New Phrase: Yak Shaving

'Yak shaving' is a term that refers to a series of tasks that need to be performed before a project can progress to its next milestone. This term is believed to have been coined by Carlin Vieri and was inspired by an episode of "The Ren & Stimpy Show." The term's name alludes to the seeming uselessness of the tasks being performed, even though they may be necessary to solve a larger problem. The process of complicating a simple activity also may be considered 'yak shaving'.