Not briefing at all is bad, but so are the long brief being taught where I work - they recite SOP but don't teach the cadets to analyse the plates. They prattle on with a completely rigid patter, but there is no though process and virtually no variation except the numbers on the plate, so the brief is not only long but meaningless too. Too may on this side of the water think it's important how much you say, not what you say. As for home base, how about "ILSxx, standard", or down route "R/Wyy, visual, joining downwind left 1500', flap 30 landing. Missed approach as per the ILS. Questions?"