OK, What exactly does "It is what it is" mean??!!!!

I mean, honestly, what the TWIZZZ does that really mean??!! Have you thought about it? HAVE YOU??? I hear it all the time, everywhere, in meetings, in hallways, on the radio or TV--my former boss used to say it all the time, became her novel catchphrase, just like "At the end of the day," or "Be that as it may," and then BAM!!!!!!! I start hearing it all over the place. Even to the point of my MOM telling me that her nephew had the greatest "zen" phrase that she wanted to share with me--guess what it was...c'mon, go ahead...."YES!!!! IT IS WHAT IT IS!!!!!"

OK, I guess I'm venting a little, but every time I hear it, I take a moment to try to understand what this little, albeit ANNOYING, phrase means.

So, humor me a little while I verbally muck around in the spirit of reaching for deep truth and meaning.

Obviously I think it's trying to convey the thought that something can't be changed, no matter what, like it or not, (kinda like in physics class when they talk about two immovable objects n stuff, or when you reach a stalemate in a game of chess, or if you are trying to decide which handbag to buy and you absolutely LOVE and HAVE TO HAVE BOTH of them, but your credit card is maxxed, you have no cash, and someone else is eyeing both of them while you have your conflicted moment)... so TPTHHHH on you--just deal with it....

But, I can't accept that this is all, NO!!!! Not for something so universally accepted as POPULAR, TRENDY VERNACULAR that people utilize in the hopes of self-soothing (or at least sounding like they're OK with it to the undiscerning ear)....

Hmmmm, well, I began wondering if perhaps something a little darker lies beneath the surface; when I soon realized that this rests on a premise that so PREMIERELY PISSES ME OFF....ok, so in the contextual sense, if someone is using this as an uber-zennish way to express the inevitable sentiment that she is not happy about what "it" constitutes in relation to her or her situation; and that literally that "it" will remain to be "it" and cause them unhappiness. Soooo, why would one EVER say this in a manner of trying to self-soothe and relieve anxiety or displeasure when simply saying these words is a redundant, contradictory exercise in futility and frustration at the inability to change whatever the hell "it" is---(is "it" a pesky mole?...a late car payment?...a dead-end job?...INQUIRING MINDS WANNA KNOW!!!!)

But, alas, I digress....hmmm, if the "it" won't change, and if the person saying this has an unsavory or unpleasant notion about that non-changing "it" thing, why would verbally stating that be ANYTHING OTHER THAN ANNOYING AND STUPID AND POINTLESS??!!!!!! Sure, it sounds so Zen, so New-Age, so HIP, intellectual and Modern and NOW...ya, suuuuuurrrrreeee, keep tellin yerself that:::rollin her eyes bigtime n stuff:::....

To me, simply take the more realistic, funnier, yet refreshingly less PC approach of dealing with whatever that unpleasant "it thing" is, and anty-up and tell yerself, "S**t happens, ya can't change it, so, you can either a) deal with it, b) join 'em, or c) get glad; or, if all else fails, then I personally recommend d) eat large amounts of homemade chocolate chip cookies, practice the appropriate use of voodoo dolls in the workplace, and put on your ipod and sing at the top of your lungs to Abba and dance around for colleagues, family, or unsuspecting neighbors to see--what a treat!!! Oh, of course, you'll probably take a little ride on a nice comfy truck with shiny flashing lights with people who have lots of badges and needles, but LIVE IN YOUR OWN MOMENT!!!!!!! :::hummin n dancin to "Dancing Queen" to fade::::