What is it with exaggerating? It’s as if we can’t even help ourselves. Sometimes, it’s to make us seem so much more impressive, such as when we catch a fish and tell people just how big it was. Each time we tell the story, we exaggerate a bit more until someone finally calls us out.
There are countless other situations, too.
She’s so tall she could touch the moon with a step ladder.
I walked a million miles to get here.
I died of embarrassment.
Exaggerations are often a way to add color to our stories. But are they worse than if we make an understatement? It all depends on context. Often, it’s for “a bit.” We try to be funny. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t.
Ode to an Oxymoron
It’s not just exaggerations or understatements that are overdone. It’s also the oxymoron – you know, when you combine two contradictory terms. “The living dead” is a great example. How can something be both living and dead?
Well, in Sherman Country, we see plenty of oxymorons happening on a daily basis. There’s the deafening silence of being out in the middle of nowhere. There are the pretty ugly barns that are falling apart. And let’s not forget the foolish wisdom that is often shared to us by our elders.
We like to have fun with oxymorons now and again, but it’s important to know when they are overused.
We have some awfully good jokes that we like to share.
One thing is for sure, though. You’ll never hear us using an oxymoron to talk about a Sherman barndo. They’re pretty (not ugly). We might use the occasional metaphor, though. Like how our construction projects are as strong as oxen.
Don’t Use an Idiom Around an Idiot
Whether you’re talking about Sherman homes or anything else, it’s important to choose your language wisely depending on who it is that you’re talking to.
Idiots don’t always understand when you’re being funny. They assume you’re being truthful rather than exaggerating. If you use a meiosis (an understatement, that is) and tell them that you’re only a little tired when you’re actually exhausted, they’ll assume you’re actually only a little tired.
The jokes are lost on them.
That’s why you have to be particularly careful about using idioms around certain people.
She speaks ten words a second, with gusts to fifty.
An idiom is a phrase that means something different from the literal translation. If you were to say that it’s raining cats and dogs in Sherman Country, they’d look into the sky and wonder what you’re talking about since they don’t see cats or dogs falling.
If you tell them that building a Sherman barndo is a piece of cake, they’ll wonder what flavor it is and maybe even ask for a slice so that they can enjoy the cake.
It’s easier to say what you mean and mean what you say when talking to those kinds of people. Just tell them that a Sherman barndo is one of the best forms of construction because it can be completely customized. No exaggerations, no understatements, and no idioms.
I Walked a Million Miles…
Have you ever claimed to have walked a million miles to get somewhere? Told someone that you drove a thousand miles to see them?
Welcome to the wonderful world of exaggerating.
The thing is, when you claimed to have traveled this distance, it’s because it felt like a really long journey. That means that you may need to reconsider where you are and where you want to be.
He’s so crooked that if he swallowed a nail he’d spit up a corkscrew.
Do you feel as though you’re in the middle of nowhere away from Sherman Country? Do you feel as though you’re driving hours and hours to be around the people you love?
That’s when it may make sense to start looking at Sherman homes in an area where you want to be. Now, we’re not saying to go look at the latest new construction homes. Those are often cookie-cutter homes. You won’t love those because they will have you exaggerating in countless other ways.
Before you know it, you’ll be telling friends that “I could jump from one roof to the next” because the homes are so close to each other.
There’s a reason we build barndominiums. The Sherman barndo allows you to have the home you want on any plot of land that you have in Minnesota or Wisconsin. Once you know where you want to build and what kind of home layout you want, you can call us.
Don’t exaggerate the details. Tell us exactly what you want so that we can be sure to build you the home of your dreams.
Save the Sarcasm
The ironic statement can get you into trouble. When you use irony in your speech, you say something that contrasts to the literal meaning. For example, if you say, “I love the HOA in my community,” you probably don’t. However, this sarcasm can make many people question what you actually mean.
It is my experience that irony is best used when you truly know the people you’re speaking to. That way, they’ll know when you’re being serious and when you’re being sarcastic.
When you meet with us to talk about your pole barns, let us know what you really want to see in a new home. Don’t be sarcastic. Leave that for when you’re talking to your friends.
We’ll do the same.
When we tell you how we’re known for our “quality erections,” we’re not being ironic. We really are known for them because we have over 40 years of quality craftsmanship under our belts.
We may exaggerate here and there, but it’s to help tell the story. Our storage solutions go on forever. Our pole barns can withstand a comet impact, etc.
Give us a call so that we can have some fun with words while we tell you why a Sherman pole building is one of the best investments that you can make.
