I've noticed lately, that I'm a sucker for cliches. I do love sunsets, rainbows and the smell of rain. I've never really had a chance to spend a lot of time on a seashore. All of the beaches of my childhood were perpetually jammed with tourists and I was more interested in finding seashells or swimming than weaving through the masses, but I'm sure that I would more than like taking long walks on the beach, if I had the chance. I can go through Maria's list of favorite things, and heartily agree with every one of them. Well, I think so. I really have no idea what 'schnitzel with noodles' is. Oh wait - according to Wikipedia it's a thinned, boneless meat, breaded and fried, essentially. OK, then, schnitzel with noodles probably wouldn't make my list of favorite things, but it sounds pleasant enough.
When I was a teenager, I came up with a theory that cliches come about for one of two reasons (mind you, I have yet to reevaluate this from my adult and semi-mature perspective to see if it really holds water, but here it is). The first possibility is that people just have too little imagination. They heard or saw or tasted something somewhere, it agreed with them, and, voila! A cliche is born...again and again and again.
The second possibility is simply that the original - the stars on a clear night, the smell of cinnamon, the laughter of children - really is something inherently beautiful, meaningful or fascinating. Maybe something about them communicates with us on a level that surpasses our physical senses because of who and what we are. If there is any truth to this conjecture, I would say that the list of favorite things and other cliches that make me happy fall into the second category.
I'm not really sure where I'm going with all this, and since I'm working with a very slow computer and have a munchkin who recently woke up and is intent on helping me with the post, I should just say that I'm grateful for raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens, sunny days, rainy days, chocolate, bright colors, and the myriad of other things that season my life and my memories with pleasantness (assuming that's a real word).
You need to talk to the Garretts. Austin lived in Germany for a bit and he and MaryLee have made schnitzel for our family a couple times now. Except they serve it with mashed potatoes. It's pretty good! I'm with you, though, cliches. Sometimes I hate admitting that I like the same things that everyone likes, but I just do. :) Oh, and you definitely need to do some beach walking!
ReplyDeleteSeriously? I'll have to ask them about it sometime. Maybe it will make the list after all! :) And I'm hoping that there is a beach for walking somewhere in the near future. Too bad we couldn't make it to Cali with the family this year. It would have been perfect.
DeleteI totally agree - I think that a lot of cliches come about because they're actually TRUE. They're just things that are universally true or well-liked. And a lot of stereotypes, as well - you know, the absent-minded academic, the spacey cheerleader, the Mormon mommy with a bunch of kids and a minivan, etc. They're not ALWAYS true, but they are often enough to reinforce the stereotype.
ReplyDeleteAnd now I want to try my hand at making schnitzel with noodles. I am sure that Mahon (who served a German mission) would love me forever.
Yes, let me know if you do! My curiosity has been piqued. :)
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