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Sometimes strange phrases, thoughts and questions lurk around in my head, to the point where I have to either write them down or tell them to someone in order to prevent myself from forgetting them.

At which point I either receive a stiffle of laughter or in most cases the typical “roll eyes and shakes head” response. I guess you just have to get my humor, it’s not always off the wall, but it’s certainly not of this world, as people have told me. It just proves a point that odd people are either accepted or shrugged off in this society eventually huddled into various classifications like comedians, “creative types”, odd todds and loonies.

My wife and I were watching the making of Disney’s Oliver and Company on DVD. Unlike today’s extensively (and sometimes exhaustively) researched “making-of” featurettes, you could tell this one was used moreso as a marketing tool. Halfway through the feature, the announcer mentions that Disney used “state of the art” computer technology as an aide to traditional 2-D animation.

The next scene shows an interview with Roy E. Disney who seems excited about the adaptation of computer technology and suggests that it’ll be a useful tool for future Disney films. Now here’s the kicker — towards the end of the computer animation bit the announcer reminds the viewers that while computer animation is a fantastic tool to aide in 2-D animation, fear not, for it will never replace traditional animation.

In George Carlin’s book, Brain Droppings, Carlin lists his favorite oxymorons, including but not limited to:

• Assistant Supervisor
• Original Copy
• Limited Lifetime Guarantee
• Forward Lateral
• Partial Cease-Fire
• Uninvited Guest
• Full-time Day Care
• Business Ethics

Just in case you didn’t know, according to Hyperdictionary an oxymoron (pronounced: `âksi’mowrân) means “conjoining contradictory terms”.

Do you have any favorite oxymorons to share? Leave a comment and maybe this will turn into a repository of oxymorons to use in daily conversation.

Life is a complicated and yet beautiful entanglement of thorns and roses. Just when you feel comfortable suddenly a multitude of paths open up before you and then you’re left deciding which is the right one to follow. Which one will lead to success and which one will lead to struggle? There is no doubt that life throws us curveballs and many times it’s when we are least expecting it. The key to understanding life is knowing whether you are in control of your life or if your life is in control of you.