Socialize That
My work life used to be meetings, meetings and more meetings.
Now, not so much, thankfully.
Still, one does not escape entirely from the round table.
I was sitting in one the other day being dutifully attentive.
The subject had turned to scheduling the next meeting, (of course.)
The person in charge, when mentioning possible dates said, “We’ll socialize that.”
I was mystified.
Socialize?
Isn’t that, like, hanging out?
After she said it a few more times I figured out that means ask around or, as we used to say, “run it up the flag pole.”
Got it.
Still later, when discussing a project, she said, “We can block and tackle that for you.”
Block and tackle?
Is that as in rigging or John Riggins?
I went with rigging and concluded that means to help.
Got it.
Ah, these fancy new phrases to punch up the prose.
Only later did it occur to me that confusion could result.
The next time you have folks over to socialize, and the food is ready, you can tell them to “block and tackle themselves.”
But get out of the way.