Word Geekery and Other Randomness

A few interesting bits in the world of words, lately:

• This post from Jim Romenesko about a memo from the editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, telling reporters to stop using the word "iconic" because it has become cliché.
    
• And how the memo spurred this post, which details a list of overused words and phrases that the Washington Post's Outlook section is supposed to avoid. Fascinating and funny and reminds me of the time I worked at a newspaper (probably because I regularly used a handful of those words).
    
• This list of contronymns was also going around: 14 Words That Are Their Own Opposites. Also fascinating. (Should "fascinating" go on my overused list? Perhaps.)
    
• And for a little bit of fun (on the off chance anyone didn't think the previous items were riveting), I also came across this list of 50 Great Rory-Lorelai Exchanges. I posted a bit about Gilmore Girls on the other blog recently, so this came at a good time. I also enjoyed 25 Little-Known Facts About 'Gilmore Girls' I found on the same site. You might be wondering what this has to do with words, but Gilmore Girls was great writing. And it was funny. So there.