All The Words I Hate

A week ago, while writing this entry about track season, I included one of my least favorite words as a descriptor.  I made mention of how strongly I disliked the word I chose to use, and I hinted at an upcoming post about all the words I hate.....so tonight I share with you, well, all the words I hate.  And yes, I know "hate" is probably a word most people would put on their own list of hated words, and there's too much hate in the world, and blah blahblah blah blah.  I hate 'em, ok?

They make a short list, these words I hate.  Overwhelmingly I love words.  Words on the page or screen have the power to create images in the mind; inversely, the images we carry in our thoughts can be transferred to other humans by connecting the correct words.  Words carry feelings, they inspire action, and they transport knowledge.  Except for the following words....all they do is annoy me because all we do - and by "we" I mean "you people" - is speak them over and over and over.  And over.

Let's start with everyone's favorite word, thereby automatically making it my least.  You've heard it at least a dozen times today, and probably said it more than you should have while never once using it accurately.  I'm leading my list with the overused, misused, and completely abused adjective - awesome.  Rather than go on and on...and on...with my thoughts about how badly this word gets used I'll provide you with this link to a short TEDTalk on how ridiculous people sound 95% of the time they say something is awesome.  You're welcome.  Now stop saying it.  Forever.

Next up, an adverb.  A word I hate because A) it's overused, but more so because B) it's insulting.  I'm talking about basically, a word we (I'm guilty on this one) use as a code for "you're too stupid to understand the real reason behind what I'm telling you so I'll just dumb it down about fifty notches to provide a glimmer of understanding in your diminutive mind."  Basically, we use it to talk down to others.  Or maybe we're using reverse stupidity......maybe it's code for "I don't have anything intelligent to say, so if I say 'basically' he will think I've got real thoughts.  Which I don't."  It's pretty awesome how that word works.  Wait, no it isn't.  Ugh.

OMG (and don't get me started on those stupid things....LOL!) here's another adverb that just drives. me. nuts.  Seriously.  No, seriously, that's the word.  By its very definition this word is used horribly nearly every single time it's uttered:  in a solemn, considered manner with earnest intent; not lightly or superficially.  Think of how you hear it used.  Seriously, think people!  Now, in that instance of usage I stopped and considered which word to write because I earnestly wanted you to earnestly think.  But the rest of the time?  Seriously?  Right there - RIGHT THERE!!  That's how it's used - it gets spit it out as a knee-jerk reaction to something that can't be believed.  The speakers don't consider, they aren't earnest, and quite frankly they're doubting my, or someone's, statement and that's just rude.  Or it gets thrown out as an exclamation of disgust: "The dog licked its butt again.  Seriously!"  Come on!  What's solemn about that?!?  It was light and superficial, and I won't tolerate it anymore!  Basically it would be awesome if you all would just completely stop saying it.  Seriously.

The noun form of dude.  It looks dumb.  It sounds dumb.  It feels dumb to speak it.  It oozes dumbness.  Appear more intelligent - just say no to dude.  Moving on.

This one's tricky - the adverb honestly.  Using honesty, good.  Living honestly, also good.  Adding "honestly" to the beginning of all your statements, bad.  Very, very bad.  Seriously, are you usually not honest, thereby alerting us to when you decide to speak the truth?  Or are you living a life surrounded by Doubting Thomases at every turn?  Either way, just say what you need to say and stop telling us it's honest.  We'll figure out your honesty as we peer into your beady little eyes while the words slide off your forked tongue.

And that's pretty much it.  There are overused phrases I can't stand, you know, and I may have to come back and update this list when one or two more hated words pop into my consciousness while I pretend to ignore the humans around me.  But basically, that's the group, dude.  Honestly, I seriously can't come up with any more words that awaken hatred inside me.  Words are my medium, the keyboard my palette, this screen my canvas for creating my version of art.  So, I generally have only one feeling towards words:

They're awesome.