And thanks for the clarification! Even though most people would still get my point, there are others who wouldn’t make it past the inaccurate reference. Plus it is always good to know technique. So thanks. I’m honored that you are posting to my blog.

The great thing about using things like this is that they can help your listener or reader connect what you’re saying with a real experience that you share with them, with all of the physical and emotional resonance that recalling that experience will evoke. It makes your message that much more effective.

I have a teensy nit to pick regarding terminology: Strictly speaking, that was a simile, not a metaphor. A simile is where you explicitly compare two things, usually using the words “like” or “as.” In the comic, Brad’s dad said that love is LIKE a roller coaster ride.

A metaphor is when you say that one thing IS another thing. So if Brad’s dad had used a metaphor, he would have said “Remember when you were little you so wanted to ride the roller coaster but you were terrified? Love is exactly that.”

Anyway, whether you want to use a metaphor or a simile, the important thing is to not fall back on tired old clichés. Exercise your creativity and try some new and fresh imagery.

For what it’s worth, I just wrote a blog post about creating “savory similes:” http://rmjacobsen.squarespace.com/notebook/2009/9/11/savory-similes.html. I hope it helps.