So, it’s like, ya know, and stuff like that, right?

Tuesday, May 4, 2010 at 2:11 pm (Hack for Hire, Writing by Ear)
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“I know, right!?”

Two different characters in Castle last night used that phrase within 30 seconds of each other. It confirmed what I’ve been hearing for the past month or so, and what I started writing about in this post a couple days ago and then got distracted. “Something-something-something….right?” has become the latest conversational catchphrase.

Like when someone’s explaining a concept…“So, you have these two banks, right, and they’re competing for your business, right, so you….”

Or someone’s describing their trip to Vegas…“You’re in the middle of the desert, right, yet there’s these incredible fountains everywhere…”

Or someone (me for instance) is apologizing to the guy parked next to them at Sam’s Club for showing up just as he’s trying to load his purchases…“Oh, sorry. It figures, right?”

I’m as much of a bandwagon jumper as anyone, especially when it comes to lazy speech and “things to say to sound trendy and not ancient.” Or “blogging tricks to be funny cool.” It’s a lot like the lazy writing and jargon that too easily creep into the marketing writing I do. That said, I wonder how these things get started.

The whole “like” thing…So, like, we were walking down the street. And, like, this crazy guy came up to us and…

Or the “ya know” thing…Well, ya know, I haven’t been jogging long, so, ya know, I’m not that good at it…

Or the woman I used to know who ended every ended every sentence with “…and stuff like that.” I’m taking off work on Friday so I can clean and work outside and stuff like that.”

The whole “right” thing is still pretty new, so it doesn’t sound annoying…yet. Those characters in Castle last night actually sounded fresh and with it. Just as the person at dinner last month did when I first noticed the trend. It really drew me into the conversation — acknowledging what he said and nodding that I understood (right).

Try it. Don’t you sound like you have a riveting story to tell? Or that you can so relate to what the other person’s telling you (I know, right!?).

Listen for it for the next few days…I bet you’ll be hearing it everywhere, right?

Man is a creature who lives not upon
bread alone, but primarily by catchwords.
~ Robert Louis Stevenson


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Au revoir…

Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 1:23 pm (Heavy Clay)
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“Somebody” is not very happy. (Hint: It’s not me.)

After resisting and only eating from the opening of the trap for a couple days, our furry foe succumbed to temptation this morning and made her way all the way in (being sure to eat the entire smorgasboard for her trouble). We hope she will be very happy in her new home, several miles away in a park-like (public) area. (“Somebody” else [hint: not me] made me take some celery stalks and a carrot along — you know, because it’s such a pain to have to make dinner on moving day while you’re busy getting settled.)

According to this information sheet put out by Penn State, it is not illegal to do what we did. Although it is dated 1997 and maybe the law has changed since then.

I’m not silly enough to think this will end our garden-chomping problems — I’m keeping the trap handy. But it’s nice to think of *maybe* being able to enjoy a big pot of colorful posies on the porch or deck this summer without fear of them turning into mere stems overnight.

So for now, au revoir mon ennemie. Or rather…jusqu’à ce que nous nous reverrons…until we meet again…

The toughest thing about success is that
you’ve got to keep on being a success.
~ Irving Berlin

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I can’t tell…

Saturday, April 17, 2010 at 3:08 pm (Heavy Clay)
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…but I think s/he might be sticking her/his tongue out at me.

She was staring right at me through my kitchen window the other morning, as I disturbed her breakfasting in the neighbor’s yard.

The grass may be greener on that side of the fence, but this side has its perks. No doubt she, the cause of much chagrin last summer, spent the winter safe and snug under our shed. Maybe with her cousins. (That Dash, our neighbor’s dog, can’t stay away from the corner of the yard next to the shed confirms that theory.)

Well little missy, I still have that live trap I borrowed, and I’m just itching to hook you up with a beautiful new home in a sunny meadow far, far away. (Or at least in that vacant lot ½-mile down the road.)

Mark my words: I’ll get you my pretty. And your little cousins too!

Strong, deeply rooted desire is the starting point of all achievement.
~Napoleon Hill

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