you think happens when you set a Google Alert for “Vision 2020?” In hindsight, it was a bad idea, a very bad idea. Seriously, I need a staycation with some face time with the TV.
POSTCRIPTLet’s see how many of the hackneyed phrases, trite expressions, and clichés you all can find in this hot mess of a blog entry. Looking forward to your comments. I’m sure some of you have an axe to grind, a bone to pick with me. Or just touch base by sharing your hackneyed favorites. Please, jump into the fray, the water is fine.
Great post! I love all the pictures, especially the zombie one. :) Comment by Madeline on April 11, 2011 @ 04:08 pm
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