Non-words

What do you say when you’re going into a public bathroom and someone is unexpectedly coming out of it and you almost run into each other?  What do you say when you’re trying to go one way while the person walking towards you tries to go that way too?  What do you say when you’re looking down at your phone, just to look up and realize you’re about to run into someone?  You’re right- you usually say “Sorry” or “Excuse me,” but do you say anything before that?  How about something like “Op?” It’s not really a word; it’s more of a noise we make.  It kind of just comes out as an automatic response to the awkward situation that just happened, or almost happened.  

Example of "op"

The “op” might be kind of similar to those people that sneeze and then for some reason “oowee” follows the sneeze.  “Achoowee!”  Was the “oowee” unavoidable?  Is it impossible for them not to say it?  

What about “Psh?”  Maybe you say this when you disagree with or don’t believe  someone?  “The Jersey Shore is a very intelligent show.”  “Psh.”  

Do you ever make these noises?  “Hmm.”  Some might say “hmm,” when they’re thinking about something or if they don’t really have an answer to a question and may be avoiding it.  When you’re pet bird seems you reading the newspaper, does he wonder why you’re just sitting there, staring at carpet?  “Hmm.”

Common non-words are ones that mean yes and no.  Know what I mean?  “Mhmm.”   Or, some might say “Uh-huh.”  To express a no- perhaps some people might say “unh uh,” or “nah-uh” (the 2nd one people use more to express something that they know is wrong).  “That car is black.”  “Nah-uh, it’s blue.”

Sometimes people express disgust with a non-word that sounds disgusting.  Do you like sauerkraut?  “Ugh, unh-uh.”  Translation- “Gross, no.”  

I wonder if we could ever have a full conversation with these non-words?  Or if we could try to go a whole day without using any of these noises?  What are some non-words you know and use?  

Next time you almost run into someone, take time to notice if that sound comes out- “op.”  Or if someone asks you a question that you have to think about, is it possible not to cancel out that silence with “hmm” or “umm?”  But why do we speak these non-words or noises in everyday life?  Is it just instinctive?  ...Welp, don’t aks me.  

The Good Old Days

It’s time to talk about the good old days...not your good old days, my good old days.  Good old days for me are very different from my parents' good old days and will be very different from the days kids are experiencing now.

My good old days were the days in the ‘90s when pogs and slammers were in and I actually thought my beanie babies were going to be worth something.  The days where I got Gak in my hair and cut it out myself, ending in a not-so-fashionable hairdo and when my friends and I would try to learn all the words to Spice Girls songs- “so tell me what you want what you really, really want.”  The times when we got excited to put on our light-up sneakers and go to the store to buy some new Lisa Frank supplies so we could play our MASH games with cool pencils, all while tending to our Nano babies, of course. 
   

The fun time in my computer class didn’t consist of seeing who my new friends were on Facebook, but of staying alive on the Oregon Trail.  When malaria hit it was no walk in the park...you’re whole family died and you lost the game.  Fail.  And then you went back to class and learned about the planets, which included Pluto.  If it was a really special day, we paid $1 to dress down (Catholic school) and maybe even got to wear our Old Navy polar fleece vest, which was under our oversized, hand-me-down Starter jacket I was so excited to get. 

I loved Fridays.  Not because I didn’t have to do homework, or looked forward to Saturday morning cartoons, but because of TGIF- not TGIFridays the restaurant, the TGIF show line-up!  Fridays always called for a sleepover with our “American Girl” and “My Little Pony” sleeping bags so we could watch “Family Matters,” “Boy Meets World,” “Step by Step,” and “Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper.”  We also played Nintendo- the original, standard system in which you had to blow into the games to make them work and sit close enough to the TV (at least it was in color) so that the remote was still attached.  

When I was a kid, we rode in style in our burgundy minivan that had an added bonus- a wooded panel (see left)!  I would fight with my sister and brothers, one of which had a mushroom haircut (sometimes known as the bowl cut).  I yelled at them to not look out my window; they just didn’t understand.  Maybe the cool hat and clothes (see right) my mom dressed me in had an effect on my attitude.  

