When is something ‘used up’ instead of ‘run out of’?

In response to last week’s imponderable question, “When is something ‘used up’ instead of ‘run out of’?,” my writing and sailing friend Rich and adjunct executive friend Lindy concluded, “You can replenish things you run out of; once you have used up something, it is gone forever.” 

My interfaith friend Ann explained, "’Used up’ is when you can't get or won't get any more of, like the special chow-chow your Mama used to make or that special chocolate only available in Belgium.  ‘Run out of’ is when your husband used the last of the peanut butter and didn't put it on the grocery list.  You can get more but maybe not at 10 o'clock at night when you are making lunches for tomorrow.  A disturbance in the force there is with either.”  Then my social media friend Mark gave examples different meanings, “You want more of what is ‘run out’ ie beer.  You want no more of what is ‘used up’ ie ex-wife.”

My dad’s beach buddy Bob observed, “Used up is when it is threadbare and cannot be recovered.”

My Utahan friend Bruce declared, “This is a good one that has a simple answer: since we all understand that time marches on..., ergo it does not ‘stop’, we can rightfully conclude that one can never ‘run out of’ it; however, in today’s fast-paced, never-satisfying, immediate gratification seeking technological society, we constantly find our time used up... excuse me while I binge watch a minimum of five episodes of Person Of Interest on Netflix.”

My sailing and wealth management friend Norm pointed out, “Cash is used up.  Credit is used up. Broke means I’ve run out of food.”

Please send me your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' ":

What is the lesson learned that a tortoise never runs and does little, and lives 200+ years?

 

Live well...laugh often and heartily.... have a good week and never regret anything that made you smile!

Hal

              

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.   I invite you to call or email me to catch up.