Always and ForNever!

I just despise the words "always" and "never."

Actually, I should clarify...I hate the constant MISUSE of the words "always" and "never."

It usually goes something like this:

"You ALWAYS forget to take out the trash!"

"I can NEVER find my car keys!"

Now, if the person in question, has, without a doubt, ALWAYS forgotten to take out the trash, then I have no problem with the usage.

al·ways
[awl-weyz, -weez] –adverb
1. every time; on every occasion; without exception

nev·er
[nev-er] –adverb
1. not ever; at no time

But, folks rarely use the words as intended. And that's what makes me nuts.

We have somehow begun using "always" and "never" to mean "sometimes."

Now clearly, "sometimes" does not have the drama quotient of "always" or "never" -- consider how, well DULL and wishy washy the following phrases now sound:

"You sometimes forget to take out the trash."

"I sometimes can't find my car keys."

And while I'm on a roll...I'd also like to take back the word "awesome."

It makes me slightly crazy to hear people using the word "awesome" to describe things that are, well, clearly less than awesome:

"Thank you so much for your help -- that was awesome!"

Now, if the "help" provided was truly earth-shattering, life-affirming or otherwise inspiring of 'awe', I have no issues.

But let's be truthful here -- the Grand Canyon is awesome. The miracle of birth is awesome.

Getting someone a cup of coffee? A very nice thing to do, but, let's face it -- NOT awesome.

Perhaps because there are so few truly awesome moments in life, we feel the need to elevate the 'nice but ordinary?'

Oh well...I would NEVER do that -- I guess because I'm ALWAYS right!

(tee hee)

Go ahead -- call me an @$$ hole one more time...

Saw a great film whilst on vacation -- Hancock -- starring Will Smith.

Love, love, LOVED it!

Now, I should preface this by saying that I am definitely pre-disposed to enjoy movies in the 'superhero' genre -- with Superman always being a perennial favorite.

But what I liked most about Hancock was that Will Smith's character was really an "anti-superhero" -- he hated his abilities and seemed to go out of his way to annoy the people he was rescuing...along with destroying their personal property!

But it all changes when he saves the life of a Public Relations pro -- who then decides to help Hancock change his image.

Having been a PR pro myself in a past life, the idea of a superhero teaming up with someone like me had real appeal.

There are also several big twists and turns in the film -- the biggest of which I never, ever saw coming -- and I LOVE that sort of movie!

So, go go go!

Now I can't WAIT for The Dark Knight -- Hancock just whetted my appetite!

Everybody was kung foo fighting!

Just back from a glorious week at the shore -- beautiful South Jersey!

You know that relaxed in the car feeling...listening to some tunes on the radio. Hubby found a neat oldies station -- mostly 70's and 80's music...

When all of a sudden...a song I hadn't heard in least 20 years...

"Oh oh oh oh"
(imagine Chinese restaurant musak)
"Oh oh oh oh"

Wait for it...



"Everybody was Kung foo fighting!"

Immediate flash back to my childhood playroom and my sister and the neighbor girl choreographing a musical dance/baton number to this little ditty.

Worse -- I can still picture the choreography...the two of them entering from opposite sides of the room, geisha like, and then bowing to each other in the middle...before leaping into a series of hitch kicks with swinging batons!

And then the INEVITABLE 'dings' in the dropped ceiling -- which made my father NUTS!

My contribution to this?

Easy -- I'm the one who showed them how to flip the ceiling tiles so that the "dings" would no longer show.