The Daedalus Books and Music MySpace blog has a post called "The Banished Words List," where you can share the words or phrases that drive you crazy. Daedalus is following the example of the staff at Lake Superior State University, who have been collecting nominations from people around the world and posting many of them on their website. LSSU's list, known officially as the "List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness," has been around since 1977.
Anyway, since Daedalus Books and Music is now my new MySpace friend (yay!), I thought I'd respond in kind. And, in true democratic spirit, they added my most loathed words and phrases to the nominees for banishment. To wit:
RURAL - I hate that word. Whenever I say it I feel like I've suddenly acquired a speech impediment. I also hate the word "LINGERIE." It sounds pretentious and tawdry.
SEE-MY-SAYIN'? - A quickly spoken contraction of "See what I'm saying," an urban appropriation of "You know what I mean" favored by hip-hop artists and rappers. Plus, I never see what people who ask see-my-sayin' see.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOUT! - Used by every jock after scoring and every porn star after climaxing (or so claims my boyfriend who is, unfortunately, the subject expert). Actions speak much louder than unnecessary, self-evident words. Hmmmfffttt!
DISRESPECTING, DISRESPECTED - As in: "He disrespected me" or "She was disrespecting me." Can't we all just be DISSED and be done with it? I hate making a verb out of a noun.
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Hi Ms. Davis, This is no comment, just "a blast from your past". It's your roommate from the early 80's, the one who met a hairy caver, moved to the Appal(short "a")chian Mtns. and had a baby. BTW, the "baby" is 6'3", studying architecture at UVa.
Sooo...I found you on Accelerated Decrepitude (I googled you and Mark, and that's what came up), and gambled that Pucca was you...wouldn't you know, I love Pucca too, went thru a Pucca phase in my earlier 40's...
I've been in a nostalgic something or other phase since Jasper left for college (last year!)...he's "reliving" some of my own most fundamental events, and it's messing w/my reality. Hence, the search for positive reminders of the past.
Anyway, I can't listen to certain music w/out thinking of you...same w/Crabtree and Evelyn or Monopoly money...one time a customer tried to pay you w/Monopoly money when we worked at HP, do you remember? Does HP still exist?
"I haven't been to Balt. since crack hit" - one of my nephews (born in Balt.) uses that phrase all the time, he's 19 y.o. and it cracks (haha) me up. I really don't come north much at all.
I'm in A'ville,(the city 40 mi. from where I lived when you visited, coined "the freak capitol of the world" by Rolling Stone in the 90's), on my second career as a teacher in an alternative HS.
I'd go on and on...actually, I'd have a blog if I wasn't so ADD, but I don't. It would be great to hear more from you. It appears that you are still having crazy, eclectic fun with life...yayyy!!! You can reach me at jklfamily@earthlink.net.
Kim
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