Don't Catch Something You Can't Throw Back

So the other day, Avery was jumping on my stomach with her knees. She's not a baby anymore and that particular activity has gone from being cute and endearing to possibly violating the Geneva Convention. Anyway, at some point during the Atomic Knee Smash session, I blurted out, "Crimony Crud!" It's just one of my sayings, some weird little catchphrase I use to be funny or to avoid getting trouble for swearing around the kids. It's right up there with "Freak almighty!"

Anyway, I remembered that "Crimony crud" did not originate with me. It's a phrase from the obscure but much beloved (by some) comic book from the late 80s and early 90s, Ralph Snart.



I was never a Ralph Snart reader in any meaningful way. However, I was (and am) friend to RS fanboy, Brad Barrett, who peppered me with Snartisms such as, "How weak! Wotta woman!" and the aforementioned, "Crimony crud!" Eventually, I picked a little of it up and it entered my regular parlance. So now, here I am, fifteen years later, still using a phrase I picked up from a friend.

I started thinking of the habits, sayings, rituals, likes/dislikes, etc. that I've picked up from friends and family members over the years. Here's an abbreviated list:

Suzanne: the tendency to pronounce the word "yes" as "yees."

Jason (older brother): a deep affection for Van Halen.



Mom: An almost Pavlovian response to rainy days with a desire to make homemade soup, rolls, and chocolate chip cookies.

Dad: The phrases "Jeeze, kid!" and "Ignorant donkey."

Tyler Mitchell (missionary companion): The phrases "who kicked your trike in the ditch?" and "You whine like my mule," and "You're as full of crap as a Christmas goose."

Brad: Saying "Sure, sure," like Paul Newman from The Hudsucker Proxy.



Jeff Day (brother-in-law): Pronouncing the name of the rapper Ja Rule as "Jay Rule."



Suzanne: Wiping off counters constantly.

Norman Rindlisbacher (missionary companion): The phrase "What the H?"

Tony: "Dude." "Bah!"

Jason: Having every piece of dialog from The Breakfast Club burned in my memory for time and, most likely, all eternity.



Arthur Dolsen (Latin professor): Saying "yes, yes, dear child" in a deep, sonorous voice.

Brad: a deep love for the theme song of Shaft.



President Ernest Westover (mission president): The phrase, "That kid doesn't have the sense God gave a newborn calf!"



There are undoubtedly more things that I've "caught" from people that I haven't thrown back. As they come to me, I will update the list.