Sometimes you think you have an original idea, but Google begs to differ.
For instance, I decided to start a New Year’s movement to help stop the overuse of the word “awesome,” but then I Googled the phrase: “overuse of the word ‘awesome.'” My search returned more than a half-million matches, which tells me that others have come to a similar conclusion: “Awesome” is to modern English usage as fingernail clippings are to ice cream sprinkles.
Where I come from — the outer rings of suburbia — “awesome” is used as an all-purpose adjective, often forced into conversations with young children. They play “awesome” ball games, make “awesome” grades and generally exist in a state of “awesome” awesomeness. Our suburban Chattanooga toddlers are even capable of “awesome” trips to the potty.
Is it any wonder that our kids grow into young adults who lead the world in self-esteem but nothing else? It’s not their fault, having from birth been so thoroughly — and dare I say, awesomely — brainwashed.
Strictly speaking, the only thing our children do that is actually awesome is to emerge, fully formed, from the birth canal. Other acceptable usages of the word “awesome” are when you first see the Grand Canyon or, say, you’re getting a quick haircut and you unexpectedly get raptured.