Vocabulary

So, I've been thinking over the last few days about the words and phrases that I often use. I realy don't know why, the subject just popped into my head after I read "Adrenalin junkie" on Claudia's blog (I'm on html and I'm too lazy to link ce soir). I saw that descriptive and thought, "Now that's funny." Then I thought, "Geez, I really need to incorporate new words and phrases into my vocabulary."

Somebody, please, tell me that we all do it and it's not something particular to me. We all have a tendancy to repeat words, don't we? I'm sure there must by a psychological study of this phenomenon somewhere! I had an elderly auntie who taught school in Japan for many years. My most vivid memories of her are of hearing her say, "Isn't that tremendous!" about pretty much everything I did. Hey, I was a kid, she was a nice lady, she thought I was a child genius, I wasn't about to argue with her! I can't help but think of her when I find myself repeating words/phrases. I caught myself saying "That's unfortunate" on a somewhat regular basis a couple of seasons ago. When I realized that I was wearing the expression out I did my best to move on.

So, in light of that my fear of having a repetitive, nay, even dull, vocabulary, I give you some nifty little lists (yeah, I don't have a camera tonight. If I did, you would be seeing a photo of the cool present I made for my knitting coworker/friend, but I don't have it, so I'm moving on)...

Words or Phrases I Should Probably Use Less Often:
1. F*ck or F*ckety f*ck f*ck (used at work; my manager uses it too)
2. Sh*t (used daily, sometimes hourly)
3. Cool (lame-oh way to express delight, highly overused, need better descriptives)
4. Awesome (see #3)
5. That sucks (used as a catchall for situations in which I don't know how else to respond in order to express my dismay).
6. Son of a Wh*re (said it this afternoon when the office photocopier started bunching up my copies just as I was getting ready to leave for the day - the only way to combat this phrase is to take beat the photocopier into an electronic pulp using the coffee maker that makes crap coffee).
7. If you don't stop snoring, I swear to God I'm going to suffocate you with this pillow! (No, wait that's an entire sentence, I'll have to think about that one.)
8. Sorry (It's a national mentality, what can I say? Sorry! Argh!)
9. Doh! (I don't know where I picked this up, other than Homer, but I hate that I say this!)
10. I'm gonna kick your ass. (used by my manager - she's always joking - as well as Red Foreman - I was doomed to pick it up.)

Words of Phrases I Could Live Without Hearing From Others:
1. I've got a lot on my plate. (This one drove me NUTSO when it was in popular usage. I felt like telling people, "If you're worried about the amount of stuff on your plate, then you shouldn't have been such a glutton at the buffet!")
2. Buzzword (it's almost as annoying as the trendy words it describes)
3. It won't cost you anything. (yes it will, it just cost precious seconds of my life)
4. Industry or Corporate words and phrases:
a. Yes, but what kind of ROI (return on investment) will we get from that? (often used as an excuse for NOT doing something that DAMMIT, would give you a great ROI but you're just too stupid/scared to do)
b. Pharma (This is used to refer to companies who make drugs. For those of use who have time in our lives to use all the syllables, Pharma = pharmaceutical companies. Pharma sounds too much like "Farmer" with a Maine accent.)
c... ok, my brain just stopped working... there are more, but I can't think of them right now.

Words or Phrases I Would Like to Use More Often:
1. I just paid off my mortgage. (A girl's got a right to dream.)
2. Diabolical
3. Any phrase used by the character of Jack on Will and Grace - I love when he uses celebrity names as expletives, par example, "Anne Heche Laffoon!"
4. Most of the words I get from my "Merriam-Webster Word of The Day". Like picayune.
5. I live in hope. (used sarcastically, of course, because I love sarcasm.)
6. Retail Therapy

Words or Phrases I love hearing from my friend, RJS.
She's an elementary school teacher, she cracks me up and she is soooo going to be upset with me for this.
1. Suck it up, Buttercup. (She says it with such attitude.)
2. You need to STOP. (She doesn't say this to me, just to her students.)
3. Meant to shop! (said when the perfect parking spot is found)
4. Ok, I'm having an Always moment... (We call ourselves the Always girls in honour of those mind-numbingly bad Always sanitary napkin commercials where seemingly normal women talk about how much they love the wings and other equally important and life-altering features of their pads. We have never discussed pads, but we do discuss other non-menstrual cycle related products. Having an Always Moment is when we tell each other about a new product we've discovered and whether it's good or not. Burts Bees lipbalm has surely made millions off my Always moments.)
5. Kaka or Caca (She used to say this when she worked at a daycare, presumably it was because she saw more of it in the run of a day than she does now.)
6. I must have been drunk (I've misused this phrase and am now concerned that some of my employers are concerned about my sobriety.)

Ok, here's a phrase I know that JK will be happy I said, "I've got to go make brownies for tomorrow!"