Tipsy Tuesday

One of the pieces of advice most writers hear often is "avoid cliches." They're tired and overused. (Of course, the reason they're tired and overused is because, many times, they, well, work.) But too many cliches can be a sign of lazy writing and/or a lack of creativity. And they're soooo hard to avoid sometimes.

Here are some examples that you see especially in fiction writing:

• He took great pride in his accomplishments.
• The stage was set for her plan to move forward.
• The bonds between them were unbreakable.
• It was a mistake she would regret for the rest of her life.
• He was bored to tears.
• It was time for her to deal with harsh reality (or the bitter truth).
• It stopped him in his tracks.

Anyone have any other examples?