Last night we had dinner at the Quarterdeck in Maynard with Mark and Ginger. We had four distinct choices: Indian, Thai, and Korean, but we chose fish. And it was delicious. Especially the appetizers: seared Sashimi cut wafer thin with a narrow crust of peppercorns and mustard, Coconut Crusted Scallops with chili sauce and the New England staple, fried clam bellies.
Sometime during the evening someone says the word "interesting."
I launch into one of my mini tirades.
Me: "What is the single most overused, boring and meaningless word?"
Ginger: "Interesting?"
Me: "No, worse.”
Diane, “Fascinating?”
Me: “Worse.”
For me the word is “unbelievable,” and I’m sure someone will guess it. I pause again.
Mark: "I love you?"
I shall not even try to comment on Mark's guess.
But, for overused and thus meaningless, "awesome" gets my vote.
Posted by Hyperbole.Wow.
Such deep thought. :-)
Posted by Coffee Boy.I kinda like awesome ; ) .
After I entered “unbelievable” into the lexicon of works I hate, I was forced to defend my position. “But what about the Red Sox? That was unbelievable.”
“No it wasn’t. It was just a FU*KING sporting event (I get polarized so easily). Jesus Christ walking down Central St MIGHT be unbelievable.”
Posted by michael.How dare you. The red sox were/are unbelievable. And awesome. And interesting and fascinating too. So there. When you run out of adjectives the above are just fine. As for me it is the F word that is over used, so much so that it doesn't pack a punch anymore. So that is the answer. When it no longer packs a punch or conjures up what it should, it needs to be retired. For those for whom it still packs a punch, the Sox were Fu*king unbelievable.
Posted by indignant.Right on!
The next to fall might be one of my favorites, as it does not presuppose the nature of an emotion/reaction, just that a reaction is expected -- "remarkable". I find it can be used with deliberation and is appropriate to a good many situations. But its flexibility may well be its downfall......
Posted by artful dodger.I shall not even try to comment on Mark's guess.
But, for overused and thus meaningless, "awesome" gets my vote.
Posted by: Hyperboleat November 21, 2004 09:04 AMI kinda like awesome ; ) .
After I entered “unbelievable” into the lexicon of works I hate, I was forced to defend my position. “But what about the Red Sox? That was unbelievable.”
“No it wasn’t. It was just a FU*KING sporting event (I get polarized so easily). Jesus Christ walking down Central St MIGHT be unbelievable.”
Posted by: michaelat November 21, 2004 09:37 AMHow dare you. The red sox were/are unbelievable. And awesome. And interesting and fascinating too. So there. When you run out of adjectives the above are just fine. As for me it is the F word that is over used, so much so that it doesn't pack a punch anymore. So that is the answer. When it no longer packs a punch or conjures up what it should, it needs to be retired. For those for whom it still packs a punch, the Sox were Fu*king unbelievable.
Posted by: indignantat November 21, 2004 04:44 PMRight on!
The next to fall might be one of my favorites, as it does not presuppose the nature of an emotion/reaction, just that a reaction is expected -- "remarkable". I find it can be used with deliberation and is appropriate to a good many situations. But its flexibility may well be its downfall......
Posted by: artful dodgerat November 22, 2004 07:51 PM