NTMP #12: Florida man(atee)

Here's the beef.

Apr 17

New-to-me Phrases, April 17, 2022

Beefy low * Disasterpiece * Primal branding * Monetize the sea lions * Adventurous steak * Florida manatee orgy * Dick Tufts

The phrases, with context

This week we have four new-to-me phrases and three bonus phrases pulled from the archives that made me giggle - a fine editorial benchmark. Enjoy!

1. Beefy low

Chicago’s Tom Skilling is the GOAT of being a meteorologist who is super-into their work. (IYKYN.) But this phrase from West Michigan’s WOOD (lol) TV8 Storm Team anchor Ellen Bacca epitomizes that enthusiasm and I am here for it.

Storm Team is also a great phrase.

(h/t to my friend Sarah for tagging me on this one.)

2. Disasterpiece

My friend Rebecca sent me what might be the most charming and accurate portmanteau for creatives.

It deserves a screencap so you can read the context without clicking:

A tweet by @1CaseyDunn: "My 11 yr old has drafted a fiction story for class, and just asked me to look it over with her. As we sat down to read it, she said: “It’s either a masterpiece or a disasterpiece.” Friends, I would like you to meet my new favorite word."

3. Primal branding

Another phrase from my pal Rebecca (we are fellow marketing nerds). I’m just relieved that it’s not about a bunch of white SEO marketers doing a drum circle in the woods.

4. Monetize the sea lions

Yes, this is a sentence, not a phrase and no, I don’t care, because I love it. This one comes from a convo with my friend Jennifer. She mentioned the popularity of the sea lions at Pier 39 in San Francisco and said the city hasn’t yet found a way to monetize them. This is probably a good thing because I wouldn’t want to piss them off.

There’s a webcam at that link, if you’re into that sort of thing, which I definitely am.

5. Adventurous steak

Best typo ever? Via a chat convo with my friend Tonya, circa 2019.

6. Florida manatee orgy

Manatees are cute and all, but I’d never thought about them bumping uglies until I read this story in 2019.

Gapers’ block, indeed.

7. Dick Tufts

I remember reading this engaging profile of a septuagenarian Korean-American man who finds solace in climbing Mt. Baldy (lol) over and over. And then I read his friend’s name, and here we are.

That’s it for this week. Thanks for reading and sending phrases and nice emails about this newsletter!

New-to-me Phrases