Seriously...

I was in the dentist's chair with headphones on, cranking Chorusline and Les Miz to keep my mind off of the fact that the dentist was stabbing me with a needle repeatedly and drilling into my teeth down to the gum line.

[See what I did there? I could have just said that he numbed me up and filled a cavity in one tooth and fit a permanent crown on another, but where's the fun in that?]

So, trying to keep my mind off of the moment, I got to thinking about how I get stuck on using certain words. Lately, my big "go to" word is seriously. I say it at least several dozen times a day. It's a good word, kind of all purpose. It can be exclamatory: "Seriously! That was the best book I've read in years!" or given as a warning: "Seriously?? If you don't stop bouncing that ball right by my head, bad things are going to happen." or just inserted into an average sentence: "I am seriously going to make dinner. Seriously. I am making it right now."

Apparently, I am serious about many things.

It's funny how I go through stages using expressions, and then they will just drop out of my vocabulary. I went through a long phase after my 5th child was born where everything made me say "and now my head is going to explode." One of my sisters commented that it seemed a fairly understandable reponse from a woman learning to be the mother of five. For a month or so, every one I found ignorant and/or obnoxious was a tool. And of course everything cool in the 80's to me was "sweet". That one still slips out from time to time, but you gotta love a classic.

One of the expressions I have used for years that seems like it is going to stick around is "The other day..." to begin a story. Since I was a teenager, I have used this opener regardless of when the story I am about to share actually happened. It could have been the other day, or it could have been several days ago...or months...or years. Nevertheless, I find myself involuntarily saying, "Oh, yeah, the other day..."

Who knows if this latest word will stay around or leave just as quickly as it came. In the meantime I'll just tell you that, seriously? I have to go and get some sleep or I will be really tired in the morning.

Seriously.