It's so difficult to hold onto parts of the past that I'm always glad to find firm bits to cling to (or something that reflects those same sentiments but sounds less pervy).

For example, the other day mr rampy pointed out that I have a very strong habit of punctuating my sentences with "I mean, REALLY." And he's right. I do do that. But it could be worse. I could punctuate with Katie Couric teeny-bopper "Hello!"s or tubercular coughs or something.

What struck me was the fact that I have always overused the word 'really' over the years...just in different ways.

Phase One: Seventh-gradeish through high school. Constant use of "Really?" sometimes shading into the slightly more sarcastic "Gee, really?" but never packing more punch than your average Garfield "Are we having fun yet" finger twirl. And usually conveying genuine bemusement and/or shock at the vagaries of the world around me.

Phase Two: College and most of grad school. Constant use of "Really." to convey a sort of blase resignation towards the world. Or courage of my convictions, on the positive side.

Phase Three: Now. In using "I mean, really." I seem to have gone beyond resignation all the way to exasperated indignation and a need to shake people into facing facts. But that's okay. Life is funnier viewed from this angle, and I love scolding people.

Really.