If I hear the phrase “It is what it is,” one more time I am going to scream like I just slammed my finger in a car door.

And if it is what it is, it will be a loud-pitched yell as a result of pain inflicted not only by a meaningless phrase, but also excruciating discomfort of having a heavy door smash my capillaries (and possibly my bone), inducing my nerve endings to send a pain signal to my brain, which is sure to cause a dilemma whether to scream out of frustration of a stupid, ever-popular phrase… Or pain.

What happened to your finger, Shawn?

“It is what it is,” I will reply.

No further explanation needed.

There wasn’t a reason for the finger smash, Shawn? How did it happen?

“It was what it was.”

It just is what it is?

Yep. Any other questions?

So what do you think about the war in Iraq?

“It is what it is.”

What do you think about the weather?

“It is what it is.”

Man, the Wolves are terrible this season. What do you think about their season?

“It is what it is.”

OK, so… Good talk, then. Your insight is appreciated.

Hmm, that’s sort of fun.

Back to my rant, if it is what it is, would someone please explain what both is and it are?

What’s more is that people tend to use this saying as though it is a clever, possibly even witty way to explain something.

In my opinion, it is not clever or witty.

With ever-growing popularity this phrase is popping up everywhere.

Will it be what it is tomorrow?

Was it what it was today, yesterday?

Confused?

Could the It-is-what-it-is-sayer please elaborate? (By the way, if people can make up stupid expressions to describe something, I can make up stupid phrases to describe them.)

“It is what it is.”

Sure it may be a fun, trendy expression to say.

Sure, it is sure to leave a puzzled look on the face of the person asking the questions.

Yes, it is the easy way out of explaining something. And without question, it is a good way to leave something vague and unanswered.

So, “it is what it is,” I guess.

But please, don’t make me slam my finger in a car door. I don’t want my brain to have to decide whether or not to scream out of frustration or pain. Use your vocabulary to describe what it is.