CanadienShark
Registered User
- Dec 18, 2012
- 37,500
- 10,775
From what I gather, it means being in a specific location both in terms of physical space and particular time.
the originating quote idea for Ward was "this is why I'm here," with regards to the playoffs. So it becomes that the playoffs are why Ward is with the San Jose Sharks (in terms of location), and why he is present on the team at this particular point in time.
Or something like that. Honestly I just put in "presence" on thesaurus.com, didn't like most of the results, saw "ubiety" and wondered what the hell that was, and then saw the definition and thought it was perfect in terms of both applicability for what I needed and in how ridiculously obscure/snooty it sounded.
Think of these avatars like a more fun version of those Word of the Day desktop calendars that you usually buy for people you have no particular strong emotional attachment to, nor any idea of personal interests on which to base a better gift. Like that guy that works 2 offices down the hall that once lent you his stapler when yours jammed and who you've maybe shared two dozen words with over the last year even though you've worked in the same offices for 5 years. And then you find out its his birthday and you have to get him something, but you have no idea what and you can't bail because then you look like a dick and everyone will know and treat you worse for it even though you'd feel profoundly stupid for getting a terrible gift because that ends up looking worse (since it shows you're only concerned with the optics of gift-giving as it relates to you) and you head to the mall and stumble across one of those knick-knack kiosks in the middle of the corridor, nestled in between a Sharper Image (which makes you amazed that Sharper Image still exists) and what has to be at least the 3rd Starbucks you've passed since you came in the front doors. So you almost settle on getting a stress ball before you wonder if that sends the wrong message, thinking maybe you believe he hates his job, and then you want to get the fancy red stapler only it's $40 and you think that's crazy expensive for a stapler since you could just buy a white stapler and a can of red spraypaint for less than half that, and also that it's too much for what's supposed to be a small gift. But the mall is closing in 10 minutes and you panic and grab one of the calendars off the shelf because you've got no time left and reslove yourself to think that it's enjoyable enough and doesn't send a strong message about your gift-giving habits and who doesn't like to increase their vocabulary. Then you get in the car and drive home and wonder if you did the right thing, but the thought never moves beyond that because you've just realized by now that the metaphor has completely broken down and gone off the rails and there's really no point in completing the story anymore because it really doesn't mean anything, it's just pointless rambling. And every additional sentence just digs the hole that is your apparent sanity in the eyes of the outside world a little deeper even though you wonder if it's too late to stop and maybe if you keep going you'll wrap right around past senselessness and back to there being a point and metaphor at the core of the story you're telling so you don't look completely crazy. So I guess the moral of the story is to never give up and word-of-the-day calendars are just as useless as focal points for clumsy allusions about the value of internet message board avatars as they are for actually teaching you lasting improvements to your everyday vocabulary.
So in lieu of that, here's the Simpsons to do a better job than I ever could.
I was so with you... until that brick of text. I read it anyways. Suffice to say, I was thoroughly amused.