Just imagine what adults will be talking about in 2030 when they refer to their “good old days.”  Remember that iPad thing I used to play with?  Remember when we got lost and my mom found us because of that GPS chip she had implanted into my brain when I was born?  Remember when we hit dad in the face swinging our imaginary golf club to win that Wii game?  Remember when we would have to wait 2 seconds for something to load on our laptop?  Remember when we took that long road trip and had to watch 2 animated movies in 3D in that big, black Escalade dad drove?  Remember when mom said goodnight to us via video chat when she was away on business halfway across the world?

My oh my how times have changed...and will change.  What else does the future hold for new generations now that things such as Walkmans, VHS tapes, and Barney, the dinosaur are a mere memory?  

BB

Our BB King adventure couldn’t have gone any more smoothly.  The weather was a little hot, but could’ve been worse and the chance of rain diminished as the night went on.  The flowers were beautiful and the crowd was happy and excited to see the King of Blues.


The night began with a beautiful white limo ride to Longwood and dinner at 1906, which is located in the Gardens.  We felt  like we we were eating in a very upscale tree-house as we saw greenery everywhere outside the surrounding floor-to-ceiling windows.  The bread came out in a cute little flower pot for obvious reasons and the peach sangria I had was very refreshing.  

After dinner we strolled around the gardens and took some pictures.  We even saw an Amish family admiring the flowers and fountains while they walked around in their straw hats, suspenders, and Amish garb and I hoped they didn’t think I was stealing their souls as I tried to sneak a picture (see left- they are behind the fountain).  My favorite flowers were the angel trumpet flowers that hung upside down (see left below).    

As we sat in row “O” at the outdoor concert set up in Longwood Gardens waiting for BB King to take the stage, we observed a variety of different people.  There was a cute little old lady with white hair and a cute white outfit across the aisle from us who was there by herself and seemed more than content.  She was dancing to the music and clapping to the beat.  Would you feel comfortable enough to go to a concert by yourself?  I guess if the concert was completely sold out (which this one was) not too many people would really notice that you were alone.  

Anyway, we drank delicious blue mixed drinks creatively named “the blues,” while we waited for the concert to begin.  Once the opening act came on (which turned out to be Willie Nelson's son), people became more lively and the sun started to go down as music filled the gardens.  BB King’s band came out and performed before the King himself made his appearance.  As BB cracked jokes about how old he is (he’s 84) and how his chair dancing was the first exercise he had all day, the audience laughed along with him and one person even yelled, “Thank you for coming to Kennett Square and playing for us!”  BB King was very grateful for all the applause and love as he tossed out guitar picks and gave away his own necklace to a lady that brought him flowers.  He sounded great and played “Lucille,” his guitar, with a unique ease and passion that the crowd really appreciated. 

From the ride there to the ride home, the night turned out perfectly, and we got to experience a living legend.  So I guess I could say...it couldn’t have been better!  

A Taste of Philadelphia

Yesterday was a day of fun on the sun, I mean...in the sun (it was quite the scorcher).  Anyway, my friend, Christina, and I decided to go to Philadelphia to experience Penn’s Landing for a “Taste of Philadelphia.”  After unsuccessfully waiting for Winston to use the wilderness as a restroom and putting him back in the house, we were on our way.  Oh, Winston is the dog my friend is currently dog-sitting (yes, people do get paid to live in someone’s house for a period of time and sit and watch their dog).  We took a few detours on the way including pulling into the Emergency Room of Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania (completely unintentional) and made many U-turns due to one-way streets.  We ended up parking in the Dave & Buster’s parking garage for $11- not bad...could be worse.  

Getting to see the outfits and ensembles people put together was definitely worth the far walk to Penn’s Landing.  Some people were perfectly put together from matching handbags to flip-flops to shirts and shorts.  Color-coordinated and all.  Other people were not so put-together.  One woman didn’t seem to realize her dress was falling off of her body as she pushed a child in a stroller and 3 other littles ones held on to keep up and not get lost in the crowd.  It’s interesting to see people’s style choices, such as sneaker wedges, tie-dye (a personal pet peeve of mine), and even a lack of undergarments.  

