Not everything is amazing.
I know. Who new?

Apparently quite a few of us, as I spotted that in this year’s Lake Superior State University’s opinion (based on nominations received, but caveat emptor, I’m not sure how you come a Word Delister Nominee. I think I’ll email them to ask, will let you know how I get on) that ‘GOAT’ - ‘greatest of all time’, is a word that should be banished. 

Which is fine - well, it’s not really fine, as it’s an acronym they want binned, rather than a word (mind you, most acronyms can get in the sea as well) - as per the title, no, not everything is a GOAT; so amazing it needs conferring with the plaudit.

Most of the time things are just, ok. So why the constant stretch for a declaration of excellence? 

In a costume drama I watched over the holidays, one of the antagonists threw out the line 

“I’m afraid your reach has exceeded your grasp, my Lord”. 

It’s one of those lovely cut-you-down-to size with style jibs I really love, perhaps first put into printed circulation by Robert Browning - not that it matters (and even if he had coined it, it would have been 300-odd years before the costume drama was set. Wonder how closely the continuity-wonks checked the script for prescience?) - and it was a standout line. 

Most of the time someone want’s to bring your attention to ‘amazing’, it’s worth remembering that at a stretch it might be interesting. More likely in grasping for the greatest-ness they’ve not grasped that it might have been better to stick to ‘ok’. 

Not everything is amazing. Especially not my butt-clenchingly awful puns.