I think the phrase "false herring" came to me when I misspoke one day, meaning to say "red herring." I liked the way it sounded, and was convinced that it offered some nuance of meaning that the standard phrase did not. I have yet to figure out what that nuance may be, but I use the term in my private inner monologue to refer to activities, objects, or desires that lead me away from what I really, deep down, know that I want and need in my life. Perhaps the pursuit of another shiny guitar is a false herring, since my time would be better spent playing the ones I already have. Perhaps watching a TV show that I don't really care about is a false herring, because at the end of the evening, I will wish that I had done some writing, read a book, or caught up with someone on the phone instead. Some people probably know exactly what they want at any moment and have an easy time expressing that to others. I do not. So I'm training myself to look out for those ersatz ichthyoids and avoid them in favor of, um, genuine herrings. Well, you get the idea.
