It’s the Monday Mission.
1. When I was young, my Mom would always drink a cold Dr. Pepper in the morning. Me, I can go either way. I like a Cold Frappucchino in the Summer months and switch to warm Mocha Espresso in the Fall. Do you like to drink warm beverages in the morning or do you prefer yours cold? Cold juice, hot coffee. Why decide one way or the other?
Usually given a preference, I’ll go for a hot beverage first thing in the morning, because it’s the time I’m most likely not to be too hot.
2. Have you ever been so upset with someone that you wanted to get revenge? What did you do? Or if you didn’t, what would you like to have done? Yes. Unfortunately (or fortunately) I am too immediately forgiving, doubtful of my own rightousness, and, yes, lazy, to have ever gone beyond the “for a bright shiny nickel” stage. Closest I’ve gotten of late was posting the ever-popular U.S. Bank sucks saga.
3. Sometimes I can look back at my past and see so many things that I was too naive to take advantage of. A time where I could have moved ahead in my career if only I’d chosen to move, the High School girlfriend who said she would do anything if I just asked, and so on. Looking back, are there any opportunities you missed out on that you can see now but didn’t realize then? Not really. There are things I did (and didn’t do) that I regret, but, no, I’m really pleased with how my life has turned out thus far, and wouldn’t want it seriously tweaked in any way by having taken a different major opportunity.
4. Today I tried on my black slacks, and they are just a skosh too tight (yeah it’s a real word, look it up). Of course, I wore them anyway. Are there any clothes you refuse to throw away even though they don’t (and never will) fit? Why do you keep them? I tend to get rid of these as they, er, shrink. I do have a few very nostalgic t-shirts I refuse to give up, simply because they should be preserved.
5. Although my speech classes eliminated most if it, I still have a little Okie accent left. I say “Git” instead of “Get” and “Collar” instead of “Color.” Do you have an accent? Are there any phrases or words you say that tip folks that “you aren’t from around these parts?” Naw, it’s all the other folks around me who have an accent …
Being from California, I have the “national” accent (thanks to Hollywood and the news media). Though I was once told I sounded like I was from Pittsburg, and I pick up accents really quickly when I’m around others from those-there parts.
6. Speaking of phrases, it really drives me nuts when folks say “very unique” (Unique has no degrees, it is either unique or it isn’t) or “irregardless” (not a real word). Are there any words folks misspell or incorrect uses of words that simply drive you insane? Nyucyuler weapons. That (multiple) Presidents of the US (including one who was an engineer on a nyucyuler sub) make that mistake drives me up the wall.
Second to that are folks who get Calvary and cavalry mixed up.
7. I am guilty of using pet names a bit too often, like “honey,” “babe,” and “sweetie.” However, currently, no one uses any pet names on me (and I think I’d like one). Are there any pet names that you like to be called? Any you don’t? Do you (or did you) have any pet names for your partner? Somehow Margie and I got into the habit of referring to each other as “bunny” (I think it comes from Margie’s sister-in-law asking Eric, “Bunny go night-night?” as a code for “Should we go home now?”). I also call Margie “Love.” She calls me “Honey.” And when people object to the schmaltz, we start getting truly icky. Trust me — it isn’t pretty.
Just heard the word guys on local radio speaking about “unique.” On of the accepted definitions of unique is “unusual” and things can easily be very unusual. As much as I don’t like it, language evolves. Just don’t get me started on those teenager abreviations. UGH!
>I do have a few very nostalgic t-shirts I refuse to give up, simply because they should be preserved.
So? Which ones? The only shirt of yours I remember from yore is “Only left-handed people are in their right minds,” which is old hat by now, surely.
>Nyucyuler weapons.
I heard a clip of the Prez speaking last week. In about one minute, he said “nukular” seven times! Ooh, agony!
Mary said, ‘Just heard the word guys on local radio speaking about “unique.”‘
Is that the verbivores, on KPBS? (I’ll be working Sundays again, so will be unable to listen to their show. I do keep Elster’s Big Book of Beastly Mispronunciations handy, though.)
BTW, thanks for putting the period inside the quotes! I rarely see people get that right!
I figure if Carter can mangle it, I’ll cut Dubya a little slack — but it still make me cringe.
I have a tee I designed for our dorm my freshman year, and a college tee from that same year. Both of which are paper thin and about {mutter mutter} sizes too small.
Yes, that would be the verbivores. And I’ve heard that the period, quote vs quote, period thing may be different for …ah, speakers of English who originated outside the US, shall we say.
And as someone who probably over-uses “quotation marks” around “words” or “phrases,” it’s “confusing” sometimes whether I should have it “inside,” or “out”.