The not so wonderful thing about clichés is that no matter how cliché one is has no effect on its truth. Many clichés are simple or simply stupid sayings. For instance "it's not rocket science." Generally speaking when someone has said that they have no idea of the simplicity of rocket science or the difficult of what they are trying to describe as easy. I often quote an egotistical rock star and call it rocket surgery. Same idiot also said it was "water under the dam." Both are clear signs that he's no rocket surgeon OR scientist. Another oft used cliché is that something is like water off a duck's back. Something that falls harmlessly onto a waterproofed surface without causing damage. Personally, I believe that using that (and other) clichés is just box thinking. I try not to be in the box and think outside the box as often as I can. For my part, I often use the phrase water under a duck's butt. The difference between these two foul amounts of water is that while they often can't be told apart, at times the water under the duck is fouler then that rolling off it's back. Perhaps now you can see the direction I am taking the use of clichés--further adding to their truth while bluntly adding honesty.

Back in the mid-90s I had an opportunity to introduce myself to the FORSCOM Commander (a General most would call 4 star), the Secretary of Defense (a child of the 80s ALWAYS thinks the best name ever for the SOD was William Perry, though this William was nothing like the Fridge), and the NATO Commander. Most would shy away from such an activity as embarrassing, intrusive in their life, etc. but others would say, "He puts his pants on one leg at a time the same as I." Yet another cliché. For the most part I put my pants on one leg at a time, but from time to time I put on my pants both legs at the same time. Even more rarely I put my socks on at the same time, no small feat with no small feet. I do it because I feel it gives me a leg up on anyone I may meet.

Not long after being empowered by putting on my pants with both legs at the same time I decided that I would no longer be calling a spade a spade. Since 1996 I have called spades shovels, because that is what they are.

You may be asking yourself, what does all this have to do with clichés truthfulness. It all comes back around and reminds me of a quote by one of my favorite authors, Douglas Adams. "I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." The cliché most on my mind today is one that I haven't bastardized: Knowledge is power. No matter how often you use it, the truth of it remains. No matter how much you may wish it to be wrong, the truth comes out. In life, at work, at church, driving down the road, cutting the grass, blogging, knowledge simply is power. Sometimes good power, sometimes not, but always cliché but true.

~~~~~~~~~~~