Rename It

Every time somebody says one, I play the game in my head.

You know what I am talking about: those overused phrases we all flip out to end a conversation, the in vogue colloquialisms we use to punctuate comments, the ones that take years to get into the official dictionaries. Those. You know, clichés!

Like ‘lol’.  It used to be just an anachronism for text messages. Then the masses took it in to their homes and onto their cells. Ever notice, how when someone utters lol, they do in fact, laugh out loud? So, I invented a replacement for lol: “cty”, for chuckle to yourself.  So far, I only use the little ditty, privately, and it has not caught on, which makes me happy.  I hate following trends, am not really motivated to create new ones either, so renaming them minimizes my irritation. It’s harmless mental playfulness.

I like paths cause I enjoy nature and I love to hike.  I also like to travel. To me those things are adequately described as journeys.  You know where I am going. My curiosities have led to fascinating and perplexing moments in my life.  I have been on highways in my mind that have caused angst and anger, and others that have been this side of unimagined joy, but I refuse to encumber those with the mantle of “part of my journey’. Finding my feet, getting them under me, and keeping them moving is what I have renamed the process of living and dealing with what life throws at me.  Journeys suggest suitcases or backpacks and I have never needed the extra baggage as I meandered through life’s pitfalls and summits.

Okay, so really? I refuse to end any sentence, comment or conversation with that “r” word.  If anyone still uses that publicly, I give you permission, to laugh. Out loud. Or cty!  I bet whoever still uses that needs to go through their wardrobe and weed out their trendy garments, too.  Using “okay” for emphasis, or “got it?” or how about just raising an eyebrow for emphasis? All those options are feasible and more socially appealing in my opinion.

The biggest battle I’m currently contemplating is how to re-encapsulate the phrase ‘no worries’.  It is causing me to lose sleep at night. When someone throws that out, it is as if they truly mean: I am really bothered but do not know what else to say right now.  Think about it. When was the last time you let that one slip to minimize an emotionally charged conversation, or situation that had the making of serious melodrama? Eyeore, Winnie the Pooh’s buddy says it better: “Oh bother”.  Try it. I think it seems right. Simple, not dismissive, contains irony and it rings true.

So play my game.  Let’s rename trendy phrases and stamp out mediocrity.  Let’s bring more meaning to the words we use. At the very least, you will be innovative. Changing it up is fun.