God knows what got into me just now, but I suddenly felt quite elated about never using the expression “mark my words,” which I stumbled upon in something I was reading. For some reason, I find it repulsive. Actually, I find revolting the people who are wont of using it while wagging their index finger ominously. So as to be sure about my rapturous claim, I immediately went to the World Wide Web to check my Residua website. To my disappointment, I quickly found two pieces of writing in which the expression does appear. The first is “A Conversation about Self-Management” (March 16, 1982), which is attributed to Alexander Zinoviev, but which is actually mine, albeit in his style, and the second is “Prozac Nation” (August 14, 1997). Shucks. Mark my words, though, I will use this expression never again.

Addendum (May 24, 2016)

Having stumbled upon this piece purely by chance, I immediately searched my writings on the World Wide Web one more time. Have I held my promise? To my embarrassment, the repulsive expression appears twice the very next year (“Former Neo-Fascism: A Letter to The Economist,” May 6, 2008; and “Nick Serota: A Letter to The Jackdaw,” May 27, 2008), and once four years later, albeit in a spoof of sorts (“A Fable from a Horse: A Letter to The Economist,” March 20, 2011). Aaargh! The best I can do at this juncture is to make my promise once again. Mark my words, and no kidding this time around, I will use this expression never again. Chances are that yet another embarrassment awaits me sooner or later.