Veloz's Viewpoints

Greetings from Nevada! I hope it’s been a great week.

You know what makes me sick? You know what makes me want to floss my teeth with a piece of barbed wire? Okay…not really! But whenever I’m annoyed with something, I always think that in my head.

For those of you who aren’t familiar, that is a line that was said by a guy who went by Earl Pitts, on Earl Pitts American. (I had to ask my Dad to remind me of his name. I thought that was it but was second guessing myself. I also didn’t know that it wasn’t his real name.)

My Dad used to listen to him all the time when I was growing up and he would always say, “You know what makes me sick?” And then he would add something else. But for some reason the “floss my teeth with a piece of barbed wire” has always stuck with me. And of course, reading it isn’t the same as hearing it as he had a strong accent that was unique, so barbed wire didn’t actually sound like that. But boy I can hear it in my head. (From dad – his name is Gary Burbank, for the record.)

Anyway…I have gone way off what I was going to say, but that’s okay as it all leads up to this. I get so annoyed when people use phrases incorrectly.

Does that happen to anyone else? And maybe they aren’t even wrong, but they are absolutely wrong to me. The biggest one to get on my nerves lately is when people are talking about nodding their head…no. How on Earth do you nod your head no? As far as I have ever been aware, nodding is an up and down motion. So, you would nod your head yes, and shake your head no. But I have seen it in books I read and the guy on the morning show I listen to on Satellite radio even said it. I’m telling you, nothing makes me more annoyed. Okay, I’m sure there are some things, but man this really bugs me. Obviously, since I have spent the majority of my column going on and on about “what makes me sick” but I just can’t stand it.

I also can’t stand a lot of the slang that kids use today, mostly because I have no idea what they are saying, but I’m sure my parents felt the same way when we were growing up. The newest slang term I recently learned is “Cap.” When you hear that, what would you think of? Me…because I’m kind of a nerd, I thought about Captain America. Okay…even I’m laughing at myself and my description of myself as only being kind of a nerd, but that’s where my head goes. Apparently, it means “lies”. And to say “No Cap” means you are telling the truth, not lying. I seriously don’t get kids and their vernacular. It makes no sense to me. But I guess that will just continue to happen more and more as I get older.

Are these all signs that I’m getting old? Seriously though, I’m annoyed by people not using phrases how I’ve always heard them, and people inventing new meanings to words that already exist. Like “bet” and “cap.” Am I too set in my ways? Am I a “my way or the highway” kind of girl now? Well, if I’m honest, I’ve pretty much always been a “my way or the highway” kind of girl, but I have learned to bend on some things.

But these…I’m not sure I can bend. However, if someone can physically show me how they nod their head no, I’d love to see it. And I might even quit complaining about it. Maybe.

And these are the ramblings of a 40-year-old mom who clearly hasn’t had enough coffee!

Until next week, make it a great one!

Amy