Phase out the phrase

I don't know why, but I've grown super annoyed with the phrase "date night."  It's feels so cutesy and patronizing.  It stems from every stupid parenting magazine that encourages us to reconnect with our mates by scheduling a "date night".  Yeah...wanna know how my husband likes to reconnect with me?  In an effort to keep a PG-13 rating, I'll gloss over the experience.  Sure we like to go out to dinner, maybe a movie, perhaps for a few drinks, and we even enjoy a nice walk on the beach.  But it feels so ridiculous to pretend we're dating.  So urge others...please stop using the phrase "date night".  Sure, you'll get those sappy responses to your Facebook status, "Awwww...you kids have fun." but I will secretly think you sound ridiculous no matter how sophisticated you may actually be.

Another phrase I'm trying to eradicate is "man cave".  If you're the male in the house and want a room for your xBox, huge flat-screen TV, tools, toys, porn, whatever, that's cool.  Enjoy it with blessings.  Just please don't lower your position on the evolutionary scale by calling it a "man cave".  One friend mentioned liking the term, "media room."  For some reason that reminds me of something that exists at the NBC studios.  That's probably, technically, a media center.  Who knows and who cares - just don't call it a cave.

My friends (and I) added a few more phrases that have to go.   Enjoy!

"It is what it is." -  Profound.  A friend says this is said by a woman when she's pointing out there's nothing you can do to fix the situation.  I suggest it always be followed by, "So what the hell are you going to do about it now?"

"Nothing for nothing" -  This one makes little sense to me.  True - rarely do you get something for nothing.  But I pretty frequently get nothing for nothing.

"To boot" -  I've heard this one when someone adds something to any given conversation in a way that indicates, "on top of it."  To boot is like the cherry on the sundae, I guess.  I'd rather have a cherry, than a boot.  Unless, of course, it looks something like this.

"Honey-do list" -  Unless there's an actual melon somewhere it's simply called a "to-do list".  And in our house, there's little sugar-coating it with a "honey".  My list is long too, buddy.

"Man-date" - This is one I wasn't familiar with, but evidently it refers to the time men spend together.  I suspect the "man-date" is a phrase used fairly exclusively in the married circle.  I couldn't see one of my single guy friends thinking humorously of such an expression.  So let's separate ourselves from the term "date" and more towards something more along the lines of "meeting" or "visit".  Sound good?

If you've got one to add, lay it on me!