QotD: Good Catch!
Do you have a particular "catch phrase" for which you are known?
Submitted by Emu with a Clue.
I always have a catch phrase that I'm known for. It often varies or I'll change it up once I pick up something new. When I lived in Oklahoma I was known for calling everyone "Jackass." Then I began using "puddin." I traded jackass for "a-hole," which is actually a personal favorite of mine. Right now the catch phrase that I just can't shake is "really?" I hate this one. I hate it. It's so very my mother. When holding a conversation with my mother, you can't say anything without her going, "Really?" Of course, it should be noted that her really is quite different than mine. Her really is more "I'm not paying attention to you, i don't care what you have to say, but I'll act astonished so that you think that I do." my really is very "What's wrong with you?" My really is combative and sarcastic. Her really is "I'm watching tv while trying to hold this conversation." My really occurs when Brett says something ridiculous or to be challenging.
"I'll punch you in your face."
"really?"
or
"And then she emailed me trying to be all billy-bad-ass and I was like 'really?'" (which when put into that situation in my mind i begin to think phrases like "you must not know about me")
My mothers really is more like this:
me: "I went to the grocery store today."
mom: "really!?!"
My really usually involves a slight smirk or a weird eye squint and a sarcastic tone. My mom's really is the really that academy awards are made of. She'll pretend like she's super interested, but I know in her mind she's thinking about her garden or how much thinner than me she is. She could care less about what's going on in my life, but at least she tries I guess.
Either way, the really is really obnoxious and I really hope I break this habit relatively soon, but I am nothing if not for catch phrases and there have been many in my lifetime. People who have had the pleasure of knowing me know that I often have a phrase that will stick around for months. I went through a "thanks a lot, buddy!" phase and then there was the phase where I called everyone "homes." I still enjoy that one. I also said "dude" a lot for quite awhile, yet I somehow managed to not sound like a surfer.
Usually, these phrases just take place, but every now and then I begin saying things on purpose for certain reason. I started using "really?" when I worked at Fast Eddie's, and I did it to make fun of a friend of mine, playfully of course, because she said it all the time. Soon, however, for some reason people associated me with the word and everyone forgot that I had only begun saying it to make fun of her haha. The one I want to use more, but have not particularly been successful in infiltrating the phrase into my everyday usage is Elaine's "Get OUT!" off of Seinfeld. I think I'm not having any luck because I always want to shove someone when I use it and that's just inappropriate these days.