Nitpicking, again.

[resonant]

Word I don't ever want to read again in a story:

Obsidian.

Thank you, and goodnight.

Comments

[ficklememeer.livejournal.com]

Um....K.

Got an eraser?

Meep.

*wink*

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Alabaster.

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

"I'm looking for Doctor Smith; do you know where she is?"

"Try the OB, Sid. Ian, go show Sid where it is."

See? A perfectly acceptable use of "ob-sid-ian."

Although it *is* for a Sex Pistols mpreg story, so...

*g*

[katallison.livejournal.com]

I am now going to write you a casefile story in which the plot turns on a mysterious obsidian ceremonial sculpture whose provenance Fraser deduces by examining its embedded cristobalite crystal patterns. Fraser will say "obsidian" a great deal, and despite his best efforts Ray will be unable to wholly shut him up. Hah.

[salazaar.livejournal.com]

*delurks*

Emerald.

Jade.

Porcelain.

And "ebon," which as Tradescant has noted, is not even word.

*relurks*

::curious::

[thermidor.livejournal.com]

um, what was obsidian this time? Hair color? eyes?

My personal favorite misused mineral color is lapis lazuli ;)

[copperbadge.livejournal.com]

But you can make arrowheads and knives out of it, it's terribly useful stuff.

And if you're really lucky, you can attempt to make an arrowhead with it, slice open your palm, and scar yourself for life!

Sam, also avoiding obsidian whenever possible.

[kaiz.livejournal.com]

I think I could live with 'obsidian' as long as it wasn't paired with the word 'orbs'.

Come to think of it, I can handle *any* "color" adjective as long as it doesn't modify the word 'orbs' (as in "jade green orbs", "chocolate brown orbs", "cerulean blue orbs", ad nauseum.)

::eg::

[strangerian.livejournal.com]

Sapphire. Cerulean.

Let's just outlaw "orbs" and keep the jewel colors for epics about deranged interior decorators and Benton Fraser.

[musesfool.livejournal.com]

Could we get that passed into law?

It should never, ever modify 'hair' (nor any archaic and froufrou synonym for hair that no self-respecting man would *ever* use) again.

[ellen-fremedon.livejournal.com]

Re: orbs, of various colors--

Check out, if you haven't already, the MSTing (http://www.bmsc.washington.edu/people/merritt/books/Eye_of_Argon.html) of "The Eye of Argon," (http://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/~susan/sf/argon.htm) the worst sword-and-sorcery story ever written.

DO NOT DRINK ANYTHING WHILE READING!

I haven't been able to read the word 'orbs' since without smirking. Or 'gore.' Or 'faucet.' Or 'lithe,' or 'opaque.'

[lexin.livejournal.com]

My votes are for the complete removal of 'Snape Manor', and everything that goes with it, and my perpetual bete noir, 'graduate'.

[tinderblast.livejournal.com]

I have to add: turgid in a 'love scene'. I just don't know where to start with that one. It's just so grotesque, and desperately un-sexy.


brodie

[xoverau.livejournal.com]

I was reading a story the other night in which they referred to a German Shepherd's groin area as his "doggyhood".

Next to that, obsidian almost sounds intelligent.

(I was going to say that obsidian paled beside it, but then it would be hematite. Or quartz. Or silvery-ashen. Or something.)

[shayheyred.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on the "obsidian" et al, but I also never need to read the following EVER AGAIN...

"errant lock of hair..." (been guilty of this myself)

"...released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding..." (ditto)

"his/her ministrations..."

"blues" "greens" or "grays" without the word "eyes," as in, "His greens locked onto Fraser's deep blues, and..." What, is Vecchio's salad making a play for Fraser?

but....but.....

[vulgarweed.livejournal.com]

....what should the Aztec sacrificial knife be made of, then? Flint is so declasse.

[nostalgia-lj.livejournal.com]

Alabaster.

"molten core"

'ejaculated' in place of 'said'

"luv"

[norah.livejournal.com]

I love the "my fandom has wanking budgies" icon.

How about the word "nave" instead of "naÏve"?

nave 1) n. The central part of a church, extending from the narthex to the chancel and flanked by aisles.
2)n. The hub of a wheel.

Even in otherwise well-written fic. Oy.

[marycrawford.livejournal.com]

'Buddy'. Any fandom, but particularly Hercules: the Legendary Journeys.

Especially 'little buddy', but 'buddy' by itself will do. Or rather, will not. Ugh.

[tinderblast.livejournal.com]

It's not terrible per se, but I've seen permutations of 'you're a little overdressed' in so many stories.

'I'm perfectly fine now, but you're wearing too many clothes.'

or

'There's smoething wrong.'

'What?'

'You've got too many clothes on ... '

It's funny the first time.

brodie

[salixbabylon.livejournal.com]

While I don't disagree with your objection to 'obsidian', what adjectives would or do you use for Snape's eyes? I don't mean to be contrary, just curious.

(tangent: We have a lot of it around the house, and I've always loved that it's really glassy, more brown that solid black, and so strong but easily splintered...)

And I confess to having used obsidian, knowing full well it was a cliche. Rather, Remus used it in his poem, and I can't help it if he's a Harlequin-romantic. *g*

*taking notes on the other words, so that if I use them, it's consciously*