A couple of weeks ago while perusing the internets, I read a comment from someone that said something to the effect of, “that’s awesome, and I try not to overuse that word.”
The first thing that came to mind was, well, me. I am guilty of overusing that word big time (along with totally, seriously, and like – what can I say? I’ve lived in California a long, long time). The thing is, it isn’t as though I lack other descriptive words. I happen to like awesome and it’s my verbal crutch, because it has taken fuck’s place as my all purpose word also a verbal crutch. Add an exclamation point at the end, and it signifies good news, add a touch of sarcasm to the pronunciation, and it implies the exact opposite of the word’s true meaning, i.e., “my in-laws moved in with us, awesome”.
One of my first posts on the Cowardly Feminist was about my potty mouth – I swear like a sailor and drop the f-bomb with astounding regularity, it’s terrible. Now don’t worry, I have the common sense not to do it in front of children, nuns, and my grandparents, so it isn’t as though I’m sullying the ears of the innocent or elderly. But in normal, day to day conversation, it comes out a lot. I have, however, cut back on using profanity in this blog. Sure a few words inevitably come out in each post, but for the most part my use of bad language has been curbed significantly, except what I did was replace all instances where I would normally use the f-bomb with awesome. I need to figure out a way to be more judicious in my use of both words.
PS – I take comfort in the fact that while I may overuse the word awesome, at least I don’t add sauce or balls to the end of it, which, fyi, doesn’t make it any better.
Eddie Izzard is awesome.
Totally.
I rarely find standup funny, but he’s hilarious.
I have heard the sauce version, but never the balls. Awesomeballs? Yeah, I’m gonna have to start using that one. Probably at Thanksgiving. Should be a big hit.
You’re welcome:)
I use “awesome” a lot. What can I say? It’s an awesome word.
And in the example you gave about inlaws moving in…then it’s definitely the best word to use.
Awesome, neat, totally are all words I’ve gotten flack for saying a lot but I was literally a teenager in Southern California so I should get credit for phasing out “like” and “bitchin” from my vocab. No matter what haters gonna hate. Indubitably.
Bitchin! That’s a good one. I’m a fan of rad, which I will not give up.
I am big on “fabulous”. How are you? FABULOUS. How is your day going? FABULOUS. You look FABULOUS. You smell fabulous. The more I type it, the more ridiculous it looks.
Every time I hear that word I think of AbFab:)
I use the word “the” a lot, and it’s fucking irritating.
Actually, the word I overuse is “anyway”, and I use it way too much at the beginning of paragraphs.
Oh I do too, but hey, one word at a time. I can’t forgo all of them at once, you know.
Did you see the movie “Red”? Where the girl comes home from a lame date, alone, and says of the guy she left on the sidewalk…”And you live with your mother? awesome.” Perfect sarcasm. I try to imitate it a few times a week if possible.
But my downfall is Dude. There’s a commercial with examples of DUDE! – warning. Dude! – greeting. Dude – commisseration. Du-u-ude! – total awe. etc.
Dude! It’s hard for me to use that one without thinking of The Big Lebowski.