Once we bought our tickets, we were free to get a taste of various foods from many restaurants of Philadelphia.  I chose to get sausage and peppers from Mama Maria’s, a pork quesadilla with mushrooms and not-so-mild mild sauce from Taquitos de la Puebla, and a refreshing water ice from Auntie Anne’s that turned my mouth a beautiful blue for the much of the night.  It was fulfilling to eat a couple of different things instead of one big dish of the same thing.  

After we ate, we sat on a cement ledge with some of Christina’s friends and listened to some music by “Morris Day and the Time.”  We people-watched and saw laughing, dancing, and even witnessed an awkward fight where the couple ended up standing 15 feet apart, most likely texting each other.  We also tried not to laugh as we continually saw some people trip over a cobblestone that stuck out of the walkway.  It was directly in front of where we were sitting so we couldn’t help but watch most people subconsciously lift up their foot as they walked past it and others walk directly into it and catching themselves, while trying to keep their cool.  As no one got seriously hurt, it was quite entertaining to watch.  It reminded my friend and me of that show, “What Would You Do?”  Should we have acted as an orange cone and stood there so people wouldn’t trip?  We’ll leave that question unanswered for now.

Before the fireworks began, a man from KYW came up to us and interviewed us asking about our experience.  As I tried to sound like a natural, I’m pretty sure people mistook me for a child talking about how I like all the colors and shapes of the fireworks.  Christina kicked herself after she said she thought the music was okay, but nothing you could dance to and then realized tons of people were dancing up a storm closer to the stage, which wasn’t in our line of sight.  The firework show was filled with what I said in the interview- great colors and shapes.  Although, I don't think it has anything on the show down at the art museum on the 4th of July.

We ended the night at a bar in Olde City called “National Mechanics.” (Pictured on the right).  It was different.  There were all sorts of people there and “decorations,” I guess you could say, including a head of a dog (not a real one) against the wall with a wig.  Weird.  The pineapple margaritas (with regular tequila, not the jalapeno tequila it suggested) we drank were quite salty, but still tasty.  Some of the wrist-slitting music I could’ve done without, but for the most part, it was pretty interesting and compelling.  

All in all, it was an enjoyable adventure, doing something different on a Saturday- and getting a “Taste of Philadelphia” in many different senses of the word.      

Change it Up

Ever find yourself doing the same thing over and over and over?  Something that you sometimes think- "this isn't too bad" and then you come to realize that it actually does get old and you can get sick of it?  Well, don't let that happen!

Everyday I try to change up my routine just to make it not so routine.  Instead of taking the same roads out of your neighborhood, make a left instead of a right (unless it takes you to a dead end of course).  Don't do the same exact things when you get home from work.  Go for a run or a skip even instead of going to the gym.  Eat dinner in the family room instead of the kitchen (as long as you don't ruin the furniture).  Stop at that cute little shop you've always been meaning to get to, but claimed you never had time.  Keep life interesting.

My boyfriend is a perfect example of how to change it up.  Instead of going to the same restaurants and doing the same things, he keeps things exciting.  Last night, for example, we were going out to eat and he wouldn't tell me where we were going, but he was reading directions so I knew he had something in mind. After driving for a half hour, passing things I've never seen before, and ending up in the wilderness, we found ourselves at the Tiki Bar.  It's a summertime restaurant at Spring Mountain where you cook your own food!  To the left is a picture of the alligator kabobs he ate (yum!).

We experienced some outdoor dining (and cooking) at the bottom of a mountain that I've only ever seen covered in snow, skiers, and snowboarders on their butts.  We also drank a delicious drink called a Hurricane in which they rang a bell every time someone ordered one.  It was quite entertaining and enjoyable.

Tonight, instead of sitting at the table and writing, I sat on the steps and typed away- in the dark.  Yep, some people might think it's weird, but it gave me a different outlook.  So whether it be a task at work, how you get to work, or even what you do in preparation for a night's sleep...think about changing it up.  It's time travel down that road you pass by every single day.  Who knows?  Maybe you'll find a nice garden that you'll enjoy going to from time to time.  Embrace spontaneity and try new things!

And when you think you're stuck in a rut, doing the same things over and over, just think- some people don't even have the freedom of having a routine.  So change it up when you can and be thankful for the opportunities you have because it could be worse.