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September 13, 2007
Dude, Don't Get So Butthurt, Just Chillax...
So tonight I "made the mistake of" just "accidentally" "happening upon" an old episode of Laguna Beach on The Noggin/Nog/Whatever It Is The Kids Are Calling It These Days.
Anyway, there was Jessica, talking about how Kyndra would be totally "butthurt" that Jessica and Cameron were hooking up. And a) we all know that Jessica is the one in Laguna Beach who gets consistently butthurt by boys. And b) "butthurt?"
I was so grateful at that moment that "butthurt" didn't take a stronghold on the vernacular of Southern California girls.
I am, however, grateful that "ginormous" has. I know, it's an abomination of the English language, but it conveys so much, no? The Boy hates it. Thus, I try to limit my use of it around him to situations in which, um, it might be helpful and flattering. Like, say, when describing someone's arm muscles: a trip to the gun show, ginormous, etc. Luckily, my girlfriends love the ginormous in all its varietals, so I am free to use it to describe the size of our salads, our wine glasses, my zit, etc.
The Boy also hates the term, "chillax." And you know, when he first told me that he hated it I think I nodded my head, so sympathetic, like, whoa, man, that is awful, I am so sorry you even had to hear that word uttered. But later I was like, wait, where did he hear "chillax?" I mean, tell me people, have you heard it? I think he watched one TV show 15 years ago that featured it and was so appalled that he has imagined it infecting American slang like "fugly" when in fact it hadn't been Spoken By Man since 1992. p.s., love you, The Boy, totally understandable given the GINORMOUS ridonkulousness of the word.**
The one word I have not been able to cleanse my verbal palette of in the last 15 years is, "dude." I mean, DUDE. I don't even know how it happened! In Redding, not at UC Santa Cruz as one might suspect. (But then, the other biggest fan of dude I know is from Chicago, with nary an ocean in sight). Perhaps I watched Point Break too many times. Perhaps I love to emphasize a point, and what better way than with a "DUDE!"
Am I right? Right? Dude, I am so right. Don't get so butthurt. Just chillax.
**UPDATE: Apparently "chillax" is popular enough to warrant an Urban Dictionary entry! And TMZ was using it as recently as May 2007! I am shamed. And scared. DUDE.
Posted by jen at September 13, 2007 10:53 PM
Comments
I first heard "chillax" a few years ago. From one of the instructors I managed at the tutoring center. As in, she was telling me a tale of her son going off to college and her maternal stress. His response to her? "Chillax." My instant thought was, "I LIKE this term."
And I have always thought that "ginormous" was a perfectly legitimate word. Just like "fantabulous."
Because I'm a bit older (Really. It's just a bit.), my love of the the word "dude" started with Moon Unit Zappa. OK. So she was a Valley girl. But then Whoopi introduced a character who sounded similar but she was a Surfer girl. Because before there was the mall, there was the beach. Dude.
Posted by: Dagny at September 13, 2007 11:56 PM
"Dude" is the ultimate word -- when said with the appropriate inflection, it can convey any emotion you want! I use it all the time!
Posted by: silverblue at September 14, 2007 01:20 AM
I think "chillax" made a comeback a few years ago when Fresh Prince reruns started airing on Nick at Nite. "Dude" has been part of my vernacular for about 20 years now - the midwest caught it in the late 80s when the whole California Surfer Dude style got really popular. (I think I personally picked it up from the ever-so-classic computer game "California Games." Ahhh, medal round hackey sack, how I miss thee.)
Posted by: Dawn at September 14, 2007 03:19 AM
dude. a) this is the best post ever. and b) you are sooo right. my use of the "word" dude has expanded so exponentially that it's taken over all forms of greeting for me. it's had a ginormous (LOVE the ginormous!!!) effect on my conversation skills, probably to their detriment! :)
there is only one word more useful than "dude." it is also four letters, the second letter is also u, and it starts with an F (and NOT with a C).
Posted by: carolyn at September 14, 2007 06:17 AM
p.s. although i have to admit i'm not even sure what "chillax" is supposed to mean and "butthurt" is behind comprehension as well.
my favorite mangle is when my mouth was trying to say "jackass" and my mind was trying to say "asshat" and what i said was "Jackhat." isn't it awesome. i use it ALL THE TIME now. "what a jackhat!"
Posted by: carolyn (again) at September 14, 2007 06:18 AM
I think all of our text message exchanges contain the word "dude" at some point....
Posted by: laurie at September 14, 2007 08:37 AM
I say dude. And chillax, albeit ironically. In fact, I will say any slang term in any permutation. I think the Boy would probably punch me in the mouth if he met me.
Except I don't know if I can say butthurt. I may have found my threshold. Thanks, Laguna Beach.
Posted by: Librarian Girl at September 15, 2007 12:31 PM
I've heard/said all those words (and many others, like 'squillion' - waaay more than a bazillion!)
but "Chillax" stopped me cold in my tracks.
Once I did some a-Google-ay though, the word makes perfect sense!
As for "dude"? It is THE word of my life. Growing up in Pismo/San Luis Obispo, the term 'dude' is akin the the word 'the' or 'of' or heck, 'or'. It's THE word.
Should I be ashamed to admit I've even uttered "Dude-ski" and "Dude-ster"? I have! I swear!
If THAT is embarrassing, then I should be mortified that my two favorite movies are 1) Fast Times at Ridgemont High (HELLO my high school circa 1984) and 2) The Big Lebowski.
The worst come-back (IMHO) is 'I'm not a *dude*'. Please. So I should call you a "Dude-ette"? Spelled one way it looks like DUDette. I'm not gonna call someone a Dud-ette! Those chickadoodles just need to chillax already!
As for 'butthurt'? My husband used that a few years ago and I about died from laughing. A perfect marriage of word and mental interpretation.
A previous poster mentioned 'asshat'. Yup! Heard it, said it and love it! There's another similar one called 'assclown'. We've modified it to 'asscat' and 'asshound' at our house - where the cats & dogs rule . . .
DUDE!
Posted by: ajdury at September 16, 2007 12:41 AM
Hey! Welcome back!
.
Posted by: The Other Ruth at September 17, 2007 04:15 AM
I heard "chillax" this weekend for the first time(whilst chaperoning 50+ teenage girls on an overnight retreat), but I live in Arkansas. Sometimes we're a little slow on the uptake.
There were 3 of us 'adults' who were like "Chillax? Dude, that's kinda cute."
.
Posted by: SusannahS at September 17, 2007 08:24 AM
There is nothing wrong with "dude." It should be used liberally. Case in point, the conversation Matt Stone & Trey Parker have in Baseketball - comprised completely of "dude."
So few letters, such rich inflection.
Posted by: susan at September 18, 2007 06:44 PM
Dude! I use ginormous all too often... and dude with a frequency that scares even me!
Posted by: rg at September 20, 2007 09:53 AM
Webster added Ginormous as a ACTUAL dictionary entry this year. You are so totally justified in using it DUDE! It's in the dictionary, man! :)
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/ginormous
Posted by: kris at September 20, 2007 11:56 AM