8.28.2008

Words and Phrases I'd Like To See Less...And More Of

I picked up some dental floss that holds the claim "Hi-Tech". Wow. Now I spent some time looking over the container. I pulled out a couple of feet of the floss, carefully observing along the way. It has a minty flavor and it's waxed. I expected it to floss my teeth on it's own, or at the very least flashed some pulsating lights while playing disco music, but alas, I discovered it was just floss.

Hi-Tech. An over-used phrase. One I would like to see less of.

Another phrase I'd like to hear less of. This one comes out of the mouths of our politicians. "The American People". Usually this phrase is followed by the word "want". When was the last time we had any visible politician who really knew what we wanted, or even cared for that matter?

This next one is a personal pet peeve. Fashion writer demagogues who say "Women, if you're over 40, do not wear___". Fill in the blank. I've heard them say anything from cropped pants to shorts above the knee to mini skirts. Hey, if Arnold Schwarzenager can wear a speedo in public and not be arrested for public indecency, then I can wear a damn mini skirt already. Back off! And lighten up.

"The Gateway Drug". Oh, fanatical politicians, teachers, church leaders and those DARE folks love to spout that phrase. Usually the drug they refer to is that deadly refer stuff. Scary stuff, eh. Never killed anyone. The worst thing that happens if you "overdose" is intense paranoia or sleep. Or an empty pantry followed by the morning after thought of "what happened to all of my food??" Come on. We ALL know what the real gateway drug is. Sugar. Kids simply cannot get enough of it. They always want more. And in time, when that fix isn't enough, they get in on the caffeine action by getting ahold of one of those energy drinks. After that, it's all downhill.

"Oh My God." Now before I head off into this little rant, I need to humbly admit I say this phrase at times. It was ingrained into my subconscious during the 80's by classmates and by watching those valley girl movies and tv shows. That being said, can't we say something else instead? Maybe we can do an Elaine. You know, from Seinfeld. When she hears news she cannot believe, she shoves the person by putting her hands on their chest and pushing while saying "Get OUT!" While it may result in some boo boo's, there will be no annoyance factor to the ears.

Now that I've shared what I'd like to hear less of, here's what I'd like to hear more of in our world:

"How are you? No, really, I mean it. How ARE you?" (I got asked that for the first time yesterday. And I answered truthfully. It was very refreshing.)

"You're really wonderful, you know that?"

After 10pm: Silence.

When I turn on my television and some pseudo-journalist or politician or corporate big wig is speaking, all one hears is: blah blah blah. blah blah blah. and turning to other news, blah blah blah. blah blah. (Hey, I wonder if someone can make something like that. We have mute buttons and all, but it would be a real hoot to have a "blah" button too, huh?)

"I love you." Embarassing to say at times, but like Louis Armstrong sings "I see friends shaking hands, saying how do you do. They're really saying I love you."

4 comments:

crallspace said...

Great post! You had me from the start w/ the disappointing floss.

How did you answer to "How ARE you?"

Anonymous said...

yeah, hi-tech floss my booty!
...I am tired of seeing that to, every few month I see some new kind of floss, that doesnt look new at all..like this whitening floss...I actually emailed and called them
(they shall remain nameless!) to ask how it whitens, after being transfered around they told me becuase it prevents tarter...how is that 'whitening'? Considering on like 15% or people floss, and it is such a pain, how about making something people may actually use?!

Pugs in Space said...

BRAVO BRAVO!!! Right on sister!

Nina said...

d~
oh it really wasn't all that exciting of a conversation. i just said my afternoon had been one of those real stinkers (not the word i used of course)--hackers from china kept trying to hack into our computer each time i signed on plus some other things that seemed to go wrong--one thing after anohter that day-- and blah blah i just looked at the guy, laid my head down on the counter and sighed and said something like i just should have stayed in bed, ya know? can you FEEEL my pain??