May 29, 2004

Life at 80

President George H. W. Bush at 80 still is full of (mostly mental) energy, and what wit he has. He shares my annoyance at a verbal tick found in too many youngins today:

There are things kids say that don't exactly disturb me now that I am 80, but things that make me wonder what they are learning. They use the word "like" all the time. My beloved teenagers can't say a sentence without saying "like."

Like "Hi, Gampster, are you like going out in the boat, and if you do will you like take me with you?" Why do kids do this? Why don't their teachers tell them to cease and desist? They should simply tell the kids "Don't say 'like' all the time." Maybe it is only us old guys who notice, because we like didn't learn to talk that way and like now everyone under 20 goes "like" all the time. It's a new phenomenon. I hope our grandkids grow out of it before I get to be 85.

"Life is Good" [via Just A Girl]