Whassup Everybody? Its way too early for me to be awake. I could go days without wanting to write, and all of a sudden something pops into my head, and until I work it out I am no good to anybody. It's around 4 in the morning and here I am. As one of my favorite TV characters, Detective Monk says,
"It's a gift....and a curse."
"It's a gift....and a curse."
I have made a couple of new friends in the past several months and find myself starting to talk like them by borrowing a few of their expressions. I like to think of myself as a cool person, but lately I have noticed I'm a little behind the times when it comes to my speech. I know a lot of the new lingo, or at least I think I do, but am sometimes unsure just how or when to use it. For a long while I thought to "hook up" meant to get together casually for maybe some coffee or something, not until I received a strange look after suggesting to my boss he should hook up with a client did I understand the real meaning of what that "something" stood for.
Back in the day I was not really hip at all to the slang used amongst my peers, probably why I wasn't one of the chosen ones. I think some of the sayings I now think are cool have played out, although in my defense, slang is not known for standing the test of time. I believe this to be intrinsic in maintaining its power of weeding out those who don't belong, constantly renewing itself, preventing any pretenders from infiltrating. Being in the know is not easy. Maybe I should include this subject as part of our homeschooling curriculum so my kids can get down with it, and hang with the best of them. Although come to think of it, I do believe my older son was keeping it real the other day, and told me to chillax when I was having a moment.
Different words follow different cultures, I think a lot of slang people use today belongs to the hip hop world, making for a decidedly colorful vibe. The problem is unless it comes naturally, you sound like a wannabe, which is far worse then messing up a few phrases here and there. Being cool comes from within, almost like you have to absorb things as you go along until they become part of you, and later flows out your mouth at the right time. I have a few processing issues. so this is not always easy for me, somewhere along the way I confuse the meaning and forget how to talk. My ability to laugh at myself has helped me out of a few awkward moments. Thank goodness my charm comes naturally, otherwise there's a good chance I might be dissed, and people may not consider me to be so groovy.
A common verbal trend I also obsessively notice, are called fillers. These are often used seemingly without too much thought, an 'on the side dish' to your conversation. If you pay attention, as I do, you will become aware of the different cycles of these sayings. Some of the past ones have been, "Know what I mean"...."Actually"......."And Stuff." Right now, the one spreading like wild fire, is the phrase..."And what Not." Its amazing how often it is used, and not just once either, but frequently peppered throughout a conversation. Try for yourself if you like, once heard, you will be surprised how many people have embraced its usage. I apologize in advance to any of my friends who enjoy this saying, and wasn't aware I was counting.
Maybe this is why I have become a writer. Words have power I believe, and adding some spicy slang to your way of expression could possibly help in your quest to be one of the chosen hip, keeping you fashionable and in the mainstream. You know you can't help but smile when you and your Vibe are One, making everything you say unique to your own fresh style. The art of communication is key to the quality of our relationships. Why not have fun and share a little of your funky self at the same time. Next time you're hooking up for coffee or hangin with your hommyz, I wish you a smooth and easy flow, and if you get things wrong like I sometimes do, just Chill, it's All Good.
Okay Peeps, Holla when you can, Gotta Bounce,
Peace Out!
