47 thoughts on “June 14, 2023: What’s The Holdup?”

  1. Here's my updated list of words/phrases that should be retired in 2023.. Feel free to 'pile on'' (on the list):

    Sunset – at least quit using it in I.T. meetings. It’s meant to be a nice word
    Pivot – I was in a meeting where the presenter said this so many times I fined her $25 in the Webex chat.
    Headwinds / Tailwinds – sailing metaphor meaning that we will likely miss earnings projections.
    It is what it is – God I hate this one. From freealonzo: it's the pool we've chosen to swim in.
    Like – this is so, like, overused.
    Guardrails – it’s what you erect on your project to keep the newbies from wrecking the place.
    Level-set – I think this may mean I’m right and you’re wrong.
    Super-summarized – not sure what this means - sounds like Millenial-consultant-speak (KPMG).
    Rat-hole – It’s when the meeting is going awry and you meant to say rabbit-hole but rat-hole sounds meaner.
    Don’t be a hater – a way to shut down an opposing opinion – just meaner.
    Comparing someone to the Nazis – just stop it – visit Tiergarten 4 or Auschwitz. God I just used this phrase this morning...
    Deprecate – it’s what I.T. people say to sound smart about retiring systems (see Sunset above), but is dangerously close to defecate.
    Data Lake – it’s the body of water that is evaporating into the Cloud.
    Technical Debt – crap you want to fix, but will never get the funding to do. Then you move on.
    Shout Out – e.g. this is a Shout Out to our friends in Finance (please don’t cut our funding!!)
    Spot-On – group think at it’s finest.
    Pile On
    Friendly Reminder (from Beau) -- I know you're not trying to sound passive-aggressive and just trying to come off gentle, but stop it. I'm an adult. I can handle a regular reminder.
    Cluster (Rhu-Ru): I hate hearing people say something's turning into "a cluster", especially by church staff, for example; you know the context of the phrase, right? Then pick a different term please.
    Hydrate the Data Lake (Max) Just gotta add that the guy who said “hydrate the data lake” instead of “populate” should be shot. Or maybe drowned.
    Woke (Paul)
    Using the term Rock Star in occupations other than rock music. (Paul)
    This isn’t my first rodeo (Eschapp)
    I don’t have a horse in this race.
    Gaslighting
    A game changer
    That’s a good question ( my brother Coot)
    Basically, Actually, Essentially - garbage words - basically from Bachelors Degree, Actually from Master's Degree, Essentially from PhD's.
    Our North Star – Kak often used by executives in the company from which I just retired...)
    Weaponize
    Walk back (CNN)
    Double-downn (CNN)

    1. This isn't my first rodeo. Lol so so dumb

      Rightsizing
      let it simmer
      shine a light on it

      I've probably got more but it is early.

      2. I use this ain’t my first rodeo all the time. I also speak in malaphors, metaphors, and folksy turns of phrase. I’m likely part of the problem.

    2. I'm going to have to disagree with "That's a good question." because it says exactly what it means, and God knows there are a lot of bad questions out there.

      And I'm going to add "Simply" as a garbage word as well, and I think I'm guilty of this one -- I'd know if I listened to myself.

        1. Sounds like a smarter way to say “raises the question” without understanding that begging the question is circular logic.

      2. After going on college tours, "That's a good question" means "I don't know the answer."

    4. What's so frustrating about the "like" phenomenon is that once you catch someone using it too much, it's impossible NOT to notice it anymore.

      I'll add:
      I'm just sayin... - after someone says something offensive, and then tries to water it down. No, you said what you said

    6. I think the response "same" can go the way of "ditto" and be retired. A fellow parent told me a while back that the younger generation only uses "same" as a response when they are bored or unimpressed with the current conversation. For me, it's just a lazy response. "I don't have the motivation to come up with my own original take on the topic, so to appease you... same." Disclaimer: In no way am I suggesting that anyone on this site should feel bad for typing "same". Honestly, I am unsure if any of you do use that response, but I am too lazy to search the archives and find out. So this is my blanket disclaimer to help me not feel like a jerk if I called anyone out (accidentally).

    7. None of these really bother me. Many of these phrases amount to business jargon. They're dumb and in another ten years, this list will change slightly to a different set of dumb phrases. I hear my kids call things "cursed" and I realize I'm an old person so instead wonder which cool phrases I used as a child to annoy my parents.

      1. I mean this is pretty lighthearted right? I'm not going to rage against silly jargon.

  3. I haven't even scrolled through my company's slack because I don't want to be a 'rage monkey' (totally should be on the list just under 'tots')

  5. hey hj, I'm assuming you'll be coming into Union Station for the 8/1 ballgame? Keep in touch -- maybe I'll take MetroLink over and meet you there. btw, any seats still open near you?

    1. We're going to be staying near the Arch, so likely just walking to the game. We're in 193 I think. Seems to be a good amount around there. Got $20 tickets from SH.

    2. I might be able to get four free tickets. My niece works for the team. My wife is interested in joining us. I'm not sure if any kids will.

      1. An weeknight evening and the team sucks? Tickets will be no problem! 😉 nor will sitting where ever

        We'll have to figure out a meeting place in Baseball Village beforehand to all get together.

    1. That's awesome. It reminds me of when Carlos Gomez took notice of my nephew and made sure he got a ball. Those kind of interactions really make me appreciate the players who take the time. And for Correa to do it after such a big moment, when he'd understandably be caught up in the excitement and interviews and all of that... what a classy thing to do.

      1. That's great as well!

        Yeah, he had to take 10-20 seconds to really explain to staff where he wanted the gloves to go. He was in no rush and wanted to make sure they went to the right place. Once that was done, smile and thumbs up and off to the interview. Great!

        I think Andrew is sitting in the same seats next week (lucky!) so we'll see what happens next. 🙂

  7. It was great night of baseball last night. Aquinas' undefeated team had a big lead going into the 6th inning, then the other team came raging back. 13 and 14 year olds, so this is when baseball actually starts being fun to watch... They're only allowed to score 5 in an inning, and the lead was now reduced to 2, so 4 runs in the bottom of the 6th would put the game away. 3 runs in, bases loaded, and then the two batters before Aquinas struck out. I've documented his struggles with hitting before... he put exactly 1 ball in play last year. So this was a perfect time for his first hit of the season, a little bloop over the short stop's head that just found the grass, and scored the walk-off run. (I mean, we played out the rest of the inning and top-half of 7 to give the kids more game time, but... that was the walk off. Actually, come to think of it, the next batter struck out too...).

    Then we came home and caught the end of the Twins' game. I'm feeling pretty good today. Sports at its best.

    1. I am totally with you. The bonus for me is that I'm surrounded by Cubs fan who revel in it too!

    1. A twenty-five-year-old who's still in Class A, although it looks like he should be moved up. I'm not particularly impressed, but then you really can't expect to get a top prospect for Trevor Megill.

  12. Sure looks like the A's are moving to Vegas.

      2. Meh. Privatizing profits and socializing risk is what American capitalism is all about.

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