Last week I spent several days at a marketing conference. It was okay, but one of the presenters kept repeating one of those in-vogue business clichés that I absolutely can’t stand. He would say “At the end of the day...” before making every point.

I know what people who use this phrase are trying to say.  They’re saying “At the end of the 9-5 workday we will evaluate our initiatives and consider our results.” But I hate the expression because I can’t seem to force myself to think that way.  To me it simply means the end of the real day.  And at the end of the real day, my priorities will not be aligned with anything resembling a 9-5 existence.

At the end of the day, I will not care about leads that our campaigns have lost. I will care about what happens on Lost.

At the end of the day, I will not care about optimization and mindshare. I will care about reclining in my chair.

At the end of the day, I will not care about raising the bar. I will care about raising a glass.

At the end of the day, I will not care about communicating to my team members. I will care that I’m talking to my friends.

At the end of the day, I will run in the hills and see the sun sink like an orange balloon.  I will listen to music so beautiful that I won’t be able to hear it all at once.  I will laugh so hard that my face will crease like a road map. I will wish a pox on people who can only express themselves in words that are dry and dead before they’ve even been uttered.