What???

Okay, so what do people really mean when they say "I hate to say this, but..." and then go right ahead and say it anyway? What the hell is with that? My first reaction is to reply "then by all means, don't..." but you know, that would be considered such a faux pas in today's "correct" atmosphere. I mean, if they hate to say it, then why are they? Doesn't it logically follow, uhmmmmm...not to??

Lacking my trusty crystal ball or any sharply honed mind-reading abilities, I figure, jeez, this is really going to be some kind of bad news. When it turns out to be something inane or worse yet, gossipy, I could just screech. I dunno, I guess it could be construed as taking things too literally and it's only a common phrase, blah, blah, blah, but what else do we have to go by when someone says something like that? Voice inflection? Sure, that would be helpful in a face to face, but what about when it's the written word?

I think it's an attention-getting device, myself. A way of taking center stage, if you will. Like being the first kid on the block with a pet snake or somethng. I used to work with a guy who during the most boring and time-wasting staff meetings in the world, would at some point preface his commentary with "I hate to belabor the point, but..." and then proceed to belabor it ad nauseum until you wanted to strangle the guy with his own tie! It's that "but" you had to watch out for 'cause the guy just loved to hear himself talk.

I don't know about anyone else, but I work at making it a habit not to say or do things I hate. Makes for a lot less complicated life, you know?