Seriously Really?

I was thinking about why I named my blog Seriously. It is a word I use a lot. I use it in any form possible about 20 times a day. Examples being: earnest intent: "I seriously think you should consider getting me that boob job, it would benefit you too." In a considered manner: "Do you think that shush'ing your mother would seriously have no consequences?" Really or sincerely: "Do you seriously believe I love the puppy more than you?" To add sincerity: "Seriously though, if you focus and study a little harder you can be as smart as your sister." To indicate surprise: "You remembered to brush your teeth, I am seriously impressed!" To a degree that is significant: "If you stop complaining about my spending habits, your sex life would seriously benefit." Very: "This gluten-free diet seriously blows."

I feel like most people have a word or phrase they go to or end every sentence with. For many, many years mine was "you know what I mean?" or simply "ya know?" I really have no idea when I dropped it, ironic, huh? I think the "you know" was my plea for acceptance and acknowledgment, maybe the middle child in me? I think motherhood has allowed me to come into my own in that sense. I still do have a strong need for acceptance among my peers but I think I have calloused some over the years and have come to accept who really wants to be around me and who doesn't. And, I guess I am OK with that for the most part. Or at least I tell myself that.

Moving to New York was interesting. The most common phrase we hear here, that we have never heard anywhere else we have lived is "not for nothing".  I would say 5 out of 10 people I know use it all.of.the.time. It is their phrase, so much so, it has recently become my husband's. It took 7 years of living here but New York has broken him. People call him Tommy, he says "not for nothin" and he folds his pizza in half (like a taco) when he eats it.

Hubs brought home a garden gnome as a prize for our daughter - kids these days expect prizes for everything, like remembering to bring your folder home from school two days in a row is "seriously" amazing.  Her garden gnome says "Really?" on it. This is her word. She constantly says it. I won't go through the examples but you can imagine what is "really" going through a 10 year old's head. She loves that gnome, it's on her bedside table. I just wish we had gnomes for the rest of us. We obviously know what mine would say. Mags would say "Get Out" And hubs would say "Not For Nothin" Can't you picture it? All organized (word of the day) in a row on our front path to greet you as you come to our door. You pick the order.