the watch of time

Expressing a message in humourous analogies, observations, proverbs, etc. combines clever use of language with making an observational point.  They can also draw attention to foibles in language itself.

Here are some examples, from The Light Touch by Malcolm Kushner:

–  Inflation is the process of living in a more expensive neighbourhood without moving

 –  An audience is the only group of people who get tired after they sit down

 –  ‘Status quo’ is Latin for ‘the mess we’re in’

 –  Thank you; I feel like a friend who had to ride home by bicycle after a vasectomy

 –  He carries around a garden hose so he can walk on water

 –  He who lives by a crystal ball will eventually have to eat glass

 –  Remember the good old days, when the only concern about the Far East was Godzilla

 –  One good thing about middle age spread is that it brings people closer together