https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/section-30-just-a-nastey-journal The Personal Journal of Stephan Anstey en 2005-2012 shakespearesmonekys@gmail.com 42.65593 -71.33391 Sat, 13 Jun 2026 17:15:23 GMT yacs http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 70 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-13074-a-minor-treatise-on-cliche https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-13074-a-minor-treatise-on-cliche How do you decide when to use or not use cliche? The most important thing to understand is what cliche is: replacement of thought with a shorthand representation of thought. Technically, I suppose, all writing is just that, but in the case of cliche, it's a bit more insidious. The tendency of many of us is to whip right through the thought and jot it down. Cliches are shortcuts. Instead of forming the whole thought, we skip right ahead to the description of the thought neatly provided by common words and phrases. This is the antithesis of poetry, where the thought itself is supposed to be examined and presented in a unique way. So, it is correct to say, 'it's fine to use them with a twist' -- because then what you're doing is taking advantage of the audience's prediliction to jump to conclusions based on cliche, and then leading them down a new path and opening up a new line of thought. When a cliche merely fits in the line, both literally and metaphorically, it is the sign of a lazy writer. ... more Stephan Anstey Just a Nastey Journal Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:59:28 GMT /section-30-just-a-nastey-journal#comments 10 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/13074 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/13074 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A13074 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-4576-sage-brush-pain-and-mounting-anxiety https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-4576-sage-brush-pain-and-mounting-anxiety Hey folks, Not that i expect you to worry anstey Just a Nastey Journal Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-30-just-a-nastey-journal#comments 12 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/4576 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/4576 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A4576 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-4224-after-these-messages https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-4224-after-these-messages Hey folks, i'm heading out for a first communion in New Jersey. I'll be home tomorrow morning anstey Just a Nastey Journal Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-30-just-a-nastey-journal#comments 0 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/4224 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/4224 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A4224 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-5035-at-the-printer https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-5035-at-the-printer The magazine is being printed as we speak. Seriously anstey Just a Nastey Journal Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-30-just-a-nastey-journal#comments 7 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/5035 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/5035 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A5035 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-5368-back-from-vacation https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-5368-back-from-vacation Hey folks, I'm back! anstey Just a Nastey Journal Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-30-just-a-nastey-journal#comments 5 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/5368 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/5368 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A5368 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-5099-breakfast https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-5099-breakfast I don't often have breakfast. I usually just wait until lunchtime. Except on the weekends, then I'll indulge anstey Just a Nastey Journal Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-30-just-a-nastey-journal#comments 20 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/5099 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/5099 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A5099 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-4028-catching-up https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-4028-catching-up Sometimes, I make poor choices. Ok, usually, I make poor choices. You really don't have to make such a big thing of it anstey Just a Nastey Journal Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-30-just-a-nastey-journal#comments 3 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/4028 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/4028 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A4028 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7705-couple-of-things https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7705-couple-of-things hey Folks, Sorry for being sparse today. I really haven't felt great, just a cold, you all know how it goes. Anyways anstey Just a Nastey Journal Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-30-just-a-nastey-journal#comments 0 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/7705 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/7705 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A7705 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-5444-death-s-first-name-is-eugene https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-5444-death-s-first-name-is-eugene This is why he has no compassion. His parents didn't even have the heart to call him Gene. Oh no. Always Eugene anstey Just a Nastey Journal Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-30-just-a-nastey-journal#comments 8 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/5444 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/5444 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A5444 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-25-does-stephan-suck https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-25-does-stephan-suck Yes, but i the good way. Yes. ... Just yes. Not often enough. No, not really. Vote View results anstey Just a Nastey Journal Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-30-just-a-nastey-journal#comments 1 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/25 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/25 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A25 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-2692-feeling-better-. https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-2692-feeling-better-. Not dead yet. Don't panic anstey Just a Nastey Journal Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-30-just-a-nastey-journal#comments 0 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/2692 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/2692 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A2692 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-3255-fevers https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-3255-fevers I don't like them anstey Just a Nastey Journal Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-30-just-a-nastey-journal#comments 4 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/3255 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/3255 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A3255 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-2842-global-warming-and-the-stupid-people https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-2842-global-warming-and-the-stupid-people sigh. yes. environmentalists are stupid anstey Just a Nastey Journal Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-30-just-a-nastey-journal#comments 10 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/2842 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/2842 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A2842 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-4717-hrm.-you-ever-do-that-thing https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-4717-hrm.-you-ever-do-that-thing Where you're poking around in old stuff anstey Just a Nastey Journal Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-30-just-a-nastey-journal#comments 6 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/4717 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/4717 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A4717 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-9019-i-just-read-this-article https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-9019-i-just-read-this-article I kinda liked this anstey Just a Nastey Journal Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-30-just-a-nastey-journal#comments 0 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/9019 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/9019 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A9019 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-3454-i-think https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-3454-i-think seriously, i do anstey Just a Nastey Journal Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-30-just-a-nastey-journal#comments 3 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/3454 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/3454 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A3454 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-2772-i-m-in-the-mood-for-turnip https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-2772-i-m-in-the-mood-for-turnip Seriously. I am anstey Just a Nastey Journal Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-30-just-a-nastey-journal#comments 1 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/2772 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/2772 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A2772 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-3516-i-ve-started https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-3516-i-ve-started Ok, it's true anstey Just a Nastey Journal Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-30-just-a-nastey-journal#comments 1 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/3516 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/3516 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A3516 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7332-if-art-really-matters https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7332-if-art-really-matters first draft -- this is not about being elitist or arrogant, it is about recognition of greatness and the search for the sublime anstey Just a Nastey Journal Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-30-just-a-nastey-journal#comments 15 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/7332 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/7332 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A7332 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-5154-is-it-odd https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-5154-is-it-odd I spent a half-hour on the train today thinking about sonnets anstey Just a Nastey Journal Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-30-just-a-nastey-journal#comments 12 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/5154 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/5154 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A5154