I was the one who began using it as a metaphor

Posted by ESC on November 20, 2006

In Reply to: I was the one who began using it as a metaphor posted by Smokey Stover on November 20, 2006

: : The term "ankle biters" may have been coined a hundred years ago, but I was the one who began using it as a metaphor for all the little inconvenient things you have to do on the job. I coined that phrase after working my way through college as a telephone repair tech who had to put up with small dogs biting at my ankles while I attempted to restore phone service. After graduating and joining the ad industry, I started calling all the small stuff associated with my job "ankle biters."

: Well, that was interesting. I like the metaphor, and use it fairly often. It so well describes the journalists and other critics who nip at the heels of anyone trying to do a good job.
: SS

Cool. I use "nibbled to death by ducks" to mean the same. Comes from the title of a book by Robert Campbell. Probably not original.