Monday, September 03, 2007

And they named it...

Backyard Burger.

Consider this classic 'tales of two names'.

Both are, I believe, created with a vision of the typical Australian family BBQ-ing pieces of juicy steaks alfresco style in the backyard on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

So a girl intepreted her vision and named it the Backyard Burger. And a guy named it Aussie Barbie (a slang for BBQ not the doll). To me, both are derived from the same vision.

Guess what? the girl went on to win AUS$12000 worth of prize in McDonald's Name-It-Burger competition. The guy, unfortunately, end up with nothing. Eventhough both of them capture the same scenery, but perhaps at different angles.

And yeah, the guy is me.

15-second vent: What kind of name is it? I mean compared to other McD burgers like Big Mac, Double Cheeseburger etc which is easy on the tongue and sort of rhyme together, they choose the name BackYard Burger. &%$#?!?

I'm not a sourgrape, but I really felt that the name I give to the burger is better. At least it rhymes. Haha.

If case you didn't know what I'm rambling about, McDonald's here had a competition known as 'Name it Burger'. They had a no-name burger which you can try at McD and then give it a name online. So I had a go at it after spending about 10 minutes thinking about it. Anyway, I enjoyed the burger. It is the nicest McD every made.

Actually I wrote this post a week ago but didn't publish it coz it doesn't sound interesting. But a particular event that took place in those few days had me in a reflective mood and felt that this 'naming incident' can be a good anology.

What's in a word or name? Everything. A choice of word can determine whether someone will live or die; or become friends or foes.

The word is indeed mightier than the sword.

The correct words at the right time can be invigorating. The wrong words, even if you meant well, can hurt. Even if you have a good, balanced view of the situation. It can cause more misunderstanding, and serves to widen the divide.

I usually kept quiet because I don't have a masterful command of words. I am still learning to say the right words at the right time. I don't want to hurt any feelings by an unintentional use of inappropriate words. Using the right words is an art to be learnt, and it is not easy. This is because words are up to intepretation of anyone reading or hearing it. Everyone can intepret it differently according to their experiences and partial understanding of the situation. Message sent is often not message received.

I always felt that in misunderstandings, both parties is partly to blame. No one is really 100% right; nor is 100% wrong. They should sort it out by themselves. Make peace and patch up. Let bygones be bygones. Others can state their view but please don't stroke the flames by start pointing fingers.

At the height of an emotional outburst, it is often difficult to see anything else except other people's fault. I know, coz I had experienced it before also. It is a suggestion only, but perhaps it is best not to vent it out at the heat of the moment for everyone to see. Or perhaps if the compulsion is too strong, try using less emotive language and a more balanced, moderate tone. Let people make their own judgement. Or it will have a hint of washing dirty linings in the street.

Please think twice before choosing to speak or write. Sometimes, it is best to keep quiet.

Remember, there's also truth in the words "Silence is golden".

P/s: and to anonymous posters, actually it is not often hard to have a guess who you really are. In fact, it is quite a fun thing to do =). Everyone have different styles of writing and what you write also expose your thought process.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

haha.. guess wht? cq had the same name for the burger as u!! but i suppose the word "Barbie" would require legal proceedings with Mattel.

Lol..

Phiaw said...

serious? wow..that's quite a coincidence LOL

changyang1230 said...

You guys can't be serious eh... CQ also named it Aussie Barbie?

Haha Ah Phiaw, anyway, your "what's in a name" reminds me of that Shakespeare "by any other name" poem we "critically responded" in Ausmat... Did you do that short story as well?

Anonymous said...

since you said that, i'll be anonymous then.

i personally prefer Backyard Burger cos it uses the literary device of alliteration, and contrary to what you say, IS easy on the tongue.

names like Silent Stalker, Invisible Illusionist, Disappearing Djinn, Exploding Extinguisher, Round Rectangle, and even Thirteen Thirteen, all sound good for some reason.

maybe if you used Backyard Barbie, you'd have had a better chance?

Anonymous said...

No chance I guess...too long (Aussie Barbie burger is twice in length in terms of syllables). Now guess who I am?

p/s (hint):
I do think you are quite articulate most of the time =)